Everything You Need To Know About Bacalar, Mexico
Tags: Mayan Ruins, Mexico, Traveling, Bacalar, Travel

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While Bacalar is not one of the most popular destinations in Mexico, it certainly has it’s perks.

Nestled inland from the ocean (but right on the shore of a beautiful lagoon), and near the capital of Quintana Roo — Chetumal — Bacalar has some incredible views, amenities, activities to take part in. You would be missing out on quite a bit, if you didn’t go to Bacalar, during your trip to Mexico.

How to Get to Bacalar

One of the many things we love about Mexico is the ease of transportation (it doesn’t have quite as many options as Thailand, but still pretty damn good!).

The Bus — You can catch a bus to almost anywhere in Mexico.

The ADO buses are well known as one of the best companies, since they come with many different amenities like, air-conditioning, charging ports, entertainment, and some even have on-board bathrooms for long haul trips. There are, of course, other companies offering fewer or different amenities.

They have a website where you can book tickets, or you can book directly at the bus stop — super easy!

Another nice thing about the buses in Mexico is that they have really good prices. Usually, the longer the trip (and the more amenities the bus has) the higher the ticket price. There is a bus, and a budget, for almost every type of traveler!

The Plane — Another really cool thing about Mexico is that they have airports everywhere. You can fly to so many different cities and towns!

There are no flights directly to Bacalar, but you can fly to Chetumal, then it’s a short drive to Bacalar.

Granted, the prices are usually much higher than the bus.

Plus there is always the hassle of going through the airport. It would be a domestic flight, so the security would be a little bit more relaxed, I would assume, but still a bit of a pain in the ass.

Also, the length of time may or may not be longer than traveling on a bus. Between the time it takes to get yourself ready, and to the airport, plus the flying (and possible stops in between)… it may have been quicker to simply hop on a bus and go.

Rental Vehicles — In Mexico is is fairly easy to rent a vehicle, and drive to anywhere you want to go. We did this while we were in Chetumal.

Quick Tips For Renting a Vehicle:

1. Make sure to rent from a reputable company — it’s important to know that you aren’t going to be taken advantage of. Many of the companies that we know from Canada and the US can be found in Mexico. It’s probably safer to use these companies.

2. Always check your vehicle prior to getting in the car. Make sure that you document every single mark on the car — inside and out. Some people even take a quick video of the vehicle, just in case the claim that a dent or scratch wasn’t there before, now you have proof!

3. Make sure that you have the proper insurance. If you are using a credit card to rent (which we recommend, because you have a little bit more security with a credit card — you can argue the payments and prices with a credit card, but if you use cash? Not so much…) you may have some insurance for renting a vehicle, which could save you some money!

Taxis — There are many taxi drivers that will take you pretty much anywhere in Mexico — whether you are going from town to town, or just out to a more remote set of ruins, or something like that. You can also rent a taxi driver’s time by the hour. So, if you are wanting to explore some remote locations, you can tell the driver to sit and wait, while you take a look around. Make sure that you agree on a price and time beforehand. There are many taxi drivers that will give you a bit of a history on the place, or recommend some places for you to visit, as well. It’s always nice to have a local person show you around a bit!

What To Do In Bacalar

Bacalar is full of many incredible sights, restaurants, and activities.

The Lagoon — The lagoon is definitely the number one tourist attraction in Bacalar. I can attest that it’s truly amazing… The way the lake is formed, with different depths, there are so many different shades of blue, all waiting to amaze you.

You can swim in it, snorkel in it, take boat tours around in, kayak on it, canoe on it, tan near it, or just sit and admire it. The possibilities are pretty much endless.

The Restaurants — Bacalar is full of restaurants! You will never go hungry here. There is anything from small, local, hole-in-the-wall places, to hipster smoothie bars, and everything in between. If you want to eat it, I’m sure that Bacalar has it somewhere!

The Activities — So, I mentioned above that there is a lot of things to do in Bacalar. There are many different places where you can rent a kayak or canoe, and go for a little paddle around the lagoon.

You can also throw a swimsuit on ( I have this one, and it’s fantastic! All my bits stay exactly where they are supposed to while running, swimming, or just lounging about), and go swimming at one of the three free local lagoon access points. Chances are, they will be a little crowded, but they are mostly full of people tanning, or just dipping their toes in the water. The clay bottom is easy to sink in to, and squishy in between your toes!

There are a number of different tours that you can take around the lagoon. Almost every single hotel or B&B has a hookup for tours and rentals, so you don’t need to worry about going to far to find one. There tours will take you on a number of different packages all over the lagoon.

The Ruins — The Yucatan, and Quintana Roo are full of incredible Mayan ruins — they are literally scattered about everywhere! Some are large, vast areas, filled with a rich history. Some have been lost to time, and they are lesser known, and less restored. However, they are all beautiful. We went to some very remote, much lesser known ruins, that are somewhat near Bacalar (though, they are still about a 45 minute drive away, so you will need to rent the time of a taxi driver, or rent a vehicle and drive yourself). We went to Dzibanche and Kinichna ruins. They are both a part of the same area, so you only need to pay for one ticket (and I have to say, the tickets were much cheaper here than some of the other ruins I have seen). The man at the counter seemed… surprised, to say the least, to see us walking up. He was very friendly, and was happy to answer any questions we had. We were the only people at these ruins, and it made the trip so much better than trying to fight crowds. We spent a few hours here, wandering around and soaking up the incredible history of the place. We even seen some playful monkeys that took their time jumping through the trees, almost waiting for us to capture them on camera.

Other Notes:

Bacalar is a very picturesque town, and it would be best to bring a camera for some photo opportunities. We use our Nikon and our Go-Pro Hero 5+, and got some amazing photos. While phones do take great photos, the quality just isn’t there, like it is with our Nikon. Plus, they aren’t waterproof like our Go-Pro, for those awesome underwater shots! To see more of our photos, you can check out our Facebook and Instagram.

The town is easy to navigate, either by foot or in a vehicle. It’s a very walk-able town, though, so you really don’t need a car or bike to get anywhere, just a good pair of shoes will do! I wandered all over the town in these, while Colton wore these. We highly recommend them, because they are just so damn comfortable — no sore feet, or blisters at all! We also highly recommend bringing some sunglasses, and some sunscreen, as you are likely going to be spending a huge amount of time outside.

If you want to read a list of everything we brought to Guatemala and Mexico, you can read it here.

The town is definitely more touristy (and thus, more expensive) than it neighbor, Chetumal, but it’s a worthy sight to see. The incredible views, laid back atmosphere, and abundance of activities will keep you smiling, and make you glad that you took the time to come to Bacalar, Mexico.

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