I have swam and snorkelled in several cenotes before - even though it was a different location I knew what to expect.
No fault of mine, but we arrived a couple minutes before the truck took us into the jungle. So we used that available time to prep before we headed down the road. I did visit the dive shop afterwards and purchased a t-shirt.
As for diving, you must be open water certified but not necessarily an experienced diver. My guide, Todd, was very professional, attentive and knowledgable. An inexperieced diver need not worry. Maximum depth was like 27 feet and you are always within 150 feet of an opening.
I had some new gear I was trying out and he never rushed me or made me feel uncomfortable. Very top notch staff, and very reasonable costs.
As for time of year, I have been to cenotes in May, June, October and November. I did not see a difference other than more windy in the fall (topside). The water was 75 degrees on the nose. I wore a 3/2 full and between the exposure suit and my natural layer of (cough) insulation I was toasty.
The jungle truck was a blast. The ride was half the fun. They must be doing a booming business because they had a whole fleet of those jungle trucks.
I can't wait to go back. But this time I want to the dive to revolve around taking loads of pictures. This dive was more of an intro to cavern diving. Now I am familiar with the site and want to enjoy and record the next dive.
I highly recommend it.
