Posted April 12, 2018 by travelaroundthegalaxy mexico

Bacalar Lagoon

Bacalar – known as the “lake of seven colours” – sparkles in the sunshine with many shades of turquoise and blue. It is simply amazing, and a photograph can’t capture it’s true beauty. This is one of the most peaceful places we have explored on the Riviera Maya. The small town that occupies the shore of the lake has a laid back and bohemian vibe and feels far off the beaten track. Located close to the Border of Belize, about a 5-hour drive from Cancun. It’s about as far away from the crowded beaches that you can get to without leaving Mexico.

The town itself is a “Puebla Magico”, a designation given to a select few towns throughout Mexico. There are a few restaurants and bars, mostly situated around the main square or overlooking the lagoon; but otherwise, this place is quiet. The town is also home to the 18th Century “Fuerte de San Felipe”, which was built as a defense against actual pirates of the Caribbean. Very unique for the Riviera Maya, which is of course dominated by Mayan Ruins.

The main reason you want to visit this place is for its natural beauty. The lagoon is huge, and the best way to experience it is to take a boat tour. We took one early in the morning and got to see the lagoon from the water, which is the only way to experience it. You get to visit different parts of the lake you would not be able to see otherwise. There are two cenotes attached to the lagoon, and the most impressive is only accessible by water. It is surreal to see the shallow sandy water disappear into the dark abyss. Its impossible to see the bottom.

Even more impressive is Cenote Azul. This cenote is around 80-meters deep, and taking a swim here is truly impressive, seeing the roots of the jungle underneath the water and the darkness below. It is a beautiful setting to spend a couple hours.

There is so much to see and do here, that one or two days is not enough. You can spend time at one of the public beach access points or pay a small fee to enjoy one of the nicer “beach clubs”. No matter what you do here, you will not be disappointed. There is nothing that compares to the blue waters of Bacalar.