Bacalar Mexico: Maldives Or Mosquito Paradise? 2024

Bacalar is a tiny town with a magical lagoon ✨ surrounded by sinkholes known as cenotes. The hippie town has cozy cafes ☕️, lazy water-front hotels and eco-chic 🌮 restaurants.

If you're traveling around Yucatan & Belize right now, you're probably asking yourself - is Bacalar worth visiting? In summary, YES! The tiny town still feels like a hidden gem with a few caveats.

This local guide includes 👇:

• ⛰️ Things To Do
• 😋 Where To Eat
• 💃 Night Life
• 🚖 Getting There

A Local Guide To Bacalar

In this guide, you can expect recommendations from a local and while I'm not Mexican, I stayed with a local friend that helped me experience the town the same way they would.

And while I try to be unbiased as possible, I do gravitate towards non-touristy activities that are accessible to all types of travelers. All suggestions are focused around supporting ethical, locally-owned and eco-conscious providers wherever possible.

Bacalar In A Nutshell

Mosquitos In Bacalar

While I would much rather talk about the 7 brilliant tones of the lagoon, there is a major issue in Bacalar – Mosquitos. These guys are huge, aggressive and everywhere.

Some higher-end accommodations & restaurants do burn some sort of copal to keep them away which helps a lot. But while you're outside those safe zones, you're constantly attacked. Luckily, while you're in the water or by the docks, you get a moment of relief because of the breeze.

What Is Bacalar Known For?

Things To Do In Bacalar

1. Visit Cenote Azul

Visit this cenote through the secret entrance in front of Amainah Hotel. Alternatively, you can go through the formal entrance and pay the 35 MXN pesos fee. Only locals come through this backdoor entry so follow the signs, be respectful and keep it clean.

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2. Explore The Central Park

Town squares are some of the most lively areas in Mexico and Bacalar's central park is filled with food vendors from all over Mexico. At night, artists sell their handmade crafts. You can find them scattered throughout the park.

My friend took me walking at night all around the park and it kinda became a daily ritual after the first day.

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3. Swim At Bacalar Eco Park

Swimming for free at Bacalar is surprisingly difficult with all the restaurants and beach clubs pay-walling it. This Eco Park is a short but lush boardwalk trail to walk through. Be sure to take bug repellent and something to protect against the sun because there's little to no shade here.

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4. Kayak To Canal De Los Piratas

One of the most beautiful spots in the lagoon is Canal De Los Piratas. It's a shallow canal has beautiful colors and can be visited by paddle boarding and boat tours as well. There's a ship wreck that symbolizes the pirates that actually came from the through the lagoon. The kayak rental at this rate is for 3 hours.

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5. Float Down Los Rapidos

Los Rapidos is sometimes recognized as a tourist trap because of the restaurant, entrance and extra fees like one for using wifi. But, if you visit with your budget as priority, you can enjoy the site regardless of the costs. One of the most economic ways of enjoying the site is by renting a kayak.

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6. Go On A Sailing Tour

Shared tours (colectivos) can be a lot more economic compared to private tours which are 10x the price at around 3500 MX Pesos. There are dozens of tours along the main town square and park so you can shop around while you are exploring.

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7. Visit Fuerte De San Felipe

If you're interested in the history of Bacalar, visiting this fort will be a treat for you. The site is close to the central park and can be seen from the outside but an entrance fee is required to go inside. There is also a museum within the fort.

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What To Eat In Bacalar

Unlike the rest of Mexico, Bacalar isn't really known for its cuisine. The only two popular treats that are local to Bacalar include Marquesitas and Pozole de Cacao which is famously sold by the street sides. Regardless, the little town has excellent cafes and restaurants.

Where To Eat In Bacalar

Bacalar has tons of street food at the central park, coffee shops and restaurants with dishes that some even claim are Michelin Star worthy. For snacks, try local ice cream, popsicles, boiled corn on a stick (elotes) and a ton of goodies at bakeries.

1. Tamales Lataba - budget street food, vegan option
2. La Casa de Lauu - mid range restaurant, vegetarian option
3. Nixtamal - for a luxury dinner night, vegetarian option
4. Madre Masa - decent cafe, relatively cheap, no internet
5. Mr. Taco - relatively expensive, vegetarian option
6. Marquesita Stalls - local snack, relatively expensive
7. Enamora Cafe - cute corner cafe, local art gallery

Night Life In Bacalar

1. La Catrina - salsa and dance
2. El Galeón - bar and cultural center
3. Yak Lake House - special events
4. Xolo Bar - billiards and drinks

Facts About Bacalar

1. 🌈 7 brilliant tones is the signature mark of Bacalar's lagoon seen clearly on sunny days.
2. 🕳️ The lagoon was also formed by 7 sink holes (cenotes) that surround it.
3. 🌊 Bacalar has the second-largest lagoon at 27 miles long (43km) in the Yucatan region.
4. 📜 Stromatolites are the oldest living beings at 3.5 million years old found at the lagoon.

Getting To Bacalar

Bacalar To Belize

1. ⁠From Bacalar, take a colectivo from this location which is in front of the Bacalar ADO Bus Terminal to Chetumal. $2.50 USD50 MXN Pesos
2. Ensure you take the van and not the small taxis since the vans drop you off closer to your final destination in Chetumal.
3. The bus should drop you off close to the Old ADO Bus Terminal which is a 15-minute walk away from Mercado Nuevo.
4. From Mercado Nuevo, take a Belize Bus to Belize City or one of the local Belize towns in before that. $7.00 USD
5. Prepare to pay the Mexico Tourism Tax (DNI). Your flight ticket breakdown should include this fee which you can show to the immigration official. 45.00 USD

Belize To Bacalar

1. From the Novelo's Bus Station in Belize City, take the local bus all the way to Corozal (Border Town). $6.00 USD
2. From Corozal, go to this Belize Border Bus Stop (under a tree) where you can take combis to the old border (Belize Side) which you can walk across. $1.50 USD
3. Prepare to pay the Belize Exit Tax. $20.00 USD
4. From the Old Border in Belize, walk across the Old Border (Mexico) to this Santa Elena Bus Stop and wait for a colectivo labeled Santa Elena Chetumal. This will drop you off on the street in front of Plaza Las Americas. $1.00 USD20 MXN Pesos
5. From Plaza Las Americas, walk over to the Chetumal-Bacalar Colectivo Bus Stop and wait for a white/yellow taxi that takes you to the Bacalar ADO Bus Terminal. $2.50 USD50 MXN Pesos

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