I expected to really like Bacalar—after all, I have had it on my list of places to visit for quite a while. I had seen the pictures of the beautiful clear waters in all the shades of blue of this “Laguna de los Siete Colores” (Lagoon of Seven Colors), and I knew it would be a feast for the eyes.
But I was not prepared for Bacalar to sweep me off my feet like it did. Wow—that crystal clear, clean water gave me life! I seriously felt like I was swimming in a giant glass of Evian and, unlike after a swim in the ocean, I felt squeaky clean coming out of the water.
Looking for things to do in Bacalar? Look no further! Here are the highlights of how to make the most of your visit to Bacalar, places to stay, and a few suggestions of places to eat.
About Bacalar
Bacalar was probably Mexico’s best kept secret until the town of Bacalar was declared a Pueblo Magico in 2015, putting it on travelers’ radar and opening the floodgates to tourists. It has definitely been discovered and has started to grow quite a bit.
I will note that while the lake is truly special, the town itself is lacking in charm and appeal. There is a bit of a locus of activity around the zocalo, but there isn’t a feeling anywhere of a humming center of activity.
Access to the lake is almost entirely through private properties, which is a big miss from a public policy perspective. One of the few places to access the lake for free is the Balneario Municipal El Aserradero.
Bacalar’s Water
So…is it a lake…or a lagoon? I have done some serious googling (in English and Spanish) and I honestly can’t tell you if Bacalar is a lake or a lagoon; it shares qualities of both. It is connected to the Caribbean Sea through a series of navigable channels carved by Mayans, which makes it more of a lagoon…buuut…it is one hundred percent fresh spring water, which makes it more of a lake. So let’s go with lake for now.
Bacalar lake is 42 (or possibly up to 50, depending on who you ask) kilometers long, running parallel to the Yucatán’s Caribbean coast, near Mexico’s border with Belize.
What is super cool about Bacalar is that it is fed by a 450 km network of underground rivers and cenotes running under the Yucatán peninsula, which gives it that cool, clean, limestone-filtered water. Bacalar actually has three cenotes within the lake, some as many as 90 meters (about 300 feet) deep.
A Fragile Ecosystem
I almost don’t want to tell anyone about this place because I am very concerned about the potential impacts of massive increases in unmanaged tourism on this delicate place, especially with the impending arrival of the Tren Maya. That said, I think the word is out, so I want to just focus my part on how you can minimize your impact if you do visit.
Bottom line: do everything you can to keep the lake pure and clean!
You will see a lot of signs asking you to follow these rules, so please:
- Don’t use sunscreen or other lotions, etc. before getting into the lake
- Don’t pee in the lake
- Don’t use the mud on the lake floor on as an exfoliating body scrub (the oils from your body will mess with the biology)
- Don’t step on or touch the estromatolitos (stromatolites) – these precious coral-like, thousand-year-old creatures are rare and fragile and super important to the ecosystem. Also, they will cut you!
As you plan your trip, note that the lake is “closed” to all motorized vessels and commercial activity on Wednesdays to give the lake a break, so you won’t be able to schedule a tour of any kind or possibly even rent a kayak or paddleboard. If available, you could probably use your hotel’s free kayaks or go for a dip…or you could just give the lake a break!
Things to do
The only way to truly appreciate the beauty and magic of this lake is to get out on—and into—the water. There are lots of options, from just jumping in to kayaking, standup paddle boarding, and sailing. I will only recommend non-motorized options out of respect for this beautiful and fragile ecosystem. Besides it’s much a more tranquil experience without the constant putt-putt of a motor or the miserable roar of a jetski.
So let’s get into it; here are the top 5 things to do in Bacalar:
- Discover the lake on a sailboat tour
- Kayak or paddleboard on the blue waters
- Float down Los Rapidos
- Relax at Playa Cocalitos
- Explore San Felipe Fort and the zocalo
If you were super-ambitious you could pack all this into one exhausting day but I recommend two full days for a more relaxing experience.
Read on to learn more about how to make the most of your visit to Bacalar!
Sailboat tour
A serene sailing cruise across the seven colors of the lake is the best introduction to this natural beauty.
