GUIDE TO VISIT THE BACALAR LAGOON

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For some reason within us, Bacalar was the place we most wanted to visit the Yucatan Peninsula from tooooda. Not even Chichen Itza, Merida, the beaches or the cenotes were ahead ... And it is that the Bacalar Lagoon It is one of those places that every traveler usually recommends after having met him. And not everyone will be wrong, right?

If it is within your plans, do not hesitate! After being 2 days here we confirm that it is very worthwhile. We would dare to say that it is even better "in person." In this post we will tell you everything you can see and do in the Laguna de Bacalar and we give you a few tips To plan the visit.

Bacalar is a small town that was founded by maya itzaes. After its abandonment and subsequent restocking, the Spanish people and here they established what would be their most important settlement on the Yucatecan east coast in 1630. During the 18th century it was the subject of numerous pirate attacks, who tried to control this point to take over the local market. So it was decided its fortification and build the fort of San Felipe, which today can be visited. During the Caste War, Bacalar was razed, and it was not until the 19th century when it was repopulated again.

At present, Bacalar is an increasingly popular destination for second homes and for retirees who want to find a golden retreat. But it has also become a very touristy place thanks to its great attraction: the lagoon. The town itself is a waterfront occupied by a number of private properties (there are very few free access to the lagoon), after which streets are repeated with accommodations, cafes, restaurants and shops, having as a natural center the Central plaza. As you move away from the water, these streets are losing their interest.

There are people who go only one day (in fact there are tours from Tulum or Cancun), although we believe it is a great idea spend several days in the village and perform activities in the lagoon, in addition to enjoying cafes and restaurants. We were only 2 nights and the truth is that we would not mind staying a little longer.

To start, let us tell you something: Bacalar is one of the magical towns from Mexico, thanks to its lagoon (they call it the Seven Colors Lagoon) and, in order to make the most of it, it is best not to stay on the shore and take a tour.

There are options for all tastes: you can sign up for a boat tour with other people,rent a kayak and ride it for free, or tour the lagoon at wind speed with a sailing boat tour. The latter was our choice, we booked via Tripadvisor with the companySailing Ando Bacalar and, although the wind was not at all favorable (it hardly blew, and what was a 4-hour activity became one of 6), we enjoyed like two children in a toy store.

We opted for that tour because, although it is a little more expensive than the typical boats (these are for about € 13 / person, for the € 40 we pay), it is the more eco-friendly option and gave us the opportunity to enjoy the lagoon calmly, at our own pace. If you prefer other options, you will not have problems in hiring in some of the many positions, agencies and people who sell them in the town itself, take a spin and compare!

We had to get to your office, on the outskirts of town, in our car. There the captain of our little boat was waiting for us, whole for us! From there we start at a turtle pace towards the different points of the lagoon (which we tell you below), and throughout the journey the Juan loads us with interesting things. They give drinks, vest, snorkel glasses and fruit halfway.

Do we recommend it? If you have patience and want to enjoy a day of peace, with no more noise than the birds, it is ideal! Although sometimes if the wind does not blow it can get a little desperate.

Choose what you choose make sure your tour has at least, these stops, the essentials of the lagoon:

The Pirates Channel

It is an area with maximum depths of 1.5 - 2 meters, with waters so crystalline that it will seem to be in the Caribbean itself. Its name is because it was through this strait of water where the pirates launched their attacks. A few years ago a hustler tried to build a restaurant in the middle of the lagoon right at this point and obviously paralyzed the project. However they left the construction, which is none other than a pirate ship, which can be climbed and from where to jump into the water.

The Black Cenote

It is one of the 5 cenotes of the lagoon, and the deepest with up to 180 meters! You can snorkel and see how the rock walls disappear in the depth. It is also known as the Cenote de la Bruja, since according to legend, the house of a woman who lived in this area to build a school was demolished long ago, and it felt so bad that she threw a curse: every year, at least A student would die drowned. True or false? Who knows ... but there almost everyone wears vest hehe.

The Island of the Birds

It is a small island with lots of vegetation where hundreds of birds live permanently or use it as a resting base in their migrations. It has not been possible to disembark for a few years since it is a protected area, but it is cool to contemplate it a few meters away.

Curiosity
Do you know why it's called the Lagoon of the Seven Colors? Because according to the depth of the water, it assumes a different color, from turquoise to green water.

We have to be honest: the town itself did not seem so beautiful to compare to other magical towns. Even so he relaxed ambient reminded us of an island, and this is probably its biggest attraction, outside the lagoon. These are the things that we recommend you do:

Enjoy street art

There is enough urban art scattered throughout the town. It is best to take a bike ride and go hunting for works of art.

Eat eat eat

In Bacalar there is more and more tourism (luckily it is not overwhelming) and it is already known: where there are tourists, there is a lot of gastronomic offer. And we assure you that we ate very well, there are places with a roll, coffee shops where you can taste good coffee, and cheaper options for local taquerías and food. In this post we recommend several places to eat well and cheaply in Bacalar (coming soon).

