Bacalar, Mexico a small town with an exceptionally beautiful freshwater lake. It was one of our favourite destinations during our trip through Mexico! You will find the lake Laguna de los 7 colores, ‘the lake with the seven shades of blue’, which is definitely a must-see during your trip through Mexico. Nothing about this name is a lie, because although you won't find any white beaches here, the water is bluer than blue. This piece of Mexico is a true paradise just a 2.5-hour drive from Tulum! Hop in a kayak, take a sailing trip or sup across the lake and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere. Check out our tips for the best sights, best restaurants and finest hotels in Bacalar!
General information on Mexico
Are you working on a travel plan for Mexico? Then check out our tips for the best travel period, daily budget and transport to and in Mexico. You can find all information about Mexico here.
Bacalar, Mexico
How to travel to Bacalar
The best things to do in Bacalar, Mexico!
1. Enjoy the lake from one of the jetties
2. Go swimming at Lagoon Bonanza
3. Do nothing for a while at Los Cocalitos
4. Go sailing on Laguna Bacalar
5. Go kayaking or supping across the lake
6. Enjoy at one of the beach clubs
Best restaurant in Bacalar
Our favourites addresses in Bacalar
How travel to Bacalar
Bacalar is located south of Yucatan in Quintana roo province, close to the border of Belize. You can easily travel to Bacalar by ADO buses or a rental car from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum or Valladolid. So there are several roads leading to Bacalar. If you choose the public transport you can look up the bus times in the ADO app and buy your ticket directly if necessary. Would you rather take the car going? Then opt for a rental car at Sunnycars. We have had good experiences with this and the rent is always all-inclusive. So you are also immediately well insured.
Cancun airport - Bacalar
Travel time by car: 5 hours
Day price car: from €40 per day via Sunnycars
Travel time by bus: 5.5 hours
Bus ticket price: from 33,- p.p via bookaway or the ADO app.
Tip: Picking up your hire car at Cancun airport can take a very long time. We arrived at 15:00 and did not drive away until 17:30 (and were lucky). Keep this in mind, as you would prefer not to drive at night.
Playa del Carmen - Bacalar
Travel time by car: 3.5 hours
Day price car: from €40 per day via Sunnycars
Travel time by bus: 3.5 hours
Bus ticket price: from 28,- p.p via bookaway or the ADO app.
Tulum - Bacalar
Travel time by car: 2.5 hours
Day price car: from €40 per day via Sunnycars
Travel time by bus: 2.5 hours
Bus ticket price: from 21,- p.p via bookaway or the ADO app.
Valladolid - Bacalar
Travel time by car: 3.5 hours
Day price car: from €40 per day via Sunnycars
Travel time by bus: 6 hours
Bus ticket price: from 32,- p.p via bookaway or the ADO app.
Tip: This bus only runs once a day. So plan your trip in time!
The best things to do in Bacalar, Mexico!
As we mentioned earlier, Bacalar is famous for its lake; Laguna de los 7 colores. It's the ideal place to relax for a while and we recommend you go there 2 to 3 days stay. Do you want to stay longer?Also no problem because there are plenty of sights! Below, we share the best with you.
1. Enjoy the lake from one of the jetties
You might be thinking, why are you starting this? Well quite simply, because you need to know a bit about Bacalar before you go there. The lake is surrounded by hotels and beach clubs, making it difficult to find a public spot to the lake. However, there are some public jetties where you can enjoy the last or first rays of the sun with a beer! You can find these public jetties at Calle 14, 16, 18 and 32. We found the jetty near Calle 14 the most accessible. From here you can also easily enter the water!
2. Go swimming at Lagoon Bonanza
We think Lugune Bonanza is one of the nicest spots in Bacalar. Although you don't really have the space to lie down here, there are plenty of table and chairs. This is probably why it was a lot less crowded here than Las Cocalitos (now closed), for instance. Despite not being able to throw down your sarong extensively there, we definitely recommend spending a few hours enjoying the extremely blue water with a handful of people around you.
In addition, what makes this place so much fun is that you can rent a canoe at Lagoon Bonanza to go to the popular Los Rapidos. A narrow river south of the lagoon with a natural current. By renting your canoe at Lagoon Bonanza, you also save the entrance fee of 150 pesos for Los Rapidos. So you can see both places for the price of one
Entrance Lagoon Bonanza: 50 pesos (€2.65) per person
Canoe: 200 pesos (€10.68) per hour for a two-person canoe.
