Quintana Roo · Mexico

Bacalar and Costa Maya

The lagoon of seven shades of blue of Bacalar, the San Felipe fort, Chetumal on the border with Belize, and the quiet beach of Mahahual in southern Quintana Roo.

Caribe Mexicano (Cancún e Riviera Maya)

In the photo: San Felipe Fort, Bacalar

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Bacalar is in southern Quintana Roo, about 40 km from Chetumal and the border with Belize. It is known for the Bacalar lagoon, a freshwater lagoon roughly 50 km long, called the lagoon of seven shades because the white sand bottom and varying depths create bands of blue, turquoise and green. The water is calm and warm, good for swimming, kayaking and boat rides.

The village, with quiet streets, sits on the lagoon shore around the San Felipe fort, built in the 18th century against pirates who came up the rivers. To the south are the Cenote Azul, a deep dark-water sinkhole, and the Canal de los Rápidos. In the shallow bottom of the lagoon live the stromatolites, bacterial formations among the oldest life forms on Earth, which require visitors to take care.

Chetumal, the state capital, is a trading city on Chetumal Bay, with a long malecón and the Maya Culture museum; nearby are the Kohunlich ruins with their stucco masks. On the coast, about 140 km from Chetumal, Mahahual is a fishing village with white-sand beach and reef, in the region called Costa Maya.

This destination brings together 3 cities: Bacalar, Chetumal, Mahahual.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Bacalar and Costa Maya is

Limites: INEGI / geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Bacalar and Costa Maya

✈ Aeropuerto Internacional de Chetumal (CTM), in Chetumal · 40 km to Bacalar

Confirm before booking. The nearest airport is Chetumal (CTM), about 40 km from Bacalar, with flights from Mexico City. Bacalar also has a Tren Maya station and buses from Cancún, Tulum and Mérida. Tulum airport (TQO) is about 200 km away.

Suggested arrival point: Bacalar

Quintana Roo · Bacalar and Costa Maya Suggested arrival point

Bacalar

Bacalar is a small village on the shore of the Bacalar lagoon in southern Quintana Roo, about 40 km from Chetumal. The lagoon, freshwater with blue and turquoise bands, is used for swimming, paddling and boat trips. In the village is the 18th-century San Felipe fort, and to the south the Cenote Azul and the Canal de los Rápidos. It has a Tren Maya station.

Quintana Roo · Bacalar and Costa Maya Capital

Chetumal

Chetumal is the capital of Quintana Roo, on the Bay of Chetumal, next to the border with Belize. It is a commercial and governmental city, with a long waterfront promenade along the bay, wooden houses with Caribbean influence and the Museum of Maya Culture. About 65 km to the west is Kohunlich, home to the Temple of the Masks. It has an airport and a Tren Maya station.

Quintana Roo · Bacalar and Costa Maya

Mahahual

Mahahual is a fishing village on the southern coast of Quintana Roo, in the region called Costa Maya, about 140 km from Chetumal. It has a white-sand beach and calm water, protected by the reef, with a wooden boardwalk and restaurants. To the north is the Costa Maya cruise port. Offshore, about 30 km away, is Banco Chinchorro, a reef atoll.

The local experience

Things to do in Bacalar and Costa Maya

Bacalar · Quintana Roo · Lagoon

Laguna de Bacalar

Freshwater lagoon about 50 km long, called the lagoon of seven shades, with bands of blue and turquoise, stromatolites, channels and cenotes, visited by boat, kayak and paddleboard.

Chetumal · Quintana Roo · Museum

Museo de la Cultura Maya

Chetumal museum about the Maya civilization, organized in three levels that represent the sky, the earth and the underworld, with models, replicas and archaeological pieces.

Mahahual · Quintana Roo · Beach

Playa y malecón de Mahahual

White-sand beach with calm water protected by the reef in the village of Mahahual, with a wooden boardwalk by the sea, restaurants and snorkeling on the reef.

Bacalar · Quintana Roo · Fort and museum

Fuerte de San Felipe

18th-century star-shaped fort in the village of Bacalar, facing the lagoon, built against pirates, with a museum about piracy.

See 2 more places in Bacalar and Costa Maya

Chetumal · Quintana Roo · Archaeological site

Zona Arqueológica de Kohunlich

Maya city in the jungle west of Chetumal, known for the Temple of the Masks, with large stucco faces from the 6th century flanking the stairway.

Bacalar · Quintana Roo · Cenote

Cenote Azul

Open cenote about 90 meters deep next to the Bacalar lagoon, south of the village, with dark-blue water and vegetated shores.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From December to April is usually the dry season, with sun and Bacalar lagoon showing stronger colors. From May to October there is more rain, and the water may lose some transparency. Hurricanes occur from June to November. In Mahahual, sargassum typically arrives from April to August.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Three or four days: two for the Bacalar lagoon, one for Chetumal and Kohunlich, and one for Mahahual.

Which city to stay in

In Bacalar, the village has inns and hostels near the fort and the square, and the lagoon shore, to the north and south, has hotels with private piers. Chetumal has city hotels near the malecón. Mahahual has inns and beachside cabins.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Bacalar and Costa Maya

Why is Bacalar called the lagoon of seven shades?

Because the white sand bottom and varying depths create bands of blue, turquoise and green.

Can you swim in the Bacalar lagoon?

Yes. The water is fresh, calm and warm. Avoid stepping on the stromatolites, which are in the shallow areas and are protected.

Does Bacalar have a Tren Maya station?

Yes. The train links Bacalar with Chetumal, Tulum, Cancún and Mérida.

What are stromatolites?

Bacterial formations that grow in layered structures on the shallow lagoon bottom, among the oldest life forms on Earth.

Is Mahahual far from Bacalar?

About 100 km, a little over an hour by car.

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