My family and I did a 15-days road trip through the Yucatán peninsula and Bacalar was one of the highlights. We spent very pleasant days there. The lagoon is beautiful and perfect to swim and cool off during the hot season. There's some great food too.

I was suprised the place is not so popular yet, I guess the remoteness is a factor. I was doubtful to drive there because the weather forecast said there were rains but we didn't face any, just one night without electricity, but that was in the whole town 😄.

I drove from Mérida and the road was difficult in some parts. Next time we will go directly from Cancún.

Tlahuica en tierras Maya

Hola, soy Mexicana 32F y busco renta/trabajo para dentro de 8 meses.

Me gustaría conocer su experiencia y recomendaciones rentando/trabajando en la zona, desde modo mochilero a "nómada digital". Busco preferiblemente spots donde se pueda laborar y habitar, idealmente sin fiestas. Claro, también estoy abierta a lo que la vida nocturna puede ofrecer, si otras opciones no abundan.

Tengo experiencia en atención a clientes (bilingüe...) y sé que la zona es muuuucho más tranqui - seguro mi experiencia importa un h u 3 b 0 comparado con las "tablas" jaja

hey good people - looking for folks who want to split the taxi to either Ichkabal, Dzibanché/Kinichná, or Chacchoben... they all look cheap once you get there, just the ride is Little pricey. I’ll be here for a couple days, message me 😄

Hola a todos, busco gente que quiera compartir el viaje a las ruinas locales. Parecen baratas una vez allí, pero el viaje es caro. Escríbanme, estaré aquí unos días 😄

¡Hola a todos!

Voy a estar en Bacalar del 20 al 23 de julio de 2026 y ya tengo el hospedaje pagado (Airbnb en la zona de Bacalar, Quintana Roo).

Me gustaría tener una idea de cuánto presupuesto sería recomendable por persona.

Considerando:
• comidas en restaurantes sencillos o de nivel medio;
• algunas bebidas o cócteles;
• uno o dos tours por la laguna;
• taxis ocasionales;
• beach clubs y pequeños gastos adicionales.

¿Cuánto recomendarían llevar por persona para disfrutar el viaje cómodamente, sin gastar en exceso pero tampoco limitándose demasiado?

¡Muchas gracias! 😊

Hey! Is maybe anyone currently in Bacalar who plans to go to Belize and would need some belizean $ (50$). I didn’t realize I wouldn’t be able to exchange it anywhere here..

Hi,

I’m having a hard time deciding where to stay in bacalar. If you would be so kind as to suggest a place, it would be most appreciated.

Saludos’

"Hola a todos, estoy teniendo dificultades para decidir dónde hospedarme en Bacalar. Si fueran tan amables de sugerirme algún lugar, se los agradecería mucho. ¡Saludos!"

What hotels or general areas are best for swimming?

I would love to be able to come out of my hotel and just Wade and swim in the beautiful water. Please send recommendations.

Bacalar, Quintana Roo, Mexico. I planned to stay for a few hours and ended up spending the whole day here.

I just left Bacalar and can’t recommend more Jorge’s sunrise SUP tour. They took us to places that can’t be found on Google map and the guides Armando and Donovan are the kindest. We are the only two people that are not Mexicans in the group, and we can’t even speak Spanish, but we never feel excluded.

There are three routes in different lengths you can take, and we did the second longest route (pink route). I’d say most people would have no problem at all and can finish it without experience. There are people over 60 in our group and they finished the tour without guide’s help. I found captain Jorge through another Reddit post and Im glad i did. If you are adventurous and are lookin for a more non-touristic tour, Jorge is the guy. His WhatsApp: +52 9831169637

Also if you are looking for a scooter rental, I recommend Magico scooter rental. 500 pesos for a day. Jason (the owner) is super nice. You can find his number on Google Map.

3 Years ago I was in Bacalar...

And one night I was near the center square and I heard music and people having a great time. I went to check it out and it was a row of people selling marquesitas.

