Cenote Cristal (Naharon)
Cenote Cristal, signposted under that name but known to cave divers as Naharon, is a round collapse doline about 3 km south of Tulum next to Highway 307. It is a main entrance to Sistema Naranjal, whose passages are dark from tannin staining. The cave is famous for the 'Eve of Naharon', the skeleton of a young woman found underwater and carbon-dated to around 13,600 years, though the date is uncertain because the bones lay in salt water. ProTec recommends it as the first cave dive in Tulum for certified cave divers (average depth ~16 m).
Facts
- Region: Mexico – Riviera Maya Cenotes
- Area: Tulum
- Depth: 16 m
- Level: advanced
- Current: low
- Type: cave
- Coordinates: 20.19875, -87.51313 (approximate)
- Highlights: entrance to Sistema Naranjal, Eve of Naharon skeleton (~13,600 years, disputed dating), tannin-dark walls, halocline in deeper passages, popular cave-training site
- Tips: Primarily a full-cave site: the recommended dives are for certified cave divers (primary reel needed to reach the mainline). The open basin is used for skills and weight checks; no guided cavern tour here was found in operator lists. Stairs are slippery and there is a tourist jumping platform. Opening hours per ProTec: 9:00–16:30; the Cristal ticket also covers Mayan Blue. Showcaves (2015) listed MXN 150 for divers – check current.