Are you planning a trip to Bacalar and wondering how many days to spend there or what to do there? This 2-3 day Bacalar itinerary is perfect for travellers who want to experience the magic of Bacalar, surrounded by nature – whilst taking care of this extraordinary eco-system.
I will guide you through the very best things to do in Bacalar – from sunrise paddleboarding on the Lagoon of Seven Colours to floating down natural rapids and exploring Maya ruins hidden in the jungle.
For us, Bacalar was the highlight of our 2-week Yucatán Peninsular and Belize trip. Bacalar and it’s Lagoon of Seven Colours is gaining popularity with travellers to Mexico – looking for something special and off-the-beaten-path.
We loved the slow pace of life – natural beauty and authentic vibe of this Yucatán gem. It’s the kind of place where you can truly disconnect, soak up the nature and feel at peace – while having cool adventures.
| ⌛ In a Hurry? Our Top Recommendations: 🏩 Hotel Aires – boutique, eco-friendly stay close to the lagoon.⛵ Eco-sailing trip – explore the Lagoon of Seven Colours by sailboat – 5 hours – lunch and tequila cocktails included.💃 La Catrina – live music, salsa dancing, food and cocktails. |
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Contents
- Introduction to Magical Bacalar
- 📃 Bacalar 2 -3 Day Itinerary
- Day 1 – Sunrise Adventures & Sailing on the Lagoon
- Day 2 – Rapids, Cenotes & Local Vibes
- ✨ Optional Day 3 – Ruins & Culture Beyond Bacalar
- Practical Tips for Your Bacalar Itinerary
- 🧳 What to Pack for Bacalar
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Introduction to Magical Bacalar
Lagoon of Seven Colours
Bacalar’s attraction is its beautiful lake – the second largest freshwater lake in Mexico. This ‘Lagoon of Seven Colours’ has been granted Pueblo Magico (Magic Town) status by the Mexican Tourism Board.
Long and narrow, the lake is 37 miles in length but just 1.24 miles wide. It is fed by a large underground cave river system. Surrounded by mangroves and home to rare living fossils – stromotolites – the eco-system is unique, delicate and extremely special.
The lagoon’s stunning array of blue hues is thanks to varying depths and differing sea-beds. The glowing turquoise areas are found at its shallowest waters where the lake bed is a soft light clay. The deeper midnight-blue shades are where the lake hides deeper pools – cenotes – Cenote Negro is 180 ft deep!
Bacalar Town
The sleepy town of Bacalar has a small population (around 42,000). It is a quiet town – not overly developed, with a few shops and amenities in the centre and dusty back roads leading to the lake. Boutique hotels and restaurants are dotted around within walking distance of the lake and town.
| 🌍 Sustainable Travel Tips Bacalar Lake has a unique and delicate eco-system and visitors here should be mindful of preserving and protecting it. Throughout this article I have added sustainable tourism tips to help you take care of this magical place. |
📆 Best time to visit?
You can visit Bacalar at any time but it is best during the dry season- October to April. September is the wettest month.
We visited in July, it was hot and humid but as we were spending most of time in the water this didn’t affect our enjoyment. Plus, there were less tourists.
🏩 Where to Stay in Bacalar?
I would recommend staying in an eco-friendly hotel that promotes sustainable tourism. Check to see the hotel’s policies are in line with an eco-friendly ethos.
👉 Search for hotels in Bacalar
We stayed at Hotel Aires – a peaceful boutique hotel with nature at its heart.
👉 Read more about Hotel Aires here!
🚘How to Get to Bacalar
Bacalar is a 45 minute drive from Chetumal and is well connected – you can travel there by:
🚍 ADO Bus – Buy tickets on Busbud
🚆 Maya Train – buy tickets on Maya train website
🚕 Private Transfer / Taxi – use Drive-In app for the best prices
🚗 Car – Check out hire car prices on Rentalcars.com
🚲 Getting About:
While we were in Bacalar, we relied on taxis to ferry us to attractions but I would suggest that it is much easier to rent a car or bicycle (depending on the time of year).
Although it is easy to walk to the lake, other attractions like Los Rápidos and Cenote Azul, tend to be a few miles away. In July, we found it too hot to walk far or cycle – you might find it easier to fit more into your day if you rent a car.
