Lake 11 km southwest of Tulum
A shallow turquoise lagoon south of Tulum with an 80-meter-deep cenote at its center, ringed by a wooden pier.
Kaan Luum, "yellow earth" in Maya, is a lagoon in the forest about 12 kilometers south of Tulum. Most of it is shallow, warm and light turquoise, with a soft bottom where the water barely comes up to your shoulders. In the middle, the color turns suddenly to deep navy blue: that is a cenote, a vertical shaft about 80 meters deep that opens in the lagoon floor.
The contrast between the pale shallows and the dark circle of the cenote is what draws people. A wooden pier and platforms run out over the water, and the deep part is roped off, so swimmers stay in the shallows and look at the blue from the edge. The water is calm, which makes it a good place for paddleboarding, and some visitors cover themselves in the lagoon's mud.
It is managed by the local ejido as a simple day site, with parking, a short walk from the entrance and, recently, a restaurant. Mornings on weekdays are quietest; on weekends local families come to swim.
What to see and do
Walk out along the pier to see the deep blue cenote in the middle of the lagoon.
Wade and swim in the warm, shallow water around it.
Rent or bring a paddleboard for a calm paddle across the lagoon.
Try the lagoon mud, as many local visitors do.
Getting there
Kaan Luum is about 15 minutes south of Tulum on Highway 307 toward Felipe Carrillo Puerto, with a signed turnoff on the inland side. Colectivos and second-class buses going south can drop you at the turnoff, from where it is a short walk through the forest. The ejido charges an entry fee.
11 km southwest of Tulum
Directions from Tulum on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather warm
Laguna Kaan Luum shares the climate of Tulum, 11 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr.
Make Tulum your base
Laguna Kaan Luum is an easy trip from Tulum, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.