We started off our visit to Bacalar with the three-hour afternoon Sailing Tour on the Lagoon of the 7 Colors with Day Tour Bacalar (MX$660 per person, about US$35), and highly recommend it as a great introduction to the different areas of the lake and its ecology. And the best part is you get to take a few leisurely dips in the lake—that’s where the magic happens!
Sailboats typically fit four to eight people, possibly more depending on the company.
Most tour companies are based towards the southern end of the lake and follow a similar itinerary. The most popular stop is probably the Canal de los Piratas (Pirate Canal), where there is a made-for-Instagram sandbar and abandoned concrete structure that was a failed attempt at a restaurant.
We had about 45 minutes for our very first dip in the lake, and it went by super fast! The water is pretty shallow and you can walk upright most of the time, slogging through the mushy squishy limestone sand.
The best part was just how clean you feel coming out of the water – unlike the salty sandy icky feeling coming out of the ocean (just me?).
Your boat will probably take a quick lap around the Cenote Negro, demonstrating their expert sailing skills. Cenote Negro is the deepest spot on the lake, and the water really does look black!
We had one final stop near the Isla de los Pajaros, with another 30 minutes or so to swim around, watching the storks fly overhead with giant twigs to build their nests.
Most tour companies offer a morning tour at 11am and an afternoon tour at 3pm. You can’t go wrong with either one. The weather is more of a factor to consider than the time of day, as those blues really come out when the sun is shining—and that’s hard to predict.
We really enjoyed our experience with Day Tours Bacalar, but there are also plenty of other sailing tour providers out there offering similar experiences. You will find no shortage of people offering to take you out on the lake; there are booths and signs all over town, and your hotel can probably also arrange something.
Check out this post for details on why you should start your visit to Bacalar on a sailboat tour.
Kayaking
A lot of hotels and home rentals located right on the lake offer free kayaks, which makes it easy to hit the lake on your own schedule and at your own pace. This option does somewhat require you to know some kayaking basics.
The water on the lake is pretty calm but it can get a bit choppy when the wind picks up, often in the afternoon. I’m no morning person, but I will admit it was nice to get out there on a kayak around sunrise and really appreciate the tranquility of daybreak.
If your lodging doesn’t offer kayaks, there are plenty of spots around the lake to rent a kayak.
Los Rapidos
The Los Rapidos experience is super fun, so you’ve just got to do it!
Los Rapidos Bacalar Lagoon Club has the monopoly on this sweet spot where Laguna Bacalar necks down into a channel that connects it to the southernmost basin of the lake. It’s basically an honest-to-goodness turquoise lazy river that you get to float down—but you first have to work for it by walking or swimming further up.
It costs MX$150 (about US$8) to get in, and that basically gets you access to the area and a life jacket for easy floating. You can also rent one- or two-person kayaks for MX$150 (about US$8) per person per hour.
If you want to lounge around all day there are food/beverage minimums that you have to hit if you sit in certain areas. If you have a group of people it’s probably worth it to hang out and enjoy the scenery after your float.
Once you’ve got your life jacket on, it’s time to hop into the river and head upstream!
Finding the best path upstream is the hardest part, and I am not even sure there is one. We tramped through the mud trying to avoid the estromatolitos (per the one million signs asking us to not step on them), but ended up back on some (sadly probably already damaged beyond repair) estromatolito trails.
Between that and just swimming upstream, it took us almost an hour to make it to the main widening of the river, which seemed like a good spot to turn around and float back.
Whoowhee – that’s where the fun really begins! Just sit back and relax. The current is strong and you can zip back in about 10 minutes (if you don’t keep stopping to take pictures).
You can also rent kayaks if floating in the water is not your thing.
Check out this How to Make the Most of Your Visit to Los Rapidos in Bacalar post for details on planning your visit to Los Rapidos.
Playa Cocalitos
Still haven’t had enough of those beautiful blues and those cheeky estromatolitos?
Fire up your Instagram and head to Playa Cocalitos! The business savvy owners have installed swings and hammocks in the water for those great photo ops.
This is another private operation on the lake, but it’s pretty budget friendly (MX$50, or less than US$5 per person) and it is really easy on the eyes. They have a decent bar and restaurant, and you can also buy snacks (I had a delicious tamal) from the lady taking entrance fees. They also have brand new bathroom facilities.
