Bacalar and the Lagoon of 7 colors
The small town of Bacalar in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo is far from the beaten tourist track. Nevertheless, Bacalar is widely known among travelers familiar with the region. And this is not only due to the charm of the small town. It is because Bacalar is located directly besides the beautiful lagoon of the seven colors.
Have you ever thought about a trip to Bacalar? Is it even worth it? And how long should you stay? What can you do there? In this article we would like to tell you more about the small village and answer your questions.
Estimated reading time: 16 minutes
What to expect in Bacalar?
Bacalar is a cozy and sleepy place. If you need a lot of action, you have nothing to look for here. But if you want to really relax, you are in good hands. A bit of observing Mexican everyday life in a colonial place, enjoying the beauty of nature, swimming, eating delicious food. That’s more or less how you can imagine it.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eBacalar is not situated directly at the sea like the other places along the Caribbean coast of u003ca href=u0022https://magicblueplanet.com/en/mexico-travel/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 data-schema-attribute=u0022aboutu0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eMexicou003c/au003e. But it’s located besides a large lagoon famous for its beauty. The place has a long history, and there are some interesting things to see. The name of the city means u0022surrounded by reedsu0022 in the Mayan language. In the time of the Maya and the colonial period, an important trading center was here.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eNowadays, street art is rather popular in Bacalar. So, you can walk through the streets in peace and let yourself be enchanted by this small town. Just take a deep breath and relax. After all, you’re on vacation, aren’t you?
The Lagoon of Seven Colors
The lagoon of Bacalar is also called the lagoon of seven colors. They say that the water should shimmer in seven different shades of blue. This insight is probably reserved for locals who have their own boats and know the lagoon very well. But still – the lagoon also is very beautiful for new visitors.
Actually, the lagoon is a lake of fresh water. This is very rare on the Yucatan Peninsula, where there is usually no fresh water on the surface. The lagoon is about 40 km / 29 mi long and therefore quite large. It is connected to the bay of Chetumal by a narrow channel called the “Channel of the Pirates”.
The lagoon was formed from several Cenotes. These are intrusions in the limestone of the soil, which open up access to groundwater. These underwater caves are typical of the Yucatan Peninsula. You can also visit the Cenotes in Bacalar. Some of them are quite deep and are wonderful for cenote diving.
Of course, there are no sandy beaches at the lagoon of Bacalar. But in many places, you will see wooden walkways where you can get into the water. Often there are swings or hammocks in the shallow water to let your soul dangle and really enjoy the beauty of nature. Some public bathing areas offer small sunbathing areas, toilets and restaurants for a cheap entrance fee.
There are rumors that crocodiles live in the lagoon of Bacalar. If this is true, however, they are very shy. At least, we have not yet heard of accidents with crocodiles while swimming.
Where is Bacalar on the map?
Bacalar is located in Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula. Depending on which road you take, the trip to Bacalar takes about 400 km / 290 mi or 5 hours, driving south from u003ca href=u0022https://magicblueplanet.com/en/cancun-guide/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 data-type=u0022postu0022 data-id=u0022861u0022 data-schema-attribute=u0022mentionsu0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eCancúnu003c/au003e. Behind the small town, the road continues for about 40 km / 29 mi to Chetumal, the capital of the state of Quintana Roo. After Chetumal, there already is the border to the neighboring country Belize.
Good to know
Weather: Pleasantly warm all year round at about 30°C / 80°F, high humidit