Bacalar is one of the 3 magical towns in the state of Quintana Roo, and is a charming place where beaches, lagoons and cenotes abound in abundance. In fact, its main attraction is the lagoon of the 7 colors, a majestic lagoon that invites us to enjoy its refreshing waters and activities such as kayaking.
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Bacalar
In Bacalar you will not find exuberant 30-story hotels, nightclubs or luxury restaurants, Bacalar still retains its charm of a magical town, so it has humble accommodations, cabins and campsites, which are illuminated at night with the light of the stars and the moon.
By day, the clouds seem to dance above us, over its lagoon, over the pirates’ canal, over its cenotes, which give us the perception of being able to touch it with our hands.
Bacalar, is undoubtedly a place you have to know and if you are thinking of visiting Bacalar, keep reading because now we will give you a travel guide to Bacalar.
Bacalar Travel Guide
Bacalar is one of the magical towns of the state of Quintana Roo, and as such is not part of the Riviera Maya. In fact, to get to Bacalar from Cancun, you have to make a trip that lasts approximately 4 to 5 hours.
This place is full of cabins, small lodgings, campsites and even some ranches where you, your partner and your whole family can stay and of course, surprise you with its star attraction: The lagoon of the 7 colors. But read on, because now we’ll tell you more.
Distance, time and how to get there
Before you decide to go on a trip to Bacalar, you need to know the distance, time and transfer options from the different tourist spots, so let’s get to it.
Distance from Cancun to Bacalar
The distance between Cancun and the city of Bacalar is 345 km and the approximate time of the private transfer to Bacalar is 4 hours, while other types of transfers such as ADO, or colectivos have a duration of approximately 5 hours.
Distance from Playa del Carmen to Bacalar
The distance between the city of Playa del Carmen and Bacalar is 280 km and the average transfer time is 3 hours and 30 minutes. As such, there are private transfer services, but it is much more expensive than the trip from Cancun. Therefore, the best economic options are the shared transfer service.
Distance from Tulum to Bacalar
The distance between the city of Tulum and the city of Bacalar is 215 km and the approximate transfer time is 2 hours and 30 minutes. If you are in Tulum, there are bus transfer services to Bacalar city, and as you can notice: The transfer time is much less than Cancun or Playa del Carmen.
Distance from Chetumal to Bacalar
Chetumal is the capital of the state of Quintana Roo and is located only 38.5 km from the city of Bacalar. The approximate transfer time is 37 minutes. And here there is much more flexibility to visit this incredible magical town of Mexico.
How to get to Bacalar from Cancun
To get to Bacalar from Cancun, you have the following options: Private Transfer, ADO Bus, and a combination between colectivos and buses,
The fastest, safest and most reliable option is through the private transfer service, and the most economical option would be the ADO bus. Of course, you can opt to go through a combination of shared transfer services (Playa Express and Tulum Transfer Service) and an ADO bus.
The approximate cost breakdown is as follows:
| Service | Approximate Cost |
| Private Transfer | 335 USD |
| ADO Bus (From Cancún) | 542 MX |
| Colectivos playa Express + Colectivo Tulum | 110 MXN |
| ADO Tulum Bacalar | 324 MXN |
How to get to Bacalar from Playa del Carmen
If you are in Playa del Carmen, the best option to get to Bacalar is through the ADO service. As such, we do not advise you to take a shuttle service, since being based in the city of Cancun, the cost of the transfer “ends up being a little more expensive”, i.e.: The transfer from Cancun to Playa and from Playa to Bacalar is charged.
Optionally, you can take the shared transfer service from Tulum and from Tulum, take the ADO bus to Bacalar.
The cost breakdown is as follows:
| Service | Approximate Cost |
| Private Transfer | 370 USD |
| ADO Bus (From Playa del Carmen) | 438 MXN |
| Colectivo Tulum | 55 MXN |
| ADO Tulum Bacalar | 324 MXN |
How to get to Bacalar from Tulum
If you are in the city of Tulum, getting to Bacalar will be even easier and of course, the best transfer option is through ADO.
How to get to Bacalar from Chetumal
Are you staying in Chetumal? Without a doubt, from Chetumal you only need a little less than 30 minutes to get to Bacalar, and from here you can take private transfers, cabs, buses and even colectivos.
Best of all, prices do not exceed 250.00 MXN, being the shared transfer service the cheapest, which costs approximately 50.00 MXN.
Bacalar Activities
Like any tourist destination in Mexico, Bacalar has its own diverse activities that can be done both during the day and at night. So here we list some of them and the approximate cost they might have.
Lagoon of the 7 Colors
Bacalar’s main attraction is the lagoon of the 7 colors, a beautiful lagoon that dazzles many with its 7 different shades of blue. Generally, you can find lodging or camping in front of the lagoon and enjoy the day and night, practicing various activities such as kayaking, snorkeling, paddle boarding, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc..
