Bacalar is a 42 km long lake and is located near Mexico’s border with Belize. They call it the Lake of Seven Colours and it’s honestly very easy to forget that it is actually a lake and not the ocean. It is also home to ancient stromatolites that are about 3,5 billion years old! This quickly became one of my favourite places in Mexico.
How to get there
You can easily get here by bus from a few different places such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Merida, etc. We booked an ADO bus from Playa del Carmen to Bacalar which took about 4 hours and the ticket cost 438 pesos (around £16) one way. If you are booking from Playa del Carmen, make sure you check which bus station the bus leaves from as there are a few ADO stations. We got ours from Playa del Carmen Alterna which is near a Walmart. Make sure you book at least a day before as it was already full when we got on. On the way back, we tried to book last minute and there was no seat left on the last bus back so we had to stay an extra night.
Where to stay
We stayed for 1 night at a hotel called XO Bacalar Lakefront for £44 including breakfast. It’s about a 30 minute walk from the centre but it was a lovely place. It has a platform where you can sit right in front of the lake and enjoy the sunrise as well as swings and a ladder to go swimming. There is also a swimming pool. The staff were friendly, the room was very clean and I loved the lake view. The breakfast in the morning consisted of yogurt with fresh fruit (pineapple, watermelon, papaya) and granola, some toast, butter and jam, and a coffee and orange juice.
The second night we stayed in a different hotel called Seyman Hotel, right in the centre for £41 which also had a swimming pool. The room was a lot smaller than the other one but was perfect for one night.
Things to do
Go for a swim
There are a few different public entries to the lake where you can go swimming. We found a great spot with a wooden deck with swings and hammocks and spent a few hours there. The water was very clear and great for swimming in. It was about 1,5 metres deep there. The place we went to was located in front of a restaurant called Catch.
Visit San Felipe Fort
The fort served its p[urpose of protecting Bacalar’s Maya community from pirate attacks. The walls were built with marine and volcanic rock. From there you can get some beautiful views of the lake. Entry fee is 50 pesos for tourists and 20 pesos for locals.
Take a boat tour
As the lake is so big, there are many places that you can only see and get to by boat. We booked a tour through Viator for £26 each and that included atour to a few different spots, such as the Pirate’s Canal, Bird island, the Black Cenote, and we got to swim in 3 different places. Beer and fresh fruit juices were also included in the price. We went past so many beautiful spots and the water was constantly changing colour, so we definitely understood why it’s called the Lake of Seven Colours.
Los Rapidos
I had seen this place online and I’m so happy that I got to visit. It’s a natural lazy river where you can walk up it and then float down and relax. It was so much fun floating down and admiring the surroundings! We were quite lucky as we met a lovely couple on the boat trip that were going there anyway with their rental car and offered to take us. Otherwise, we would have to take a taxi as there are no buses that go there. The entry is through a restaurant and it costs 150 pesos each and that includes a lifejacket plus 50 pesos for a locker.
Walk around the centre
Although the centre is quite small, there are loads of cute colourful streets as well as some tourist shops with handmade items such as jewellery, clothes, ornaments, etc. There are also some beautiful art murals around the centre too.
Try the food
There are loads of delicious options in Bacalar and I was pleasantly surprised at how many vegan options as well as gluten free options a lot of the restaurants and cafes had. On our first day we went to cafe called El Manati which was set in a lovely peaceful garden with wooden tables and cute little swings. They had loads of vegan options and I had a banana and almond milk smoothie and for food I had the pozole which is a mexican stew. The traditional one usually has some kind of meat in it, but this one had mushrooms and corn and it came with tortillas, avocado, lettuce and radishes. It tasted great!
Another place I enjoyed was a restaurant called Savora Bakhalal, where we went to in the evening and was located in the main square. I had a vegan burrito which was really tasty. I think next time I go, I’ll try the vegan ceviche.
Watch the sunrise
In the morning I woke up and headed down to the lakefront and the colours reflecting on the water were stunning. It was so peaceful and breathtaking. I would definitely recommend to get up early and enjoy the views.
Bacalar is one of my favourite places in Mexico and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was a lot quieter and less touristy than other places in Quintana Roo and everyone was very friendly. It’s a perfect place to relax, and explore the lake.
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