From here you can walk waaaay out into the lake with the water just up to your knees, which is pretty cool.
And this is one place that goes out of its way to actually protect the estromatolitos, so you can see what healthy and happy ones look like.
This is a great low-key spot for people old and young, given the shallow water and chill vibes. Just note that the wooden steps into the water are very slippery from algae, so hold on to the railings.
Fuerte San Felipe
The main non-water attraction in town is Fuerte San Felipe, right off the zócalo (town square) and overlooking the lake.
If you are not on a tight budget (entrance is MX$110, or a little over US$5), it’s worth popping into the fort for the views and a bit of history. In the main fort building there is a nice little museum with some history of the Yucatán, including panels on colonization, pirates, agriculture, and migration.
There is a dramatic mural.
And a model of the fort.
And a few intriguing sculptures.
The fort is guarded by a lean team of iguanas (we also spotted a small red fox in the moat!).
Zócalo (town square)
While we there (March 2022), the Zócalo seemed to be in the final phases of renovation and construction.
They were also building some kind of viewing platform on the southern edge, presumably for views of the lake.
I had to agree with a grumpy local waiter that said the new zócalo design was crap, (and cost millions). It might be because it was under construction, but the new zócalo is not designed in a way that fosters community. It has concrete paths cutting their way through beautiful specimens of trees and plants, kind of like a botanical garden, but there is no feeling of a gathering space that a proper zócalo should have.
Perhaps when construction is complete and people start gathering there again, it will get a bit more worn in and that feeling will change.
The area around the zócalo is full of restaurants and shops, which were also suffering from lack of traffic due to the construction while we there, but I imagine it has picked up again.
The zócalo is also where you will find the classic colorful town sign for Bacalar.
Cenote Azul
We did not get to Cenote Azul, but I am adding it here as something that we would have checked out if we had time.
At 90 meters (295 feet) deep, Cenote Azul is one of the deepest cenotes in the Yucatán. Unlike some of the other cenotes, it is actually not in the lake, but just off to the side, and more like a traditional cenote.
Once again you will need to pay an entrance fee, with the option of renting a life vest or snorkel equipment. They also have a restaurant that has fairly good recent reviews.
Where to stay
I was really on the struggle bus trying to choose a place to stay in Bacalar, always in search of perfection on a budget! I was even willing to splurge a little on this trip. Good thing, because Bacalar is not a super cheap spot when it comes to accommodations.
My first and best advice is to stay somewhere with direct lake access.
The lake, after all, is why you are here and you shouldn’t deprive yourself. Most of the restaurants and activity are within the general vicinity of the zócalo and down towards the lake (the yellow areas on google maps), so if you want to be able to walk to those things, plan to stay in that general area.
Budget
The Yak Lake House Hostel seems to be the go-to place for budget-ish travelers looking for a great social scene – and it has direct lake access. It’s in a great location in town.
Moderate
We stayed at Casa La Joya Bacalar – I guess you could call it a boutique hotel, with only four rooms. In terms of lake access and tranquility it was perfect. They have an amazing dock with hammocks, and kayaks and standup paddleboard free for you to use. It is outside of town, though, so we had to drive for pretty much everything.
That’s it for hotel recommendations (I don’t want to recommend other places that I didn’t see or stay at).
Where to Eat
Bacalar is not known as a culinary mecca but there are certainly a few gems worth checking out. We didn’t actually get to try too many places in town because we were too busy running around doing lake things, but we have a few recommendations nonetheless.
Breakfast
We absolutely recommend Enamora for breakfast. The food is beautiful and tastes good too. There are options for all kinds of dietary preferences. If you are into dessert for breakfast, don’t miss the carrot cake – it was next level! Be prepared to wait in line.
Another great breakfast spot with more traditional Mexican options (as well as vegetarian and vegan options) is Madre Masa. We enjoyed the chilaquiles and the cazuela, and these delicious mini ciabatta breads made in-house.
Lunch and Dinner
We didn’t really have lunch anywhere because of our hearty breakfasts, so we are merging this section.