It is worth mentioning that most of these activities can be arranged with operators, as well as already included in your lodging (most of the lodgings in front of the lagoon offer them). It is worth mentioning that the cost of the 7 colors lagoon is 50.00 MXN, that is if you are not staying in a hotel in front of the lagoon.
Pirates Channel
Visiting the pirates channel has an approximate cost of 350.00 MXN. But it is worth mentioning that this tour does not come alone, since many operators include the visit to cenote Esmerada, cenote Cocalitos and Bird Island.
But remember, not all tours offer it, as some exclusively invite you to spend more than 5 hours enjoying the pirates’ canal and its crystalline waters.
Blue Cenote
The blue cenote of Bacalar is another must-see and a true odyssey, since the cenote connects directly with the Bacalar lagoon. In addition, this natural space receives its name from the blue waters that adorn it. The entrance fee to the site is $25 per person.
Cocalitos Cenote
The cost of Cocalitos Cenote is 25.00 MXN per person and it is located only 300 meters from the blue cenote. That means, it should be a mandatory stop to visit. We guarantee that you will love the large amount of stratified structures that stand out to the eye, creating a somewhat surreal scenario for us.
Emerald Cenote
The Emerald Cenote is the third center within the Bacalar lagoon, and has an access cost similar to the previous ones, i.e. 25.00 MXN. At this point we will approach a small water spring that emerges from the hard rock of a hill, we will also see the house of one of the richest men in Chetumal, the owner of Moctezuma beer and the historic hotel “Laguna de Bacalar”, among other beautiful houses, all in the emerald blue of this cenote that has a depth of about 70 meters.
It is worth mentioning that the best way to visit these 3 cenotes is through a boat tour that costs approximately 800.00 MXN per person.
Cenote of the witches
The “Cenote de la Brujas” or “black cenote”, is so called because of the belief that in this cenote different rituals were performed by the ancient witches of the region, this cenote is attached to the normal Bacalar, and upon entering it you can clearly differentiate the change of water from 2 meters deep to approximately 90 meters in a very marked crescent-shaped line, to give a total return to the cenote and continue again by the low waters of the lagoon.
Fort of San Felipe de Bacalar
The Fort of San Felipe Bacalar, is a National Historic Heritage and one of the main tourist attractions of the city, both for its history and its location, next to the lagoon of the seven colors and the cost of access is 35.00 MXN general admission.
El Aserradero Municipal Beach Resort
El Aserradero Municipal Spa is located on the shores of the Bacalar Lagoon, and is a magnificent place for camping, swimming, very clean and with a lot of security to guarantee the safety of all its visitors. Best of all, it has no access cost.
Birds Island
It would be a complete sin if during your visit to Bacalar you did not visit Isla de los Pájaros, a land island in the lagoon system where it is possible to observe several species of endemic birds, such as the snail hawk, herons, parrots, mockingbirds and calandrias, among other species. It should be noted that to get here you have to take a tour, which can cost 350.00 MXN per person.
San Joaquin Parish
The parish church of San Joaquin is a historical and architectural monument that should be on your list of things to see in Bacalar and is located a few steps from the square, and is considered a temple of the nineteenth century dedicated to the patron saint of Bacalar.
Mariscal Lagoon
The Mariscal Lagoon cannot be left out of our Bacalar travel guide, because it is a lagoon that you will have to visit without wanting to. It is connected to the lagoon of Bacalar through a channel created by the Mayas since the pre-classic Mayan era (now known as the pirates’ channel), which in turn is connected to other small lagoon channels.
The mariscal lagoon, which is surrounded by jungle, mangroves and reed beds, at the bottom rests soft white sand and is a resting place for the traveling community and adventurers who like to explore new things, as well as coexist with nature.
What is the climate in Bacalar?
Bacalar is located in a tropical destination and therefore, its climate tends to be warm sub-humid with a small rainfall regime that arrives between summer and fall, generally most days of the year, you can enjoy a clear sky, full of clouds, and warm weather that does not exceed 30 degrees. At night, the weather usually drops to between 28 to 25 degrees, making it a pleasant place for overnight camping.
When is the best time to visit Bacalar?
The best time to visit Bacalar is between February and September. During these months the climate of the region is warm and with little probability of rain, being the months of October, November, December and January, the months with the highest probability of rain.
It should be noted that the months of January and February are the “coldest” months in general or at least for the locals: the weather can reach from 18°C to 24°C (64°F to 75°F).
Where to stay in Bacalar?
Bacalar has approximately 180 accommodations. Most of them have a very charming design of a beautiful Cabaña, luxury suites, some others are boutique hotels, others are nice inns and some others are vacation homes.
There are really different types of accommodations for all tastes and of course, we are going to present you a list of some of them right now.
