Things to Do in Bacalar

Bacalar is a destination built almost entirely around one thing: the lagoon. The activities here are water activities, history is the Fort, and everything else is secondary.

Sailing the lagoon

A sailing catamaran tour is the best single way to experience Bacalar. Most tours are half-day (4–5 hours) and stop at the Cenote Azul, the Canal de los Piratas, the stromatolite zone, and the lagoon’s deepest point. The view of the lagoon’s colour gradient from water level is completely different from the shore view.

Several operators dock at the main waterfront; prices are similar across operators (negotiate). Bring sunscreen and a hat — exposure on the water is intense.

Cenote Azul

4 km south of town on the main highway. A large, open cenote that connects to the lagoon via an underground passage. The depth at the centre is 90+ metres — the dark blue centre surrounded by turquoise shallows gives it one of the most dramatic colour contrasts of any cenote in Mexico. Snorkelling the shallows is excellent. No sunscreen permitted (rent-a-rash-guard or bring your own).

Kayaking the Canal de los Piratas

A narrow mangrove channel connecting the north end of the lagoon to a quieter area, historically used by pirates to access the lagoon without passing the Fort. Kayak rentals are available at several waterfront spots; the canal takes 30–60 minutes to paddle.

The Fort (Fuerte de San Felipe)

The 18th-century fort was built to defend against British pirates operating from Belize. It’s small but well-preserved with a moat, cannons, and a museum documenting the history of the lagoon and the Caste War. The history of the region is more complex and violent than the peaceful current atmosphere suggests — the museum is worth 45 minutes.

Stromatolites

At the south end of the lagoon, the Bahía de las Algas has one of the world’s few living stromatolite communities — layered microbial mats that are essentially the same organisms that produced Earth’s first oxygen 3.5 billion years ago. Swimming is not permitted in the stromatolite zone (they’re extremely fragile). Sailing tours approach close enough to see them from the boat.

Swimming spots

The municipal pier area (muelle municipal) and the Mágico Bacalar waterfront strip have several free or low-cost entry swimming spots. The clearest water and the best colour is slightly south of the fort, where the water reaches 20+ metres depth. Many of the boutique hotels allow day access to their docks for a small fee.