📃 Bacalar 2 -3 Day Itinerary
This 2-3 day Itinerary gives you enough time to experience the beauty of Bacalar and have time to relax. Bacalar is a place to disconnect from modern day distractions, soak up the nature and feel at peace.
⚠️ It is worth noting that the lagoon is closed on Wednesdays so you will need to plan around this.
Day 1 – Sunrise Adventures & Sailing on the Lagoon
🌤️ For those who love the early morning – a sunrise paddle boarding tour is the perfect way to start your day. Followed by breakfast and relaxation at a beach club. For those who struggle with the break of dawn (like my teenage son) – you can hire kayaks and paddleboards from the beach club instead.
⛵ Spend the afternoon till sunset on a fabulous sail boat tour across the lake – admiring the glorious shades of blue – with tequila cocktails and freshly made Mexican snacks.
💃 After a magical day on the lake- enjoy an evening dining and salsa dancing with the locals at La Catrina.
| 🌍 Sustainable Travel Tips: Try to choose lake tours that use paddles or sails across the lagoon and avoid engines. |
☀️ Morning Sunrise Paddleboarding
Float along in the mist and calm waters as you watch the sunrise above the lagoon. There are a few tours available that you can book with your accommodation or take a look at Get Your Guide – we found there are lots of reasonably priced tours to choose from as little as £22 per person.
👉 Look for sunrise paddleboard tours on Get Your Guide
🏖️ Relax at a Bacalar Beach Club
After your early morning exploration – have a relaxing brunch at one of the beach clubs or your hotel.
Enjoy lagoon views whilst gently swaying in your hammock and take a refreshing dip in the beach club swimming pool.
Beach Clubs Suggestions
Bacalar Beach Club for an upscale experience – Bacalar Beach Club has an infinity pool, kayak hire and serves haute cuisine and cocktails.
Balneario Ejidal Magico – is a more casual and fun beach club. You’ll find fun water features over the freshwater swimming area – water-slides (great for families), hammocks, kayak hire and casual dining options.
⛵ Afternoon Sailing Trip on the Lagoon
Feel the breeze in your hair as you sail across the lagoon on an eco-friendly sailing tour.
Learn about the history of the lagoon and swim in crystal clear waters. Stop at the turquoise Pirate Channel, Bird Island and sneak a peak at the abandoned hotel.
There are lots of boat trips to choose on Get Your Guide and that can be organised through your accommodation and I would encourage you to pick an eco-friendly tour.
The sailing tour we chose was 5 hours, which was the perfect amount of time. It also included delicious freshly made Mexican snacks made by our welcoming hosts – and an unlimited bar offering beer, soft drinks and tequila cocktails. We absolutely loved our trip!
👉 Book Lagoon Sailboat tour on Get Your Guide
👉 You can read about our experience here!
🌙 Evening – Dinner, Drinks & Salsa Dancing at La Catrina.
La Catrina is a popular spot with locals and visitors. The food and cocktails are good and the live band was fantastic.
🐾 We especially loved the dog that greeted all the customers and stood on stage with the band with a huge doggy grin – he was the star of the show!
Day 2 – Rapids, Cenotes & Local Vibes
💦 Today, you will be floating down a natural lazy river and getting the opportunity to take a good look at those wonderful stromotolite formations.
After Los Rápidos – stop off at a nearby cenote for a refreshing swim.
🍽️ Indulge in some delicious Latin infused menu dishes while watching the sunset over the lagoon.
| 🌍 Sustainable Travel Tip: Protecting Stromotolites Bacalar Lagoon is home to stromotolites – a coral like, ancient living fossil. They are easily damaged and can die if stood on or kicked. Sunscreen, insect repellent and even make-up contains harmful chemicals that damage the stromotolites. In order to protect them – •Do not use these products when entering the water and only use reef-safe biodegradable products around Bacalar. •Do not touch, stand, or kick up sediment over the stromotolites. |
🌊 Morning at Los Rápidos
One of Bacalar’s top attractions – Los Rápidos is a unique way to experience Bacalar’s Lagoon of Seven Colours. It is a natural lazy river – where you can float or kayak a section of the river, while passing stromotolites.
Eat at the cafe, relax on the sun-loungers and take a dip in the turquoise pools. It’s best to get here early before it gets busy.
We love a lazy river rapid ride and was one of our favourite activities!
👉 Read my Complete Guide to Los Rápidos here.
