Sistema Ox Bel Ha came from the Mayan language, which means “three paths of water”. It is a cave system located underwater. This coastal cave has layers of freshwater that flow on top of seawater; thus, the water results to a halocline or a mixing zone of water with unequal densities. The halocline at the Sistema Ox Bel Ha measures 25 to 52 feet in depth. The cave’s total length is 231.17 kilometers, and it has a depth of 34.7 meters. Many tourists can enter the cave through the 137 cenotes or pits.
The Sistema Ox Bel Ha is located in Quintana Roo, Mexico. It was first discovered in February 1996, and the cave system is ideal for advanced cave diving. Many tourists visit the cave system to swim and dive in the fresh waters surrounding Sistema Ox Bel Ha. Anyone can swim downstream the cave and exit into the Caribbean Sea. Mangroves and many types of Savannah sea grasses surround the cave. Among the rare species of animals found in Sistema Ox Bel Ha are the isopods and the blind cavefish.
The best time to visit Sistema Ox Bel Ha is during the summer. During this season, the climate is just right for exploring the different areas in the cave. Moreover, tourists will enjoy diving, snorkeling and swimming around the water surrounding the cave. The winter is not an ideal season to visit Sistema Ox Bel Ha because of the freezing temperature that can make travelling very difficult.