What You Must See And Do In Magical Bacalar

The town of Bacalar and its lagoon are located in the very south of the Yucatan Peninsula, near the border with Belize. The town has a strong historical significance. It has often been attacked by pirates, which is why you will find a defensive fortress right in the middle of the city that you can visit.

The lagoon itself is almost 50 kilometres long and two kilometres wide. It is famous for its incredibly turquoise water. That’s why it’s also called the lagoon of seven colours. You can see seven shades of blue. At the same time, this place is not as touristy as the north of the Yucatan. If you like peace and relaxation, don’t miss this place.

HOW TO GET TO BACALAR?

From every major city on the Yucatán Peninsula, you can get here by ADO buses, or you can do it by AU buses, which are a bit cheaper. You can find timetables at the link www.ado.com.mx, where you can also buy tickets.

ACCOMMODATION

For accommodation, we can recommend the OYO Hospejade Casa Poblana. Although it is a little further away from the centre, it is a short walk from the lake and you can walk to the nearest swimming beach. The hotel is a small, rather family run establishment, with a terrace in front of each room. The advantage is that there is also a shared and well equipped kitchen. The Wi-Fi doesn’t work in all the rooms, but outside on the terrace it works without problems. It is a little slower, but usable. The price is 410 MXN (24 USD) per night for two people. Contact is +525 550 620 602. There is also accommodation at www.booking.com. Great accommodation at a good price is also the Hotel Hacienda Bacalar, where you pay 436 MXN (25 USD) per night.

WHAT TO DO IN LAGOON BACALAR?

Right in town, the centre itself is worth mentioning, where the aforementioned Fuerte De San Felipe fortress is located.

Right next to the fortress is Mango y Chile, where you can get probably the best vegan burger you’ve ever had while enjoying a beautiful view of the lake. The burger may cost 160 MXN (10 USD), but you won’t regret it.

You’ll definitely want to leave here with a photo on a wooden pier over the lake. You can either get this at one of the lakeside restaurants, where you’ll also leave quite a bit of money for dinner, or for free at CATCH Marisqueria. Just pass on the right side of the restaurant and go straight to the pier. The pier is public and no one will kick you off.

CENOTE COCALITOS AND CENOTE AZUL

The first two places to visit that you can walk to from the city are Cenote Cocalitos and Cenote Azul. These places are next to each other.

They are less than 3 km from the hotel. If you don’t feel like walking, you can take a taxi for 50 MXN (3 USD) or rent a bike for 150 MXN (9 USD) per day. Both places are frequented more by locals.

Cenote Cocalitos is actually a kind of natural swimming pool, the entrance fee is 35 MXN (2 USD). The water is really beautiful and you can be here all day. There are showers, toilets and refreshments. You can even bring your own food and have a picnic here. There are swings and hammocks right in the water. It’s a really photogenic place.

Cenote Azul is right next to Cenote Cocalitos and the entrance fee is 25 MXN (1.50 USD). It is a 200 meter wide and 90 meter deep natural lake. You can swim here too, those who are afraid of the depth will get a swimming vest :-).

LOS RAPIDOS

About 10 km south of the city there are three places that cannot be missed. The first one is Los Rapidos. Here the lake narrows down to literally a few meters and the water flows from the southern part of the lake to the northern one. In the south you can jump into the water and let yourself drift northwards. This place is really beautiful but also a bit more expensive. You will pay 200 MXN (12 USD) to enter, if you want to rent a kayak for two, which is really an experience, you will pay another 400 MXN (24 USD) per hour. The advantage is the relatively cheap restaurant on site.

RANCHO ALEGRE

Another wonderful spot is Rancho Alegre. The entrance fee here is more pleasant at 50 MXN (3 USD). They will rent you a kayak for 150 MXN (9 USD) per hour and the great thing is that you can kayak from here to Los Rapidos.

SAC-HA

The cheapest and also very beautiful way to Los Rapidos is through a place called Sac – Ha. The entrance fee is only 25 MXN (1.50 USD), and you can rent a kayak for two here for 100 MXN (6 USD) per hour. The small downside is that you paddle upstream for a while, but you just give it a go :-). The nature you see along the way is worth it.

The three places are quite close to each other and there are several ways to get to them from the city. You can rent a bike or take a taxi which is the most expensive but most convenient. It will cost you 200 MXN (12 USD) per trip. The most fun way is the Colectivo which you hitch at the main road. However, the Colectivo will drop you off on the main road and you’ll have to walk about 2.5 km on a dirt road to Los Rapidos, for example. The advantage is that quite a few people drive here and if you wave at someone, they will definitely give you a lift that short distance.

You can buy agency tours right in town, rent a kayak for MXN 300 (USD 17) and drive on your own to the Canal de los Piratas, which is also definitely worth a visit. You can also purchase a sailboat tour on the lake or rent your own boat. There are plenty of activities to do here.

OUR TIP

We weren’t expecting it ourselves in such a small town, but there is free Wi-Fi right in the park on the square. And it works really well :-).

WATCH OU IN BACALAR

The bus station is quite far from the town centre. You can walk to the centre, but if you take a taxi, set the price with the taxi driver beforehand. Taxi drivers tend to increase the price for tourists.

Here is the number of one reliable taxi driver. When you write to him, translate the text in google translator into Spanish, he is more accommodating then. His WhatsApp number is +529 838 395 628. For example, he will take you to Los Rapidos for 350 MXN (20 USD) for both round trips.

If you are planning your trip to the Yucatán, don’t forget to read our other tips and tricks about the Yucatán.