Bacalar Municipality

Best things to do in Bacalar Municipality

Bacalar Essentials

Known for its 'Lagoon of Seven Colors,' Bacalar features a 42-kilometer-long freshwater system shaped by varying depths and white limestone soil. The area is home to rare stromatolites—prehistoric microbial reefs—and historic sites like the 18th-century San Felipe Fortress, built to defend against Caribbean pirates. Beyond the lagoon, the landscape is defined by deep cenotes such as Cenote Azul and the nearby Mayan archaeological sites of Chacchoben and Dzibanché, which showcase Petén-style pyramids and ancient jungle ruins dating back to 200 BC.

Bacalar Essentials — Map

Lidia Tretyakova / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Bacalar Lagoon

Also called Lake of the Seven Colors, the second largest lake of Mexico is simply spectacular. Join a cruise or explore the cenotes nearby.

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Cocalitos

A sanctuary for stromatolites, prehistoric microbial reefs that are among the oldest life forms on Earth. The area features shallow turquoise waters and a protected ecosystem.

Juan Ortega / CC BY 3.0

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Canal de los Piratas

Historic waterway connecting the lagoon to the Hondo River, used by 18th-century pirates to access the town. It is characterized by mineral-rich mud and a shallow, sandy bottom.

Lidia Tretyakova / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Fortress

Bacalar is the municipal seat and largest city in Bacalar Municipality in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, about 40 kilometres north of…

-Luyten- / Public domain

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Chacchoben

Chacchoben is a Maya ruin approximately 110 mi south of Tulum and 7 mi from the village from which it derives its name.

holachetumal / CC BY 3.0

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Cenote Black

An open-air cenote within the lagoon known for its dramatic underwater cliff, where the depth drops abruptly from 2 meters to 90 meters, turning the water from turquoise to dark blue.

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Cenote Esmeralda

A deep, open-air cenote located directly inside the lagoon. It reaches depths of approximately 70 meters and serves as one of the primary water sources for the lagoon system.

HJPD / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Dzibanché

Dzibanche is an archaeological site of the ancient Maya civilization located in southern Quintana Roo, in the Yucatan Peninsula of…

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Cenote Azul

A 90-meter-deep cenote located on the edge of the lagoon. It is physically separated from the main body of water and is surrounded by dense tropical vegetation.

Other Lists

Historical Sites near Bacalar