🌀 Explore Bacalar’s Cenotes
Cenotes (pronounced seh-no-tays) are natural fresh water sink holes formed when limestone bedrock collapses, revealing crystal-clear underground pools. There are thousands across the Yucatán Penisular and Bacalar has 4 cenotes.
A great way to cool off in the afternoon heat, you will find 2 cenotes close to Los Rápidos. You can either drive or cycle there – or take a taxi.
Cenote Azul:
Deep and dramatic. It is separated from the lagoon by a narrow straight of land. It is a huge pool, surrounded by nature. You can rent life jackets and it has a restaurant on site. There is a small entrance fee and they only accept cash.
Cenote Cocalitos
This cenote has a beach club located here, which is relaxed and family friendly. The cenote lies within the lagoon and you get another opportunity to see stromotolites. The amenities are basic but there are hammocks to relax over the water and the water is shallow – so better for children than Cenote Azul. You can rent kayaks, swim and snorkel.
🌙 Evening – Street Food & Lagoon Views
A recommendation to us from a local, was to dine at La Playita Mexican restaurant. Located on the shore, it has unbeatable views over the lagoon.
The seating areas are surrounded by lush tropical nature and shaded under gorgeous natural canopies. The Latin infused menu has lots of choice and the service is welcoming.
It is quite a pricey restaurant so if you are on a budget, another fantastic place is Mr Taco. We ate here a few times – they sell tasty Mexican food, great cocktails and the prices are fantastic.
✨ Optional Day 3 – Ruins & Culture Beyond Bacalar
If you have an extra day in Bacalar, it’s well worth exploring beyond the lagoon. A short drive will take you to ancient Maya ruins hidden deep in the jungle.
Sadly for us, we didn’t fit in any other activities during our time in Bacalar -we would loved to have stayed longer. If you are lucky enough to have more time – here are some suggestions:
Maya Ruins Close to Bacalar
- Kohunlich (1 hr drive) – Famous for its Temple of the Masks, this sprawling site is dotted with huge palm trees and often blissfully empty. Climb the pyramids and listen to the jungle sounds – howler monkeys are often spotted here.
- Chacchoben (40 mins) – A smaller but very atmospheric ruin surrounded by lush jungle. Easier to reach if you’re short on time.
- Dzibanché (1.5 hrs) – For the adventurous, Dzibanché is bigger and quieter, giving you that real “lost city in the jungle” vibe.
🌟 Tip: Arrive early to beat the heat and bring plenty of water (there are few facilities).
🌙 Evening – Dinner with a View
For your final night, try Nixtamal, a small, creative restaurant serving beautifully presented Mexican dishes with a twist. If you’re after something casual, grab street tacos and sit by the lake wall with the locals as the sun sets.
Practical Tips for Your Bacalar Itinerary
- Bring Cash – Many cenotes, beach clubs, and smaller restaurants only accept pesos in cash. ATMs are limited, so bring enough with you.
- Transport – Car hire makes getting to the cenotes and ruins much easier. Taxis are fine for short trips, but they add up quickly. We found it too hot to cycle far.
- Eco-Friendly First – Always use reef-safe sunscreen (or better avoid sunscreen altogether before swimming). Bug spray should also be biodegradable to protect the lagoon.
- Closed Wednesdays – Remember the lagoon is officially closed on Wednesdays for recovery. Plan cenotes, ruins or town exploring on this day.
- Food – Many restaurants don’t start serving dinner until around 6-7pm.
🧳 What to Pack for Bacalar
- Swimwear and quick-dry towel
- Reef-safe sunscreen and biodegradable insect repellent
- A long-sleeve swim shirt (to protect your skin from the sun)
- Comfortable sandals for rocky edges
- Reusable water bottle (keep hydrated and avoid plastic waste)
- Dry bag and waterproof case for your phone
- Snorkel mask
- Light rain jacket (afternoon showers can appear out of nowhere)
- Cash (pesos) for entry fees, taxis, and small restaurants
Is Bacalar Worth Visiting?
Our family verdict is a big fat “Yes!” – We loved our time in Bacalar and felt more unplugged there than anywhere else we visited on our Mexico trip. It’s definitely a quiet area and if you’re hoping for clubbing and nightlife – you need to choose somewhere like Playa del Carmen or Cancun. But if you want to completely disconnect, kick back and enjoy nature – then Bacalar is the place to do just that!
Have you been to Bacalar? Please share your favourite recommendations in the comments!
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