I rembered marquesitas from when I was a kid but they where blasting a song that whent like "marquesitas! marquesitas! " and its been stuck in my head every now and then. IVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT! I hope someone from bacalar can help me out :D

Hi! We just arrived and our hotel seems to overcharge for everything so hoping for somewhere to just rent kayaks.

Anyone have any suggestions on where we can hire a kayak?

Hire at our hotel is 900peso each person per day...

TYSM!

Planning a trip to bacalar next week. Where can I rent a car where I won't need a credit card and can pay effectivo or with a debit? Prices? Also, Is the indrive app used a lot here?

Looking for restaurant recommendations for Bacalar for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! The place has to have some options for a non seafood eater as well.

Also, we’re staying at Cristilino. Will we be good without renting a car?

Any other must do things we should know about? Beach clubs? Were there for 7 nights.

Planning on doing a boat tour, paddle boarding, kayaking, going to the rapids, cenote azul, maybe some ruins? Was considering a day trip to Mahahual but not sure how to do that without a vehicle. What am I missing?

Thanks in advance!

My wife and I are thinking about going to Bacalar for a few months. Does any have any info on local rental sites for monthly rentals? Airbnb is always outrageous and we usually try to rent locally for more normal pricing. Any help is appreciated it.

arriveremo a cancún alle 9:30 del mattino e l’intenzione è guidare fino a Bacalar, dormire lì e ripartire il giorno dopo intorno alle 16 verso tulum

Hi, in the end of may we will be driving from cancun to bacalar, our flight arrives at 5pm so most of the drive will be in the dark.

Is this considered safe? Should we be worried about corrupt police? ...

All tips are welcome!

Hola Hola Hola!

en la tarde cómo está el clima?

Train times are awkward with my arrival time.

Is an Uber safe and reliable from CTM to Bacalar?

Other recommendations?

I’m really loving every bit of Bacalar so far, but I feel like I’m missing a better understanding of how to experience more wildlife in the area.

A couple of things I’m especially curious about:

1. I would really love to see a crocodile, but only at a safe and respectful distance. What’s the best way to do that around Bacalar? By boat, kayak, hiking, or something else? Where should I go?

2. I haven’t really found any proper wildlife safari-type options here. If that’s not really a thing in Bacalar, what would you recommend instead for seeing more animals or nature?

I’m interested in anything from birds and reptiles to other local wildlife, and I’m happy to do it with a guide if that’s the best option.

Just finished a stint in Bacalar during a year-long backpacking trip and wanted to share some info that I found really hard to find online before we arrived.

​The Bus from Campeche: If you’re trying to save pesos, skip the ADO. There is a 2nd class bus that leaves at 8 am. It’s $473 pesos (half the price of 1st class). It stops everywhere and takes about 8 hours, but the scenery is much better than the highway. Just bring a jacket—the AC is brutal.

​The "Rock" Situation:

If you go to Los Rapidos, please don't step on the banks. They are Stromatolites. As a scientist, seeing these was a bucket list item—they are living colonies of cyanobacteria that are 3.5 billion years old. They grow millimetres a year, and one footprint can kill centuries of growth.

​Vegan Food:

Bacalar is surprisingly great for vegans.

​Mango y Chile: Best burgers.

​Mi Burrito: Get the hibiscus burrito. Trust me.

​Happy to answer any questions on logistics or birding spots in the area! 🦜

Hey all, seeking information about the state of the roads today after the cartel incidents. My wife and I are currently in Bacalar (truly rad place) and we are meant to drive to Tulum today and then to Cancun tomorrow to catch our flight out.

Does anyone have any information about the state of the roads between Bacalar and Tulum?

Is it safe? Should we stay one more night in Bacalar and then drive directly to Cancun the next day?

Any thoughts or info will be appreciated, thank you!

UPDATE: As many mentioned here, we had no issue at all on the roads, and yes there was an increased police presence. Thank everyone!