- Ade Hotel Bacalar
- Agam Hotel
- Agave-Blue
- Aldea Che-eek
- Aljanna House
- AMACA Bacalar
- Amigos Hotelito
- Asilé Hotel Boutique
- Awazul Centro
- Azul 36 Hotel
- Bacalar mayan caribe
- Bacalike Hotel & Temazcal
- BAKALITO BACALAR
- Blue Bird
- Blue Hotel
- blue lagoon bacalar
- Blue Palm Bacalar
- BOA BOA Bacalar
- Cabaña Sofía Bacalar
- Cabañas Colibrí
- Cabañas Hostal & Camping Magic Bacalar
- Cabañas La Fortuna Bacalar
- Cabañas Las Palmas
- Cabanas Luxury
- Cabañas MR
- Capital O Villa Colibrí Bacalar
- Casa & Beach Club Yunuem
- Casa Aakal Lagoon Front
- Casa Árabe
- Casa Arte Bacalar
- Casa baklahar Andrómeda
- Casa baklahar frente a Laguna
- Hostal & Suites Pata de Perro
- Hostal y Camping Las G
- Hotel & Suites Oasis Bacalar
- Hotel Aires Bacalar
- Hotel Aldea 19 Bacalar
- Hotel América
- Hotel Awazul Bacalar
- Hotel Balché
- Hotel Boutique Aurea
- Hotel Buenavista Bacalar – Yoga & Meditation Included
- HOTEL CANTO
- Hotel Carolina Bacalar
- Hotel Casa Ariana
- Hotel Casa Corazón
- Hotel Casa Hormiga
- Hotel Casa las Bugambilias
- Hotel Casa Lima Bacalar
- Hotel CasaBakal – A pie de Laguna – Bacalar
- Hotel Catedral
- Hotel Circulo Bacalar
- Hotel Diosa del Agua Bacalar
- Hotel Hacienda Bacalar
- Hotel Henry Bacalar
- Hotel Laguna Bacalar
- Hotel Luna Turquesa Bacalar
- Hotel Maalob Che Bacalar By Rotamundos
- Hotel Makaabá Eco-Boutique
- Hotel Makech
- Hotel Margarita Bacalar
- Hotel Maria Maria
- Hotel Pancho Villas Bacalar
- Hotel Pejelagarto
- Hotel Rancho Encantado
- Hotel Seyba Bakalar
- Hotel Sun Ha Bacalar
- Posada Antonia Bacalar
- Posada Casa Madrid
- Posada El Refugio
- Poza Clara Sanctuary
- Royal Palm Bacalar Cabañas & Lagoon Club
Seven Blue House Village & Lodge - Siyan Ka’an Bak’halal
- SoÍ Bacalar
- Stone Aparments
- Suite Bacalar
- Szapot
- Vias Maya Bacalar Hotel
- Villa Akbal
- Villa Alegre Bacalar Casa de Lujo Frente a Laguna
- Villa Bianca Bacalar
- Villa Marilu B&B
- Villas Bakalar
- Villas Bizu Lagoon
- Villas Chital Bacalar
- Villas Eco-Románticas Kúuch Ka´anil
- Villas Ecotucan
- Villas Karalv
- Villas San Felipe
- Wayak
- Xcabal Hotel boutique
- XO Hotel Bacalar Lakefront – All Inclusive
- Xoot Ka Ana Villas Aquetzali
- Xoot Ka’ana Selva
- Xoot Kaana Villa Vista Laguna
- Yaxche Centro Hostal y Camping
- Yuchitos Bacalar
- Zensus Eco Boutique Hotel
Where to eat in Bacalar?
Bacalar has several restaurants where you can eat very well. Some of them specialize in seafood and others in Yucatecan food, but you can also find restaurants that specialize in Italian food, as well as Asian food, cuts of meat, pasta, pizza and hamburgers. Some of them are the following:
- Bacalar Beach Club
- La Playita
- KATX Restaurante, Bar & Grill
- Bote de Leche
- Ixchel Bacalar
- Picaflor Bacalar
- El Barril Grill
- Macario Bacalar
- El Manatí Bacalar
- Chacá
- La Piña
- Patio de Aguacate Bacalar
- Mi Burrito Bacalar
- Barbanegra Bacalar
- Mango y Chile
- Montefuego Bacalar
- Finisterre Bacalar
How to get around Bacalar?
Bacalar is a magical town and is a bit small. Therefore, you can get from one place to another within the region without many complications. In fact, people’s favorite transportation is the bicycle, because as we said: It is not a very big place. However, if you are looking for more comfort you can travel in cabs, motorcycle cabs or combis. These means of transportation are really very economical and will help you get from one place to another within the magical town of Bacalar.
Conclusion
The magical town of Bacalar has to be one of the destinations you have to visit when you visit the Mexican Caribbean. We guarantee that you will not regret it and that you will be amazed by all the magic that the town has for you, in fact: That is exactly why it is known as a magical town. And don’t forget that we can help you with the private transfer to Bacalar. So don’t hesitate any longer.