Bacalar and its surroundings

When you feel like moving:

• the lagoon can be explored by boat or kayak;
• the town and its fort are a quarter of an hour away;
• the Maya cities of the south, Chetumal and the Caribbean coast are all within a day trip.

Bacalar is in southern Quintana Roo, near Chetumal. Its freshwater lagoon, the Lagoon of Seven Colours, changes tone through the day with the light and the depth. It is a place to stay rather than to tour: swim slowly, read on a terrace, watch the water at sunset.

Colonies of stromatolites live along its shores, structures formed by microorganisms that are among the oldest forms of life on the planet. They are fragile: look at them without stepping on or touching them.

Azul Nomeolvides is on the shore of the lagoon, north of the town. The whole day can be spent at the house: an early swim, the cabin terrace and the sunset over the water.

• By boat or sailboat. Trips leave from the town and visit different parts of the lagoon.
  • One of them is the Canal de los Piratas, a narrow channel of clear water over white sand, reached by boat (or by paddling, for strong arms).
  • Its name recalls the pirates who, in colonial times, used these waters to reach Bacalar.
  • Choose calm trips and operators who respect the stromatolites.
• By kayak or paddleboard, early, when the water is still.
• Los Rápidos. At the southern end of the lagoon, a gentle current running through a channel of clear water. Ask the house about the way there and access conditions.

• Fuerte de San Felipe. About 11 km, a quarter of an hour. The fort that defended Bacalar now houses a museum on the history of the region, with views over the lagoon.
• Cenote Azul. About 15 km, under 20 minutes. A large open cenote beside the road, south of the town, for swimming.

• Chacchoben. About 38 km, around 40 minutes. Its Maya name means “place of the red maize”, taken from the ejido where it stands; its buildings recall the architecture of the Guatemalan Petén.
• Kohunlich. About 78 km, a little over an hour. Known for its Temple of the Masks, with large stucco faces representing its rulers.
• Dzibanché. About 92 km, an hour and a half. A great Maya city in the southern forest.
• Kohunlich and Dzibanché together. They are about 55 minutes apart; together they add up to about four hours of driving from the house and back. It is a long day: leave early and bear in mind that the sites close mid-afternoon.
• Oxtankah. About 63 km, a little over an hour. A small archaeological site near Chetumal; it can be added to a visit to the city if time allows.

• Museo de la Cultura Maya, Chetumal. About 49 km, around 50 minutes. A journey through the Maya world in the state capital; also a good option if it rains.
• Mahahual. About 97 km, a little over an hour and a half. A small village on the Caribbean coast, for a day by the sea.

• The lagoon, without leaving the house. An early swim, the terrace and the sunset.
• The lagoon on the move. A boat or sailboat trip, or a morning in a kayak.
• An afternoon in town. The fort, the centre and Cenote Azul.
• A Maya day. Chacchoben, or Kohunlich and Dzibanché leaving early.
• A rainy day. The Museo de la Cultura Maya, in Chetumal.
• Chetumal and Oxtankah, on a dry day, with the archaeological site early.
• A day by the sea in Mahahual.

Azul Nomeolvides publishes on its website a guide to planning a trip to Bacalar: when to go, how to get there and the Tren Maya. Read it before setting your dates, and ask Samantha and Berni for their recommendations in the region.

Azul Nomeolvides’s guide to Bacalar (in Spanish) (opens another website in a new tab)

• From the walled city: the Campeche → Bacalar leg, with Becán on the way or an extra day for Calakmul.
• Arriving and leaving: via Chetumal airport, about 45 minutes away, or via Cancún, with Muyil or Cobá on the way, in “Arriving and leaving via Cancún”.

What to do in Bacalar if it rains?

The Museo de la Cultura Maya in Chetumal, about 50 minutes away, and the Fuerte de San Felipe, in town.

What are stromatolites?

Living structures formed by microorganisms, among the oldest on the planet. In the lagoon they are protected: do not step on or touch them.

Do you need a car?

For the excursions to the south, yes, or an arranged transfer. The lagoon is enjoyed from the house.

Can you go from Bacalar to the coast?

Yes: Mahahual, on the Caribbean, is a little over an hour and a half away.

Azul Nomeolvides is independent. Bookings, rates and policies on its official website.

About Azul Nomeolvides → · Official website (opens the official website in a new tab)

Reviewed in October 2026.