Eva, a reader, gives us these recommendations for eating in Bacalar: “Breakfast and lunch in Enamora and my favorite El Manati. Tacos in El socio, ceviches in Pezlagarto, dinners in La Playita and KaiPez for seafood. Mango and chile is vegan and Bertillia pizza for Italian ”Thank you Eva!

Visit a spa

Accessing the lagoon freely is almost a utopia. We found alone two public accesses and free, one under construction at the north end of Av1, and another in front of 16th Street (you will see them on the map below). If your accommodation does not go directly to the lagoon, the best option is to go to one of the Bacalar spas, which are just areas prepared for bathing, public and that charge a small entrance fee. The most popular are:

The magical Ejidal Spa: It is the most famous and crowded resort, it has beautiful views of the lagoon. The entrance costs 15 pesos and for 300 pesos more you can rent a palapa with sun loungers. It has a restaurant service and there are even slides (30 pesos).
The Ecological Spa: It was recommended by our sailboat guide, it is a very quiet spa and without any construction to respect the environment. It only costs 3 pesos.
The El Aserradero Municipal Spa: It is one of the most central, on 14th Street, and has basic facilities. The water here is perfect for bathing and costs 10 pesos.
Cocalitos: They also call it the Sanctuary of the Stromatolites because its waters are dotted with these mineral formations (below we tell you what they are). The entrance costs 35 pesos, you can rent kayaks for 150 pesos.
The Aluxes: It's not a spa, it's a hotel / restaurant. But if you drink something (minimum consumption of 250 pesos per person) you can access the dock area, where there are sun loungers and swings, and it is a very good idea: it has some of the best views of the lagoon.

Bathe in a cenote

It is true that the tours include a stop at the Cenote Negro, but in Bacalar there are others that may be worthwhile, such as the Emerald Cenote, the Cocalitos Cenote or the Cenote Azul, which looks more like a lake. If you are a cenote lover, with these you will be entertained for a while.

Paddle Surf or rent a kayak

Control the currents well because rowing may cost you more than you think, but if you feel like doing some exercise, see the lagoon from another perspective and enjoy an atypical activity, do not hesitate! At sunset it has to be a unique experience 🙂

Do not miss the sunrise and sunset

We do not know if it is true about "who helps God early" but without a doubt nature will be on your side: in Bacalar the sunrises have something special. And the sunsets, of course!

Get a beauty treatment for free!

On the sides of the Pirates Channel there is an area of mangroves that have one task: to purify the air. And they do it by expelling sulfur from the roots. The result is that the sand around is perfect to improvise a mud baths and masks session. Minerals are beneficial for the skin and say that it even causes a rejuvenating effect.

Visit the Fort of San Felipe

We decided not to enter since the entry of 80 pesos seemed somewhat excessive. But from the top of the fort the views of the lagoon have to be very beautiful. Also inside there is a museum. The fort has a rather curious history: it was built by the Spaniards to protect Bacalar from assaults by pirates and the Maya during the Caste War. In 1858 the Maya managed to reconquer it and Bacalar returned to the hands of its true owners (although it did not last long ... you can imagine it).

It is located in the center of town, next to the Central plaza, where are also the colored letters with the word BACALAR.

Go to the rapids of Bacalar

It is a strait in the lagoon, right at the point where it connects with its sister, the Laguna de Xul-Ha. In this union there is a constant water flow, which makes it an ideal point to navigate with kayak. But it is also perfect for bathing, we did not go but the photos we saw are spectacular.

Meet the stromatolites

Stromatoqué? The first time we learned of the existence of these structures, was reading the book "Down Under" by Bill Bryson. He said that in Australia was the largest stromatolite colony in the world. The second? It is in Mexico! In short, they are cyanobacterial structures that release oxygen ... But be careful, because they are one of the oldest structures in the world!

For the experts it is something unique, for you and for us they are still some “stones” in the water… But it is worth approaching to see something so special, isn't it? In front of the Ecological Spa there are a few. Ask and they will tell you where. Do not touch them and of course do not get on them.

Here you have a map with all the points of interest in Bacalar

- Stay next to the lagoon. It is worth spending some more money and staying at the foot of the lagoon, to enjoy its sunrises (and sunsets) and take a bath at any time, without depending on moving to the spas. Here you can find the best accommodation options in Bacalar.

- Don't forget the sunscreenbut be careful ecological so as not to harm the organisms and the ecosystem of the lagoon. If you do not have it, you can buy it in several places in Bacalar (we saw it in the Manatí Restaurant, for example).

- We already told you aboutstromatolites, please do not touch them and take care of the environment. You will also find lots of snails in the water, which is usually the main food of the hawks and the other birds in the lagoon.

- We arrived at Bacalar from the visit to Calakmul, but we saw that there are people who make the excursion to this impressive archaeological site from Bacalar. If you do not have a car and want to know these ruins, this tour may be a good idea. Includes transfer from / to your Bacalar hotel, entrance and guide.

- If you have accommodation in Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum and you don't have a car to get to Bacalar for free, check out this tour.

The Bacalar Lagoon It goes directly to the highest positions of our classification of the Yucatan Peninsula. It is a place that catches and where to connect with nature in a different way. Here we have told you the best places to visit in Laguna de Bacalar, what to see and do and a few tips, we are waiting for yours after your visit!