Share the article
Last updated
Beautiful turquoise waters, important Mayan-archaeological ruins and relaxed vibes.
Sounds known?
Believe it or not, I’m not talking about Tulum but the lesser known and more affordable city Bacalar.
Bacalar is best known for its beautiful lagoon with seven colorsBut it is also the home of incredible cultural attractions and an abundance of water sports.
This is why Bacalar is a great alternative to Tulum for your Mexican holiday in 2025.
Impressive cultural attractions
One of the main reasons to visit Bacalar at the moment is to New open Ichkabal Archaeological zone.
This site opened its doors For the first time on January 11 And has impressive structures that are actually larger than those in Chichen Itza and Uxmal.
Some of his buildings are more than 45 meters high.
This site was only discovered in 1995 and the structures have been remarkably well preserved.
You can visit the site between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., with the last admission at 4.30 p.m.
Admission is freeMaking it an attractive choice for budget travelers. For comparison, the admission price of Chichen Itza is raised before 2025 And now costs MXN $ 648 ($ 31.33) per person.
It is worth noting that although Bacalar is the nearest city of the Ichkabal Archaeological Zone, it will actually take a ride of 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there.
You can do this independently, or you can book a local tour.
Ichkabal is not the only cultural attraction that Bacalar has to offer.
Within the city itself you can visit Fort San Felipe and see the San Joaquin Parish Church. Fort San Felipe is located in the center of the city and was built in the 18th century.
This is both a National Historical Monument, a museum with important Maya artifacts.
As an added bonus, the fort offers an incredible view of the lagoon. The entrance fee is 110 pesos ($ 5.30) per person.
The Spectacular Seven Color Lagune
The most iconic attraction in Bacalar, and the main reason that people choose to visit the city is to see the spectacular lagoon with seven colors.
The clear turquoise of the water here is so beautiful that it looks almost unnatural, as if it were AI-regenerated!
But the lagoon gets its name because of the many shades he takes, depending on the corner and the time of the day you look at it. This ever -changing color is an attraction in itself.
The lagoon is fed by many cenotes, which are popular for swimming, and you can also swim in the lagoon itself.
It’s so big that you can’t see from one side to the other, Giving the feeling that you are swimming in the Caribbean Sea.
The Lagune is a popular place for water sports enthusiasts.
Because it is the second largest freshwater lake in Mexico, it is a great place for kayaking, paddleboarding or the elimination of a rowing boat. You can even try to fish here!
If you want to see as much of the lagoon as possible, go for a tour. Bacalar Lagoon Tours offers both boat trips and fish trips through the lagoon with an all-inclusive package Prices from 2,300 mxn ($ 110) per adult.
Despite this abundance of activity, Bacalar is a quiet and quiet destination, perfect if you want a quiet outing.
Incredible nature
If you are a nature lover, that is another reason to visit this underrated city.
The Lagune is a mecca for wildlife animalsAnd you will find animals such as rare birds, fish, turtles and crocodiles that the area calls at home.
This lake is huge and parts of it are surrounded by jungle mangroven, which are fascinating to explore. You will also find fossil formations here that you will probably not find anywhere else.
I wrote earlier that my favorite part of my own time was swimming in Mexico in the incredible cenotes. Cenote Negro and Cenote Azul are two of the best and most popular in Bacalar and are worth exploring.
The Cenote-Neger is a jet-black cenote where you can take your kayak and have experience driving on the unusual and disturbing dark water.
In the meantime, the Cenote Azul is a more traditional cenote with a lively blue color where you can swim, dive and snorkel. The access costs here are only 25 mxn ($ 1.20).
✈️Become a member of our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like -minded travel buddies!
Subscribe to our latest messages
Enter your e -mail address to subscribe to the latest Breeknieuws from Path, directly to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Traveloffpath.com
Opinions here are only the author, not those of a bank, credit card emitting, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been assessed, approved or otherwise approved by one of the entities that are included in the post.
