Top 7 things to do in Bacalar

Bacalar is a paradisiac lagoon located in the south of Quintana Roo, almost on the border between Mexico and Belize. With 42km of extension, the Bacalar Lagoon offers many options for fun activities and spots to visit. In this post, we have compiled an ultimate list of the best things to do in Bacalar – only the ones we liked.

You may also like: Bacalar Travel Guide: How to get there, where to stay, eat, and more

Did you know? Bacalar Lagoon is commonly called the “Laguna de siete colores”, which translates to the lagoon of 7 colors. This is absolutely true; I dare you to find another place where you can see so many different shades of blue in one single place. Another popular nickname is “the Mexican Maldives”. Now, we may not have been to the Maldives yet, but we do picture the ocean to be as clear and as calm as the water in Bacalar.

full travel guide bacalar

1. Boat tour around Bacalar Lagoon

If you can only choose one thing to do in Bacalar, let it be this one. Going on a boat tour around the lagoon is the best way to discover the different locations Bacalar has to offer and to go swimming in the best spots. Every hotel and tour agency offers boat tours, the price is directly related to the size of the boat. Larger boats have cheaper prices and smaller ones are more expensive since they are also more exclusive.

We decided to do the boat tour around Bacalar Lagoon with our hotel. For further reference, the prices were the following:

  • Private tour: 3500 MXN
  • Shared boat tour: 400 MXN per person (max 6)
  • Sailing boat tour: 600 MXN per person

I strongly recommend going either on a private tour or a smaller boat, as you will have more freedom regarding when and where to stop. Our guide was very kind to show us some empty spots and stop further from the huge tours so we could have a bit more exclusive experience, which we loved!

Main spots of the boat tour around Bacalar

Most tours follow roughly the same schedule, stopping in mainly four places:

  • Cenote Negro – A huge cenote that gets this name because it is 100m deep, so it is essentially a huge black hole.
  • Pirates Channel & Shipwreck – This is the main stop, with a shipwreck made of cement where people jump from. Around the boat, the floor is made of natural white clay which, according to the guides, is good for your skin. You will definitely see people passing this clay on their body – let me warn you though, it has a strong smell since it is very rich in sulfur.
  • Birds Island – A set of small islands that are reproduction sites for many bird species. These islands are protected so it is not allowed to walk on them.
  • Cocalitos – In this stop, you will see the stromatolites, one of the oldest species of beings in the world. They look like huge white rocks but are actually formed by layers and layers of cyanobacteria accumulated throughout the centuries. Word is that this one in Bacalar is the largest in the world, so it is highly preserved. You can’t touch them, but you can swim around them and go snorkeling to check them out. Cocalitos is also the name of another cenote that provides water to the lagoon. It is a really nice area to swim, enjoy the sunset, and have some drinks.

You can also book your boat tour on Get Your Guide:

 
what to do in bacalar mexico
things to do in bacalar

2. Go kayaking or paddling

The water in the lagoon is very calm, which makes it the perfect location for a SUP adventure. There are several rental places around the lagoon and most hotels also have kayaks and SUP boards at the guests’ disposal.

3. Watch the sunrise from the Bacalar lagoon while kayaking

From this entire list, this is my favorite thing to do in Bacalar. Wake up early, get on a kayak, and paddle around to watch the sunrise from the water. If waking up is not your thing, you can also go for sunset – but at sunrise, you will have the lagoon almost to yourself, which makes it a bit more special.

The sun rises on the exact opposite of Bacalar village, so if you don’t want to get in the water, you can also watch it from anywhere that faces the lagoon – either your hotel or one of the public decks.

sunrise in bacalar mexico

4. Los Rápidos

This attraction is located a bit further from the center, but it is definitely worth it. If you have a free afternoon and want a place to relax, have some drinks, and have lots of fun, Los Rápidos should definitely be on your list of things to do in Bacalar.

Los Rápidos is the name of both a restaurant and a tiny section of the lagoon famous for its rapids. This is the narrowest section of the lagoon, with no more than 5m from shore to shore, which means the water flows quite fast and makes for a very fun ride. You can go in on the top and float effortlessly all the way until the end. It is really fun, we saw many groups there consisting of not only tourists but many locals.

The restaurant also deserves praise. The portion sizes are very generous and the food and drink are delicious! The entrance is paid and costs 50 MXN per person.

los rapidos bacalar mexico

5. Enjoy the afternoon in one of the free public decks

A great way of enjoying the end of the day in Bacalar is to lay around the lagoon, swim, and relax. There are quite a few options of public docks around the center, simply look for signs saying “balnearios”. If your hotel does not have access to the lagoon, this is the best solution for swimming in Bacalar.

6. Go sailing in Bacalar

Even though we didn’t have the chance to go sailing, I will definitely include it on this list as it is one of the main activities in Bacalar. We wish we had one extra day to go sailing… but it is always good to have a reason to go back!

7. Visit fort San Felipe

With Spanish origins, Fort San Felipe is the most historical place around Bacalar. I recommend visiting the fort at the end of the afternoon when it is not so hot anymore. Since it is located a bit higher, you also have a nice view from the Fort looking down on Bacalar.

You can also check some activities on Get Your Guide:


Need more information about traveling to Bacalar?

Now that you know all about what to do in Bacalar, you can start planning the rest of your trip. If you need further help organizing everything, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Check our dedicated guide to find out information about how to get to Bacalar, where to stay, the best restaurants, and more!

Organizing your trip

To help you plan your trip to Mexico, we have put together our favorite planning resources: 

  • Flights: Get affordable flights to Mexico on Skyscanner.com
  • Travel insurance: Make sure you are protected during your trip. We use SafetyWing whenever we are traveling abroad. 
  • Renting a car: We always use Discover Cars to get the best car deals. 
  • Accommodation: Find the best hotels and apartments on Booking.com
  • Activities: Get fun ideas of what to do and buy unique activities with Get Your Guide.
  • SIM Card: Stay connected during your trip with Airalo.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that we get a small commission from any purchase you make, at no additional cost to you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *