Category Archives: Bacalar

Restaurants in Bacalar

Are you in the magical town of Bacalar and still don’t know where to eat? Well, stop worrying because we’ve got you covered. So right now we will present you our top of the best restaurants in Bacalar. Places where you can eat and enjoy the local gastronomy and much more.

Best Restaurants in Bacalar

The magical town of Bacalar not only dazzles us with its 7-color lagoon, but also with its gastronomy, which we can discover in one of these restaurants.

La playita

A restaurant that offers an experience of flavors created from scratch, with a special selection of wines.

The restaurant is located on the shore of the Bacalar lagoon, surrounded by a dense and beautiful tropical nature, with trees of regional and native colors, the site is designed to eat, swim, listen to music and enjoy the beautiful views, because its goal is to reach the deepest part of each visitor.

The price range is between 10 and 20 dollars, with Mexican recipes specialized in seafood.

The spells

The site is located on the shore of La Laguna de Bacalar, offering a powerful blue view of the Caribbean waters. It is worth mentioning that they have experienced recipes based directly on regional food, prepared with ingredients found in the area and with international standards.

It has vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. It specializes not only in Mexican food but also in Latin and international recipes, with seafood being its specialty.

Its price range goes from 5 to 14 dollars. You can’t leave the place without tasting their great selection of Mexican wines, aimed at those with a much more discerning palate.

Jaguara Mexican Cuisine

A restaurant that has options to enjoy the beautiful view, either on swings, beds, hammocks and tables, offering a unique experience.

It is a place that specializes in Latin and Mexican food, with unusual and innovative flavors and tones, also being a wine bar to taste the sweetness of different selected wines.

It has vegan options and its price range goes from 6 to 24 dollars approximately.

Nixtamal

This restaurant offers a unique variety of meat products treated with grilled spices, with the option of cooking the meat to taste according to the request.

Its price range goes from $7 to $17, offering Mexican and Latin barbecue and seafood recipes, being healthy and with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

They have live music in the evenings, achieving an atmosphere that allows visitors to take that time to relax while tasting each dish, which have daring and unique combinations.

Finisterre Bacalar

Its price range is between 9 and 37 dollars, so it has a variety of recipes for all kinds of requirements. Its cuisine is Italian, Mediterranean, European and much more.

It is known as the number 1 restaurant with Italian recipes in Bacalar, so we recommend you to try their pizzas and Sicilian and southern Italian recipes. A great advantage is that they have vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options.

It has an outdoor terrace and different options in wines and beers.

Conclusion

Despite being a very quiet and calming place, Bacalar surprises us with its gastronomy and we have no doubt that every dish they prepare will be full of a flavor that you will never forget. So now that you know which are the best and most recommended places to eat, what are you waiting for to go out and visit them? Tell us your experience in the comments.

Source: https://restaurante-z.com/en/restaurants-in-bacalar/

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Canal de los piratas

The lagoon of the 7 colors, is one of the best kept treasures of Bacalar and undoubtedly the starting point to know other mystical, mysterious and natural tourist spots such as the Canal de los piratas. A small channel that is part of the lagoon and that joins through a spectacle for our eyes with the deep river.

Canal de los piratas

The pirates’ channel is part of the Bacalar lagoon and can be reached by a short boat trip or tour. In fact, it is almost certain that when you are looking for a tour to the lagoon of the 7 colors, it will include a visit to this enigmatic place.

History of the Pirate Channel

The origin of this place is not really known, and despite its natural appearance, the locals say that this small canal was built in ancient times by the Mayas.

This means that this canal did not arise from any kind of natural event, and its purpose was to help the flow of constant communication between the peoples of the north and south, thus making the exchange of products between them more pleasant.

Our history does not end here, because during colonial times this canal received the name of “Canal de Salamca” and was a transit point between the old continent and the new Spain.

This caused the various pirates of that time to “take” the canal as their point of “assault” on the various ships that transited through here and so it was baptized with the name that still remains today: The Pirates’ Canal.

How to get to the Pirates Channel?

The pirates channel as such, is part of the Bacalar Lagoon and as we mentioned above, it can be reached through a tour. But this is not the only way.

Since it is not really far away, you can rent a kayak from the shore of the lagoon and ride it. This advantage will undoubtedly let you admire the place to your heart’s content.

Conclusion

The pirates’ channel is a mystical place with fine white sand, which is said to have “healing properties” for the skin. And of course, its bluish tone, its easy access and different ways to get there, make it a tourist spot you can’t miss and which we mentioned in our Bacalar travel guide. You can’t miss it!

Laguna de Bacalar

The Bacalar lagoon or lagoon of the 7 colors of Bacalar (laguna de Bacalar o laguna de los 7 colores de Bacalar ) is one of the main attractions of this magical town in Mexico. A lagoon that will make you fall in love with its 7 different shades of blue and its proximity to 5 incredible cenotes, the pirates’ channel, the bird island and much more.

Laguna de Bacalar/ Bacalar Lagoon

The Bacalar Lagoon is one of the best kept treasures of the state of Quintana Roo. It has a length of more than eighty kilometers and the appearance of a beautiful river flowing through the jungle, where the turquoise waters of Bacalar are enhanced by the deep green hue of the mangroves. In addition, the Bacalar Lagoon is the second largest freshwater lake in Mexico and, its stunning scenery is still little known by international tourism is transformed into a paradise for all its visitors.

Where is Bacalar Lagoon?

Bacalar Lagoon is located in the south of the state of Quintana Roo, only twenty-four kilometers from Chetumal, and a four-hour drive from Cancun. It is also located near the coast, just before Belize and the river that divides Belize from Mexico, that is: Bacalar lagoon is connected to the Hondo river by the Chaac channel.

How to get to Bacalar Lagoon?

If you are in the city of Cancun, the first thing to do is to prepare yourself for a four-hour trip and of course, the best option to make this trip is the private transfer service to Bacalar.

But this is not the only transfer service that exists, because due to the fact that little by little it has become more popular, there are ADO bus routes that you can take for a lower cost. You can read all about it in the Bacalar travel guide.

If you are in Chetumal, to get to the lagoon of the seven colors you have several options: you can take a cab, bus or rent a car.

If you choose the bus option, the ticket costs approximately 90.00 MXN and lasts about 40 minutes and if you choose a cab, it costs approximately fifteen thousand MXN to 500.00 MXN (depending on whether it is shared or private).

Activities in Bacalar Lagoon?

As such, the 7-color lagoon has a life of its own and some of the activities you can do are the following:

• The Pirates Channel
• The Black Cenote
• The Island of the Birds
• Snorkeling
• Paddle boarding
• Boat Tour

Conclusion

Visiting the Bacalar Lagoon has to be a mandatory activity in your visit to the Riviera Maya or the state of Quintana Roo, especially if you are staying in Chetumal, due to its proximity.

Bacalar travel guide

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.

 

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.