Cenote Yax-Chen - Yucatán Cenotes
Forget the name; Gili Meno Harbour is far more interesting than a typical port dive. We know, we know, "harbour" sounds industrial, but here, it’s a gentle slope alive with coral, particularly the branching and table varieties. It’s a site that just feels easygoing, perfect for divers easing into their holiday or those who appreciate a slower pace to really soak it all in. We love dropping in here, particularly in the morning before the boat traffic picks up. The light catches the schools of fusiliers as they shimmer past, sometimes so many you can feel the subtle pressure of their movement. Keep an eye out for the Australian bluespotted maskray, a regular here, often tucked into the sand, and the black sea cucumbers doing their slow patrol. This is also a fantastic spot for green turtles, often seen munching on the thalassia seagrass or resting under a coral head. With a maximum depth of 18m and typically calm conditions, it’s a site that welcomes new divers and delivers relaxed, rewarding dives for everyone.
- Location
- Yucatán Cenotes, Mexico, North America
- Coordinates
- 20.131000, -87.465600
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Playa Tortuguera X'cacel-X'cacelito
Nearby Dive Sites in Yucatán Cenotes
- Acuario (reef)
- Acuario (reef)
- Akumal Reef (reef)
- Akumal Reef (wreck)
- Angelita Cenote - 30-60m (cenote)
- Bahia Príncipe (reef)
- Bahia Príncipe (wreck)
- Blue Ha Reef (reef)
- Casa Cenote (reef)
- Cenote Angelita (cenote)
- Cenote Angelita (reef)
- Cenote Angelita (cenote)
- Cenote Azul - 5-15m (cenote)
- Cenote Calavera (cenote)
- Cenote Carwash (cenote)
Nearest Dive Centres to Cenote Yax-Chen
- Dive Life SCUBA
- MAR ADENTRO DIVING - PADI, SSI
Marine Life in Yucatán Cenotes
Home to 425 recorded species including 340 reef fish, 30 hard corals, 14 other, 13 sharks & rays, 6 crabs & lobsters, 4 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Spiny Brittle Star (Ophiocoma echinata)