A first-time guide to Bacalar, Mexico
Bacalar is a made-for-Instagram destination that remains underexposed compared to its neighbors. Which means you should get to its magnificent lagoon now.
One of the southernmost cities of the Riviera Maya, Bacalar is a made-for-Instagram destination that remains (somewhat) under the radar – especially compared to its popular neighbor Tulum.
Yet Bacalar, whose name in Mayan means “city where the sky was born” or “place surrounded by reeds,” is catching on fast. The town was named one of Mexico’s “Pueblos Mágicos” (“Magical Towns”) in 2006, an acknowledgment of its cultural and historical significance, as well as its attractiveness as a destination for travelers.
Bacalar’s nearly 42,000 people and the visitors they host enjoy an incredibly privileged location fronting the Laguna de los Siete Colores (Lagoon of Seven Colors), so named because of the seven tones of blue-green that characterize its photogenic waters. Whether you’re enjoying the scene from a hammock or swing at one of the many local beach clubs, or diving into a cenote from the deck of a sailboat, visit now – and you’ll be able to say that you were in Bacalar before everyone else got there. 
When should I go to Bacalar?
There’s never a bad time to visit Bacalar. Yet the months between October and April might be the ideal time to visit, as the rainy season typically runs from May to September. The very sweetest spot is January to April, before Semana Santa: domestic tourism declines during this period, the weather is perfect (especially for visitors coming from cold climates), and rates take off-peak dips. In addition, in February or early March Balacar’s historic center plays host to the annual Carnaval, an explosive celebration of music and dance.
How much time should I spend in Bacalar?
If you’re confining yourself to Bacalar proper, a long weekend is just the right amount of time for a visit. In three or four days, you can enjoy the lagoon’s riches at a beach club and aboard a boat, and still have time to visit some of the iconic on-land destinations, such as Fuerte de San Felipe.
But don’t shy away from a longer visit.
The December 2024 inauguration of the Tren Maya and its Bacalar station have made building out a longer, more complex and exciting trip around the entire Yucatán Peninsula much easier than before. From Bacalar, you can head north to Cancún, or west to the Maya archaeological site of Calakmul and on to the charming, historic city of Campeche. While you can certainly design your own trip, Tren Maya also offers a number of attractive packages that allow travelers to experience the varied riches of Quintana Roo and the Yucatán.
If you don’t want to experience the region by rail, you can rent a car and take day-trip drives from Bacalar to visit some of the southern Riviera Maya’s top archaeological sites. Chacchoben is a 45-minute drive from Bacalar, while Dzibanché and Kinich-Ná are side-by-side Maya sites less than 90 minutes away. These under-visited spots feature beautifully preserved temples that were part of one of the most important Maya cities of the Classical period.
Is it easy to get in and around Bacalar?
Chetumal airport (CTM) is the closest airport to Bacalar; visitors coming from outside Mexico will need to connect through Mexico City or Cancún to get here. While visitors can hire a driver during their time in Bacalar, it will be much easier to rent a car from one of the several international companies – including Enterprise, Hertz and National – with desks just beyond the baggage claim.
If you choose to rent a car, we recommend booking an SUV. Many of the roads that lead to beach clubs in Bacalar are unpaved and can be littered with potholes. Be aware that your quoted rental price will likely be higher upon arrival once the company adds insurance. Your agency will take photos of the car and make notes of its condition prior to you driving off the lot; you’d do well to do the same. 
Top things to do in Bacalar
Enjoy the lagoon at a beach club
Unlike its sister cities to the north, Bacalar doesn’t enjoy a position directly on the Caribbean Sea. Instead, the small city sits on the Lagoon of Seven Colors. Yet Bacalar more than holds its own with its northern neighbors, for this freshwater lagoon is utterly spectacular in its own right.
Buy a day pass for any of the Bacalar beach clubs – Blu for families, Maya Playa or Bacalar Beach Club for singles or couples – and while away the hours enjoying these clubs’ vistas and amenities. Blu, for instance, features a trampoline and oversized chess and Jenga games, while Maya Playa offers kayaks. Most of the clubs have on-site restaurants and bars, allowing you to enjoy the full-service treatment from sunrise to sunset.
Dive into a cenote
Quintana Roo is pockmarked with cenotes, natural pools that form when the area’s limestone bedrock gives way, creating sinkholes that fill with groundwater. Cenotes were sacred to the Maya as places that represented the duality of life and death, and an entryway to the underworld. Bacalar has multiple cenotes you can visit, including Cenote Azul, 90m (295ft) deep, located just off the main highway. For $M25 (about US$1), you can submerge yourself in the clear, clean water; the pool is open daily from 8am to 5:45pm.
Taste locally sourced chocolate at Jacob Chocolatería
Opened in late 2024 by a Mexico City transplant to Bacalar, this chocolate shop offers a small but delicious selection of bonbons filled with locally sourced ingredients like corn and annatto seed, as well as cakes, pastries, teas and cacao-based drinks. The knowledgeable owner-chocolatier is always happy to organize a tasting of his creations, and tell you more about Mexico’s chocolate industry overall. 
My favorite thing to do in Bacalar
It’s one thing to view the Lagoon of Seven Colors from land. It’s another thing entirely to view the lagoon from the vantage point of a sailboat’s deck. While outfitters abound, I love Sailing Colibri. Their exceptional four-hour tours, with morning or afternoon departures, take you to some of the lagoon’s top sites, including Isla de los Pájaros (Island of Birds) and several cenotes. The excursion includes food and drinks, as well as an opportunity to jump off the boat to swim in the lagoon’s crystalline waters.
How much money do I need for Bacalar?
Since Bacalar is still somewhat under the radar compared to Cancún and Tulum (though it won’t be for long), the kind of informal “tourist tax” markups you might see in those destinations haven’t arrived here just yet.
That’s not to say that Bacalar is backpacker-cheap or super budget-friendly. But it is still possible to plan an amazing, memorable Bacalar vacation on a budget that might not be possible further north on the Riviera Maya.
Debit and credit cards are widely accepted, though it’s always a good idea to carry pesos with you. Smaller denominations are preferred by most vendors and merchants, so be sure to have a mix of $200, $100, $50 and $20 peso notes, as well as $10, $5, $2 and $1 coins.
- Day pass for beach club: M$200–500 (US$9.90–25)
- Cappuccino: M$65 (US$3.21)
- Ice cream and popsicles: M$40 (US$1.97)
- Entrance to San Felipe Bacalar Fort: M$110 (US$5.42)
- One-way ticket on Tren Maya from Bacalar to Cancún: M$124 (US$6.12)
What kinds of accommodations can I find in Bacalar?
Thus far, Bacalar has managed to stave off mega-developers. This means you won’t find chain or name-brand hotels here, and many of the properties are smaller, independently owned and eco-friendly. From the main highway, they won’t look like much, and you’d be hard-pressed to believe that a stunning view lies down a rutted road lined with tangles of vines, trees and brush.
But keep going, and you’ll find quiet, private villas at Aqua Viva, a compound of 16 condominiums that share a gym and private pool, or a more family-friendly scene at the popular Hacienda Rancho Encantado. The newer Casa Hormiga bills itself as an ecologically mindful place, whose structures are made entirely from local materials.
If all-inclusive features and a variety of amenities are important to you, you might prefer to look farther north. But if attentive, friendly service personalized to your interests is more your vibe, then Bacalar is the place for you.
