Written: Jennifer Dyer @solymargoddess

This is a magical tropical oasis you have to see to believe! From the untouched lo-fi town of Buenavista, to the Mayan Ruins deep in the tropical jungle scattered all around the city, to the more popular downtown of Bacalar, and surroundings, this is your special personal guide! All you need to know about the beautiful Laguna de los siete colores, Bacalar.

Bacalar is a town located in the South Eastern side of Mexico, a little North of the Belizean Boarder. Bacalar was awarded a “Pueblo Magico” or Magical Town in 2006, signifying Bacalar’s upmost importance by the Mexican Government. Bacalar is one of Mexicos most enchanting towns with deep ancient Mayan culture, natural beauty, architecture, history and overall charm. Bacalar is only a 2.5 hour car ride south of the Tulum Airport and 4 hour car ride from the Cancun Airport! Very easy to get to, just follow the 307 all the way South, until you hit Bacalar. Like I stated about Holbox, Mexico, I am a USA Citizen and Mexican Resident, living in Tulum, Mexico. When I need a break from the hustle and bustle of the high season of Tulum, Bacalar is one of my top destinations to retreat, rest, and reconnect. There is so much open space in the lagoon, and jungle around. The perfect place for inward connection, and solitude. 

Because I like to be inclusive and accommodate to all my readers I will mention all kinds of venues, restaurants and activities for the international backpackers who want more of a glamping, cabin, or even spiritual getaway, to family fun activities, to the perfect girls weekend or romantic getaway! 

I want to first mention Bacalar isn’t nearly as well known as local industrial cities like Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun. Bacalar Lagoon gives small town feels, being more rustic it feels similar to a sleeping Tulum. Very casual, relaxing with a Caribbean, bohemian feng shui. You might find a party or two at a local bar or restaurant in the Downtown area, but this is not a Club or rave scene. Sorry to disappoint some of you, if that’s what you want I would look elsewhere, haha! Bacalar is the perfect retreat for those who want weak WiFi, relaxation, delicious cuisines, and nature bathing. And not to mention the low light pollution! This makes for the absolute best stargazing. A very beautiful setting for a romantic evening. 

Water Sports 

There is a plethora of water sports in Bacalar! From local jet ski rentals to paddle board, kayak, windsurfing, catamaran and pontoon rentals, etc. Or, if you want to book some kind of boat tour with lunch and services included checkout Bacalar’s Airbnb Experiences or Trip Advisors Things to do, to get started! I would recommend looking into the company Bacalar Sailing  @bacalarsailing or Day Tour Bacalar @daytourbacalar for incredible well put together boat tours. Both companies have an assortment of tours and boats, so you can choose what’s best for you upon your visit. You also have to visit Los Rapidos, at the far southern tip of the Lagoon! Los Rapidos is similar to a lazy river at a theme park, but this lazy river is naturally occurring. You get in with a floaty and float your way slowly down the beautiful winding channel. Grab a bite to eat at Los Rapidos de Bacalar Restaurante, like some tasty guacamole and a mojito to quench your third, after a fun filled morning of floating! 

Side note- I would recommend packing some wet shoes for your fun filled Bacalar adventures! As well as mexican peso, as some restaurants only accept cash not card! Also, bring your dogs! Bacalar is super pet friendly and accommodating to your furry friends! I personally always bring my doggies when I travel there. 

Sacred Mayan Melipona Bees

The melipona bee is a stingless bee species that has been very sacred to the Mayan people for hundreds of years. The Mayans have cultivated this bee and honor its sacred healing properties. In Pre Historic times the Mayans would hold around six ceremonies honoring the God of the bees and honey, whose name is Ah-Muzen-Cab, also known as the descending God. Statues of the descending god can be seen at multiple Mayan temples scattered around Quintana Roo and Yucatán, like, the Tulum ruins, Coba ruins, and Chichen Itza ruins! Bees produce more than just honey, they produce pollen wax, propolis as well as being an incredible pollinator to the flowers around them! 

Fun Fact- Did you know the Melipona bee is endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula! Mexico is the only place in the world you can find the Melipona bee.

Immerse yourself in the ancient mayan culture and book a Melipona Honey tour! Go on the Meet the Mayan Bees with Hydomel testing, in Xul-Ha Bacalar, found on Airbnb experiences! And don’t forget to buy some local honey, and take it back home to your loved ones. Bruno, a local bee keeper owns a shop called LOL HA Miel. You can look him up on Facebook or email him at lolhabruno@gmail.com. He sells his own organic honey, from his Melipona bees. Besides the delicious taste of honey, there are countless healing benefits, like being an anti inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial agent. You can use honey as a home remedy to treat coughs, and burns, scabs and scrapes. Bees buzzing frequency can actually heal our bodies. Straight from gfadk.com, “The vibrational frequency of bees holds a mesmerizing potential when it comes to healing human tissue. Research in the field of vibrational medicine has shown that exposure to these healing frequencies can stimulate the regeneration and repair of human cells and tissues. When our cells are exposed to the gentle vibrations emitted by bees, they tend to resonate in harmony with these frequencies, promoting an environment conducive to tissue healing. This resonance is thought to enhance the body’s natural ability to heal itself.” Not only honey and the byproduct of bees are mega healers. But so is the bee itself. 