La Playita is the go-to spot, judging by the nightly line to get it. It has that vacation vibe with the palapa roofs, right on the lake – and it is a massive restaurant! The menu is also extensive so everyone should be able to find something they like. The food was not ah-mazing, but it was good and the overall experience was enjoyable. (Although it was quite dark, so old people should bring glasses and flashlights to read the menu!)
We decided to shake it up a little and go for some sushi at Nao, anotherlovely spot with pretty food and creative cocktails (courtesy of its mezcal bar Damajuana Mezcaleria). The sushi was a little rice-heavy for my taste, but otherwise good.
There is a sneaky new vegan restaurant called Veggie Veggie just below Nao (you have to go through Nao to get there…so like a speakeasy restaurant?) that has live music and is closer to the lake, with lake views. It seemed pretty popular, so check it out.
Another vegan option we heard rave reviews about was Mango y Chile, right off the zocalo. They are famous for their vegan burgers but also offer up tacos, salads, and smoothies.
The other place we definitely want to try next time is Nixtamal, which is the opposite of vegan and is all about traditional cooking on a wood-fired grill. The menu is heavy on meats and fish – but they do offer vegetarian (and maaaybe vegan?) options.
If you are looking for cheap local eats, your best bet is one of the taco stands on Carretera Federal 307 (the main highway you came in on).
And lastly not a restaurant at all, but we were tickled by the drive-through beer place on the 307! If you have a hankering for beer, wine and snacks, check out Autobeer Bacalar.
You just drive in and the attendants will grab you what you need. Honestly, I don’t get how this is easier than just walking into a store, but it still cracks me up. Maybe the perk is that you get to stay in your air-conditioned car. It’s hot and humid in Bacalar.
Getting Here
Bacalar is a 4-5 hour drive south from Cancun, depending on where you start and on traffic.
Drive. It’s easy to get there in your own (or rental) car, as it’s a straight shot down Carretera Federal 307. The is a nominal toll (MX$29) road for a short portion of the trip as you get closer to Bacalar. It’s not clear how much longer it would take if you avoided the toll (but we didn’t want to chance it!).
One thing we noticed driving on this route (that we didn’t experience in other parts of the Yucatán) is that slower cars move over to drive in the shoulder when someone is trying to pass them, even/especially when there is oncoming traffic, essentially creating a passing lane when there is none. It’s actually very civilized! Do like the locals.
Bus. The ADO bus will also take you to Bacalar (at last check you had to get the bus from downtown Cancun, not the airport), and it probably the most budget-friendly option. Note that the ADO bus will leave you on the main highway so you will have to hoof it or take a short taxi ride into town, about 1km depending on where in town you are going. That said, there seem to be plenty of taxis in Bacalar, and I’m sure they have a handle on the bus schedule and magically appear when the buses are scheduled to roll into town.
Shuttle or taxi. There are shuttles and taxis that will take you from Cancun Airport to Bacalar, but it could be crazy expensive, probably around US$300 one way.
If you happen to be coming from Chetumal (or its airport) instead of Cancun, it’s an easy 35-40 minutes north by bus or car.
Getting Around
Car. Having a car is probably the easiest to get around town as the town’s layout is spread out. That said, parking can be a little tricky at popular times in popular locations, but we were always able to find a spot eventually.
Taxi. There are loads of taxis running around town – the taxi union is strong! There are no Ubers or equivalents.
Walk. The town of Bacalar slopes gently down to the lake and stretches lazily along the waterfront. Walking is a great way to get around, but you could find yourself walking quite some distances in the blazing heat and humidity to get to attractions like Playa Cocalitos. There aren’t always sidewalks, but cars are usually not moving too fast so it is pretty safe. Just note that it gets pretty dark at night and there aren’t a lot of streetlights.
Bike. Biking can be a good option to get around. Just note that the roads aren’t in great condition (although intensive roadworks are underway), and there are some gentle slopes up from the lake.
Do You Want to Go to Bacalar?
So, you can see there are many things to love about Bacalar! I hope I’ve inspired you to check it out for yourself and enjoy it responsibly.
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions.
Want to learn about other beautiful but less well-known places to discover in the Yucatán? Check out this 12 Amazing Places to Visit in the Yucatán (That Aren’t Cancun) post.
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