5 days around the lagoon of seven blues in Bacalar

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   Morning

   Fort of San Felipe

   A small stone fort on a rise above the lagoon, built by the Spanish in the 1700s to guard the town against pirates who raided along this coast. Its walls and cannons look out over the water, and rooms inside now hold a small museum. Check ahead on when it is open.

   Go when Morning, before the heat, when the light is soft on the stone.

   Local tip Walk the walls and look out over the water to see why the fort sits here. Check ahead on the opening, and take a hat, since the courtyard has little shade.

   About 12 min by car or transit3.8 km
2. 2
   Morning

   Cenote Azul

   A deep, round cenote, a sinkhole filled with clear water, that opens off the south end of the lakefront. The water looks a dark blue in the middle and turns pale green at the edges, because the bottom drops away so steeply. Swim gently and follow the rules posted at the entrance.

   Go when Morning, when the water is calm and the light reaches deep.

   Local tip Do not dive in off the edges, because it is very deep. Use mineral sun cream or none, and keep to the roped areas.

   

3. Lunch

   Ceviche and chips

   Ceviche is raw fish cured in lime juice, with onion, tomato and coriander, served with tortilla chips or fried tortillas, a cool lunch for a hot day.

   Local tip Order the freshest fish on the day, and go easy on the lime if your stomach is sensitive.

   About 11 min by car or transit3.0 km
4. 3
   MorningBest early

   Bacalar Lagoon

   The long freshwater lagoon itself, the reason for the trip, whose water shifts from white to turquoise to deep blue. Paddle or float over it slowly with a local guide, keep off the bottom and use only mineral sun cream.

   Go when Early morning, when the water is still.

   Local tip Go by paddle board, kayak or small boat with a local guide, and keep your paddles and fins well off the bottom. Mineral sun cream only, and carry water.

   

   About 21 min walk1.7 km
5. 4
   Midday

   Bacalar Town Square

   The shaded central square of Bacalar, beside the fort, with benches under trees, a church close by and food stalls along its edges. It is the town's living room, so sit for a while and watch the day go by.

   Go when Midday, in the shade of the trees.

   Local tip Sit on a bench with something cold and let the town go by. It is the best place to ask a local about the lagoon that day.

   About 9 min by car or transit2.2 km
6. 5
   Midday

   Cenote Negro

   A smaller, dark cenote on the lagoon, whose deep centre looks black against the paler water around it. Its colour comes from its depth. Look at it from the shore or from a boat, and ask locally before you swim.

   Go when Midday, when the light shows its colours.

   Local tip Its colour is from its depth, not from dirt. Ask a local about swimming, and keep out of the water if there is any sign it is not allowed.

   About 15 min by car or transit5.5 km
7. 6
   Afternoon

   Cocalitos and the stromatolites

   A quiet shore of the lagoon where stromatolites live in the shallows: hard, rounded mounds built by microbes, one of the oldest forms of life on Earth. They grow very slowly and are easily harmed. Look from a boat or a walkway, never touch them, never stand on them and never put sun cream in the water. Check local rules before you go.

   Go when Late morning or afternoon, from a boat or walkway.

   Local tip Never touch a stromatolite, never stand on one and never put sun cream or soap in the water here. They grow a tiny amount each year and break easily. Check local rules first.

   About 18 min by car or transit6.9 km
8. 7
   Afternoon

   Costera

   The lakefront road south of the fort, lined with small wooden jetties, hammocks and open air places to sit. The water changes colour with the depth of the bottom, from milky white and pale green to a deep blue, which gives the lagoon its name of the seven colours. Little shade, so keep a hat on.

   Go when Late afternoon, for the light on the water (about 6:54 PM).

   Local tip Walk it slowly and stop at a jetty. Rinse off before you swim, wear only mineral sun cream and leave nothing in the water. There is little shade, so carry water.

9. Dinner

   Grilled fish by the water

   Fresh grilled fish with rice and salad, eaten at a table at the water's edge as the light goes, the simplest supper on the lakefront.

   Local tip Ask what came in that day, and sit facing west if you can.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Drive from CosteraAbout 2 h 31 min by car176.7 km

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   Midday

   Muyil Archaeological Site

   A Maya site in the jungle on the edge of the Sian Ka'an reserve, one of the oldest on this coast. Shaded paths lead past a tall temple, and a trail runs on to the lagoon. It is a quiet place, so arrive early and carry water and insect repellent. Check ahead on when it is open.

