Cenote Taak Bi Luum

Taak Bi Luum, Mayan for “hidden path” or “hidden world”, is a lesser-known cenote.

As soon as you descend the stairway leading to an amazing underground section of the cenote, you can see that this is no ordinary place. The gigantic crooked tree in the middle of the cave, the unusual shape of the giant stalactite in the room and the flickering rays of sunlight protruding through the jungle canopy are setting the mood. It feels different, like a place that was meant to be forgotten and ignored by humans..

Taak Bi Luum is well-known for its unique formations which can be found only at this dive site. Nobody really knows how these bubble-shaped burnt marshmallow-looking formations came to grow this way over time. 

Both dives are shallow with large sediment dunes leading through a passage which some call “The Gate of Hell”. We are still not sure if this narrow passage was manmade or not as the sides seem suspiciously straight to have been formed naturally, but who knows!

At the beginning of the dive, on the bottom, there is a thin hydrogen sulfide cloud due to a lot of organic material, such as leaves, branches, etc., falling into the cenote, creating a mystical scene.

In addition, both dives are very dark though the cavern lines lead around an open water area. Because of its darkness, you might get a glimpse at “La Dama Blance”, the “White Lady” (Typhliasina pearsei), a peculiar fish endemic to the Yucatan peninsula whose main characteristic is its absence of eyeballs.

Most importantly, this cenote is only for experienced divers who must demonstrate excellent diving skills and buoyancy control. Further, they must provide proof that they have dived at least one Level 1, 2, and 3 cenotes before they can be taken to discover Cenote Taak Bi Luum (Level 4 Cenote).

Cenote Taak Bi Luum is part of the Sac Actun System, the longest underwater river system in the world with 376 km (234 miles) of explored lines.