Buenavista 

The small town of Buenavista is a 15 minute car ride to Downtown Bacalar. Why visit or stay in Buenavista you may ask? Buenavista is a very small town only having around 800 residents. This is a more quiet laidback option, away from the busier downtown of Bacalar. Due to less inhabitants and boats to stir up the Lagoon, this is one of the few spots you can really truly admire the 7 Colors of the Lagoon. It’s named Bacalar, Laguna de los siete colores because of the 7 distinct shades of blue in the water from deep indigo, turquoise to violet. Not to mention, geographically Buenavista is the best place to sail in the Lagoon due to the way the wind naturally blows on this stretch of the Lagoon. There are options for hotels, glamping experiences and Airbnbs in Buenavista. For Hotel accommodations I would recommend Hotel Buenavista Bacalar @buenavistabacalar. If you’re looking for a fun filled glamping experience checkout Elvira Bacalar @elvirabacalar! A great place to relax, enjoy local cuisine at their restaurant, read by the pool and have some fun in the sun. They have paddle boards and kayaks to offer so you can enjoy the lagoon at your own leisure. Also, Elvira has bikes for you to use and enjoy! I would recommend you bike to the ruins Chachoben, which is only a 20 minute bike or a 10 minute drive. Just grab your water bottle, sunscreen and pesos to get into the entrance of the Archaeological Site, and the day is yours. You also have a high probability of seeing spider and howler monkeys! Elvira also hosts spiritual retreats and gatherings. Lastly, you can book an Airbnb, but because this town is small I would opt for the adventurous glamping experience, as it’s more community based, and will give you a better overall experience!

Top 10 Restaurant Recommendations 

1. El Manati Bacalar @elmanatibacalar a local art gallery, and cafe. The perfect place for breakfast, brunch or lunch!
2. Juguara Cocina @jaguara.mx featuring contemporary mexican cuisine, on the lagoon!
3. Kinal Bacalar @kinalbacalar located inside of the hotel Khaban Bacalar, you can enjoy a delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner on the Lagoon!
4. Savora Bakhalal @savorabakhalaloficial featuring delicious handcrafted cuisines, incredible pizza, pasta and salads! Lovely cocktail selection 
5. Bertilla Lagoon & beachclub Bacalar @bertilla.lagoon.beachclub delicious Italian restaurant on the lagoon! Enjoy a homemade sangria, and handmade pizza! Adorable on water bungalows for rent!
6. Ixchel Bacalar @ixchel.bacalar rated top breakfast restaurant in Bacalar! A must on your list! 
7. Rosa Cafe @rosacafemx featuring bubble teas, and gourmet coffees! A delicious spot to refuel before your next venture!
8. La Playita @laplayitabacalar Restaurant and Social Club Venue, located directly on the Lagoon! 
9. Baraka Bacalar @baraka_bacalar Delicious lunch spot with savory fresh ceviche, tostadas and cocktails 
10. Mr. Tacos @mr.taco_bacalar the most delicious cheap and quick taco you’ll ever have!

Downtown Bacalar

There is a lot to do in the downtown area! First off you should definitely go to Fuerte de San Felipe de Bacalar. This is a local museum which details the history of pirates in the local surrounding areas. The fort was built to protect the town, and there is a narrow channel called pirates channel through which ships could enter the lagoon. Make sure to stop at local restaurants and shops in town, there are so many cute boutiques and venues. Food trucks and live music light up the night so make sure to head down to central at least one of your nights in Bacalar! 

Something unique about Bacalar- Bacalar has Stromatolites in the Lagoon. Stromatolites are a grouping of cells in colonies that create sedimentary rock. These cells appeared on earth roughly 2,500 to 1 Million years ago. As said in miabacalar.com, “These rock beings were the ones that produced oxygen in a massive way, their presence caused the atmosphere to change to the conditions we know today, thanks to them life on the planet was possible. They have a rocky nature composed of calcium carbonate that grow vertically after a long process and produce structures of various shapes. They were the first living things that formed the reefs. They are very important in the ecosystem as they release oxygen into the atmosphere and keep the lagoon healthy. There are few places in the world where they can be observed.” With Bacalar being one of the few places in the world they are found. 

Side note- make sure to checkout Bacalar’s Cenotes! There is Cenote Negro, Cenote Esmeralda and Cenote Azul. All beautifully different and found in and around the lagoon itself.  This is how the freshwater comes into the lagoon, it bubbles through the cenote, creating brackish water mixing with the salt water of the lagoon.

Lastly, I will name a few beautiful accommodations you may enjoy while staying in Bacalar! Here are my top 6!

1. Casa Hormiga @casahormigabacalar
2. Aurea Bacalar @aurea_bacalar
3. Boa Boa Bacalar @boaboabacalar
4. Casa Kuuts Ja’ @casakuutsjabacalar 
5. Amaca Bacalar @amaca.bacalar
6. Carolina Bacalar @hotelcarolinabacalar
7. Mia Bacalar @miabacalar 

Make 2024 your most memorable year yet by jetsetting on your next venue to Bacalar! I promise you will absolutely fall in love with Bacalar, just as I have. Such a diverse place, unlike anywhere I have ever been. For any remaining questions please feel free to email me! Hola.jenniferdyer@gmail.com