   Go when Morning, before the jungle heats up.

   Local tip Wear closed shoes and use insect repellent, since the paths are shaded and damp. Climb only where it is allowed. Check ahead that the site is open.

   

   About 38 min by car24.7 km
3. 2
   MiddayBest early

   Tulum Ruins

   A walled Maya port town on a low cliff above the Caribbean, with a small temple that looks straight out to sea. It lies well beyond Muyil, so it is a very long day from Bacalar, and it is best added only if you stay on the coast.

   Go when First thing, before the heat and the crowds.

   Local tip Take water and a hat, since there is almost no shade, and keep off the walls and stones. It is a long way from Bacalar, so check ahead and consider a night on the coast instead.

   

4. Lunch

   Fried fish and rice

   Fried or grilled fish, rice and salad at a simple table near the reserve, eaten in the shade after the walk.

   Local tip Eat after the paths, not before, and drink plenty of water.

5. Dinner

   Sopa de lima

   Sopa de lima is a warm chicken broth with lime, crisp tortilla strips and herbs, a Yucatecan soup for the evening back in town.

   Local tip Squeeze in the lime at the last moment.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Travel from Tulum RuinsAbout 37 min by car or transit24.0 km

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. 1
   Afternoon

   Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

   A vast reserve of jungle, wetlands, lagoons and reef on the coast, a World Heritage site and home to many birds and animals. Near Muyil a footpath leads to a lagoon, joined by an old canal that the Maya dug and that you can float along. Go only with a licensed local guide, follow their rules and check ahead on what is open.

   Go when Morning, as early as you can manage.

   Local tip Go with a licensed local guide, follow their rules and check ahead on what is open and what is allowed. Take water, a hat and no sun cream in the lagoon.

   

   About 2 h 11 min by car149.3 km
3. 2
   Afternoon

   Mahahual Northern Beach

   A quieter stretch of sand north of the town, with calm shallows behind the reef. Take shade, water and mineral, reef safe sun cream, and do not stand on or touch the coral. Currents can run on the open sea side, so ask locally where it is safe to swim.

   Go when Afternoon, for a quiet swim.

   Local tip Carry water, shade and your own bag for rubbish. Ask locally where the swimming is calm before you go in.

4. Lunch

   Whole fried fish on the sand

   A whole fried fish with rice, tortillas and a squeeze of lime, eaten with your hands at a table over the sand, near the water.

   Local tip Share one fish between two, and ask for the bones to be left in.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   Morning

   Mahahual Seafront

   The seafront walkway of a former fishing village on the Caribbean coast, with sand, small shops and open air tables along the water. A reef lies close to shore here, part of the great Mesoamerican barrier reef, so it is a place to look at the sea more than to shop.

   Go when Morning, before the day gets busy.

   Local tip Walk the whole front once, then find a shaded table over the sand. Stay off the coral and the reef.

   

   About 1 h 5 min by car60.7 km
2. 2
   Afternoon

   Calderitas

   A small fishing village on the bay just north of the city of Chetumal, where the Caribbean meets the mouth of a river. A calm place for a walk along the shore and a plate of seafood.

   Go when Late afternoon, by the water.

   Local tip Walk the shore and eat fresh fish at a plain table. A quiet end to a day in Chetumal.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Drive from CalderitasAbout 1 h 3 min by car58.1 km

   Where Day 4 ended.
2. 1
   Morning

   Kohunlich

   A Maya site in the jungle west of Bacalar, known for its Temple of the Masks, where great stucco faces of the sun god look out from a stair. The grounds are wide and shaded by tall trees, with a large plaza and a ball court.

   Go when Morning, before the heat, under the trees.

   Local tip Look for the great stucco masks on the temple of the masks, and keep to the paths. Bring water and insect repellent, and check ahead on the opening.

   

   About 1 h 35 min by car102.0 km
3. 2
   Morning

   Xcalak

   A tiny fishing village at the far south of the Mexican Caribbean coast, next to a protected reef park, with a quiet shore and sand streets. It is a long way from anywhere, which is the point.

   Go when Morning, with the sea calm.

   Local tip Bring cash, water and fuel for the road, since the village is small and far from towns. Do not touch the reef, and use only reef safe sun cream.