Note: In Lake Bacalar, you will find some special stromatolites. These are a kind of living stones that are an important part of the ecosystem and should not be touched. To further protect and restore the lake, the lake is ‘closed’ on Wednesdays. You can swim in the lake then but no sailing, supping or kayaking is allowed.
3. Do nothing for a while at Los Cocalitos
Need to spend a day doing nothing? Then Los Cocalitos is the place to be! Here you will find a large lawn where you can soak up the sun, hammocks and swings to chill out in the water. You will also find a restaurant where you can buy some food and drinks.
Entrance Los Cocalitos: 50 pesos (€2.65) per person
Can't sit still for long either? Recognisable! Take these three cool games with you when you go chill out for the day!
Want to enjoy such a lovely hammock at home? Check out this ideal hammock stand for home!
4. Go sailing on Laguna Bacalar
Surely one of the coolest activities is taking a sailing trip on laguna Bacalar. We received this tip from several friends and are happy to pass it on to you! During this sailing trip, you will be taken on the 76-kilometre lake with several cenotes. We do recommend booking a tour with one of the following organisations to avoid disappointment.
- Bacalove Sailing: Maximum number of people is 5/6 and prices are between 680 (€36.34) and 2800 (€149.85) pesos. How long and at what time you want to sail is all negotiable.
- GetYourGuide: Via getyourguide you can book several sailing trips which means there is bound to be something for your budget. Take a look at these group sailing trip or this boat tour.
5. Go kayaking or supping across the lake
Another cool activity is kayaking or supping across the lake! Enjoy bobbing in the clear blue water at your own pace. Want to head for Bird Island, Cenote Negro or El Canal de Los Piratas? Then bear in mind that you will soon be 3 hours on the road. There are several places in Bacalar where you can rent a kayak or sub, check out for instance AdventureLab. The price for renting a kayak is from 200 (€10.68) pesos.
6. Enjoy at one of the beach clubs
As we briefly mentioned above, the lake is surrounded by beach clubs and hotels. One of our favourites is La Playita. Located by the water, La Playita is the ideal destination for a nice lunch and a dip in the water. Next to the restaurant surrounded by green plants, you will find a long jetty with several relaxing chairs, what a holiday!
Can't get enough of all the sights or are you staying longer in Bacalar? Then add these activities to your list: Swimming in Cenote Azul, a visit Sac-Ha, scooter to El Encanto or go snorkelling at Los Rapidos.
Best restaurants in Bacalar
You can eat delicious food in Mexico, and that includes Bacalar. Besides the fact that you have plenty of choice in Bacalar, each little restaurant has its own charm. And if you are on the road all day, you need to eat well!
Enamora: Head here for a delicious breakfast or lunch! The menu features only healthy dishes and smoothies.
Mr Taco: A small restaurant that is always busy. You can eat delicious Mexican food here for a small price. We recommend you try the Quesadillas!
Mi Burrito: A cool food truck with a terrace. You pay little here and get well-filled burritos with delicious yellow rice!
Antojitos Orizaba: Perfect for the backpacker who loves a simple and Mexican breakfast. You won't see many tourists sitting here but it was our favourite breakfast spot.
La Playita: This is one of the most popular places in Bacalar to have lunch or dinner. It is right on the lake and is incredibly nicely decorated.
Our favourites addresses in Bacalar
We usually book last-minute. Ideal at times, slightly less ideal if you go to Bacalar in high season. So keep this in mind when booking a trip to Mexico because otherwise you're out of luck! Hotels recommended in several places online that we think look fantastic are: Agam Hotel, El budo, Azul 35 and Boa Boa Bacalar. Need more options? View all hotels here On Bacalar.
We try to keep our blogs as up-to-date as possible but this cannot be done without your help. If anything has changed, please let us know via [email protected].
Some of the links in this blog are affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase through these links, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. By using these affiliate links, you support Thousandtravelmiles. This allows us to roam the world, fund the website and offer you free information for planning your trip. This means that a ‘real’ person will do a little joy dance if you make a purchase through this link! You're a legend!