A Day Trip to Bacalar, Mexico

Bacalar is a 7 color lagoon paradise that you will love exploring, however, keep in mind this is just a day trip or an overnight at most.

This beautiful village is known to be the 2nd largest lagoon in Mexico as well as known for Cenote Azul, San Felipe fortress and Pirate Cove. Keep on reading to get our practical guide to visiting Bacalar, Mexico.

How to get to Bacalar
Visiting Bacalar can be a spontaneous day trip from Playa del Carmen as it’s 3.5 hour drive, 4.5 hour from Cancun, Merida or Belize and you can easily drive there yourself. You don’t need to book a fancy tour, just rent a car and drive. Make sure you have cash (pesos) on you for the tolls on the way.

What to do in Bacalar
7 color lagoon boat tour is the same tour everywhere in Bacalar. Most of the hostels/hotels have info or private boats that offer you the same tour at the same prices. The tour costs between $10-15 per person. You can personalize it depending on how you want to spend your time in the lagoon. Our favorite stop was the famous Pirate Cove, where the water is shallow, you can walk in the middle, grab soft clay and give yourself a spa treatment.

Where to stay in Bacalar
Leave your U.S. standards in the U.S. if you plan to spend the night. There are many places to stay for an overnight and waking up for sunrise with a view of the 7 color lagoon from your room is totally worth it, but if you don’t mind the drive you can make it just a day trip.

We chose Casa China as it is an ecotourism project: an authentic design of Chinese house with amazing lagoon views. We went as a group of 3 couples and booked 3 rooms in Casa China. Don’t worry about booking in advance, we booked it a day prior to our trip. To set your expectations before you book, I suggest not to expect a luxury accommodation option in Bacalar. For $70 per night you get a comfortable room with lagoon views. Pretty sweet and affordable but you get what you pay for.
They offer Kayaks and paddle boards at no additional cost as well as a private boat you can reserve for the famous lagoon boat tour.  Check their room prices at the following link: https://www.casachinabacalar.com/rooms-rates

Where to eat in Bacalar
The best and only restaurant worth visiting in Bacalar is “La Playita“.
Enjoy Breathtaking views of Bacalar Lagoon for brunch, lunch or dinner out with great vibes and music. That’s the best it gets and look no further.
Check them on Facebook, it’s only place we do recommend for dining in Bacalar: https://www.facebook.com/laplayitabacalar/