"OMG, Kenya! You're going to get kidnapped"!
"You heard about the cartel shootings, right"?
"Are you sure you want to travel there solo"?
"Is El Chapo still on the loose"?
These are just a few of the responses I received from family, friends & coworkers when I told them that I decided to travel to Mexico to celebrate my birthday - solo! Laugh. Out. Loud. I gotta' say, I'm so glad that I went off and did my own thing or else I would've missed out on one of the most beautiful sights in Mexico!
Most travelers head to Bacalar, Mexico because it's off the beaten path (at least for now, but it's popularity is growing). It's a nice town to disconnect from the world and to get away from the money hungry resorts that charge for every little freakin' thing! (ugh!)
But Bacalar is also home to one of the most beautiful lagoons in Mexico - The Lagoon of 7 Colors or 'the lagoon of 7 colours'. At least 7 hues of blue & turquoise make this freshwater lagoon extremely unique! It really is something to see! So let's get you there!
HOW TO GET TO BACALAR!
Getting to Bacalar is fairly easy. Here's how far Bacalar is from a few major cities in Quintana Roo:
☀️ Driving to Bacalar:
* From Cancun to Bacalar: 208 miles | 334 km
* From Playa Del Carmen to Bacalar: 174 miles | 279 km
* From Tulum to Bacalar: 134 miles | 215 km
* From the Border of Belize to Bacalar: 32 miles | 50.2 km
☀️ Flying to Bacalar:
The closest airport to Bacalar is in the city of Chetumal - which is about 25 miles (39.4 km) away although most travelers fly to Cancun's airport and make their way down south to Bacalar.
☀️ Taking the ADO bus to Bacalar:
Taking the ADO bus to Bacalar is probably the cheapest way to get there. This is the route that I took. After spending a few days in Tulum, I caught a taxi from my hotel to downtown Tulum and caught the bus from there to Bacalar's bus station. My ticket was purchased the same day. The cost was $292 MXN (about $15 USD). The ride from Tulum to Bacalar took almost 3 hours with beautiful views of the jungle along the way! The ADO bus was clean and equipped with air conditioners (it was actually a little too cold on the bus, so bring a sweater).
The ADO bus from Tulum to Bacalar!
I'm not about to lie to you, when I pulled up to Bacalar's bus station, I got a little nervous. I was traveling solo and this bus station looked pretty freakin' sketchy to me. But I kept it cool exiting the bus, I minded my business and caught a taxi to the hostel I was staying in for the night. Everything was all good so far in Bacalar!
WHERE TO STAY IN BACALAR?
To me, Bacalar is more budget friendly than Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, Cancun, etc. During my research I found quite a few hostels and a few actual hotels. Here are a few options to give you an idea of Bacalar's lodging:
Akal Ki | Kuuch Kaanil | Rancho Encantado | MÍA Bacalar | Los Aluxes Bacalar | Blue Monkey Hostel | Villas Ecotucan
I decided to stay at a hostel during my trip. I'm not the biggest fan of hostels if I'm being completely honest, but this place looked way too interesting to pass up! Kulu Tubostel was too much FUN!
Kulu Tubohostel looked like a fun place to stay to me because of the super quirky pics I saw online. The rooms are made out of concrete tubes which are surrounded by a relaxing pool!
After reading the reviews on Booking.com, I booked it! And I literally had the FUNNEST time at this place! No regrets at all!
Kulu is located about a 5 minute drive from Bacalar's ADO bus station and about 10 minutes from the lagoon of 7 colors! A night's stay here didn't break the bank either. I paid $687 MXN ($36 USD) for my room!
VISITING THE LAGOON OF SEVEN COLORS IN BACALAR!
You know what question I've been asked a lot since visiting Bacalar? Is it really worth the trip? And I would wholeheartedly say, "YES"!! This lagoon really is something magical!
There are quite a few ways to visit this stunning 60-kilometer lagoon! 1 of the most popular ways is choosing a sailing tour! I chose to sail with Wild Wave Bacalar! The price of my tour that day was $600 MXN (around $33 USD).
The meeting spot for Wild Wave Bacalar was Hotel Villa Esmeralda that day. I was greeted at the docks by the skippers, Marlene & Francisco. We took a 3+ hour adventure on a beautiful sailboat (named Ixchel) all around the lagoon with stops at different cenotes to swim in, the stromatolites, islands of the birds + more!
WWB offers fruits, water, snorkel gear and a safety jacket. The captains/tour guides were super knowledgeable of the lagoon and made the trip around the lake a lot of fun!
The lagoon of 7 colors is pure magic! This shade of blue, that shade of blue, another shade of blue......it all happens right here at this lake! It's so easy to see why Bacalar is nicknamed the "Maldives of Mexico"!
WHERE TO EAT IN BACALAR!
After cruising around the lagoon all day, you're probably going to work up quite the appetite afterwards! But I have a 'truth moment' before I recommend places to eat. I had 1 meal in Bacalar so I cant really speak on the quality of restaurants in this town. Somewhere along my travels in Mexico, I got something called "Montezuma's Revenge" and sh!t just went left after that - literally! But here are a few of the spots that were on my list of eateries to check out:
Nixtamal Bacalar | La Playita Bacalar | Yerbabuena Smoothie Bar | Banana Go | La Pina | I Scream Bar
Before I wrap up this blog, let me leave you with a few more things you should know about Bacalar!
TIPS FOR VISITING BACALAR!
☀️ Have Pesos on you when traveling to Bacalar. There are not a lot of ATMs around if you need access to cash.
☀️ Always, always, ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings. I know Mexico carries a bad rep when it comes to safety, but I personally didn't have any issues traveling down to Bacalar.
☀️ The ADO bus ride was comfortable and safe plus all of the locals that I came in contact with were extremely pleasant and helpful. There were no issues at the hostel I stayed in either. I didn't go out after dark, but if you decide to, just exercise precaution.
☀️ Take PLENTY of sunscreen with you! And if you visit during mosquito season (June-October), PLEASE over pack on repellent! Unfortunately, I didn't. I was bit countless of times and it took FOREVER for those bites to heal! OMG!
☀️ Side bar: Be cognizant of what you're eating & drinking while in Mexico because let me tell you - 'Montezuma's Revenge' is NO JOKE, OK?!
Although my time in Bacalar on this particular trip was very short, I most definitely plan on visiting again! The laid back vibes and the fact that I didn't have to travel all the way to the Maldives to see such beautiful water still amazes me!
Until next time, Bacalar! 
Have you visited Bacalar yet? What were some of your favorite things about this sleepy town? Drop a comment below! Let's talk about it!
