The free trade market was filled with clothing and art flowy dresses that were not remotely Yucatecan but made for Instagram, and crockery that my friend Nathan said he had seen sold for a fraction of the price elsewhere. Staying Safe . Best Bacalar Luxury Hotel for Families: Mia Bacalar. This is the single most important advice I can give you. Best of the Yucatn and the Caribbean Coast: Have you traveled to Bacalar? Also, would love to hear about best places for a swim or to spend the day. So now we can finally get an idea of the total travel time from Its absolutely on my list of top three places in Mexico at the very least! Bacalar has accommodation available at a variety of price tiers, but know that much of it can be more basic than you expect. If you take these steps to protect yourself, you can have a safe and memorable vacation in Cancun. This small island in the middle of the lake is home to migratory birds. This road is quite straight, fairly well-maintained, and has good signage. Although the shooting is no doubt a scary incident, the fact is that the attack was likely directed toward individuals involved with drug dealing rather than tourists or hotel employees, none of which, as mentioned above, were injured during the attack. Most notably, when all the ATMs in town are out of money at the same time. into account all these factors to get a more accurate estimate There are lots of tours and activities from sunset kayak tours to day trips around the lake. Los Rapidos is one of the most fun places Ive been in Mexico. Consider bringing water shoesorsports sandals. Hot water, for instance, is not a given here, even in luxury rentals. (Bring enough pesos with you to sustain your stay; some but not all places in Bacalar take cards.). The inky navy reserved for exclusive high-end fountain pens. There are a few flights per week from Cancn to Chetumal on MAYAir, and a few flights per day from Mexico City on Volaris. Tulum to Bacalar | 215 km, 2.5 hours drive. Admission is 100 pesos ($5) and the fort is open every day but Monday. Sometimes its normal sand, but sometimes it can be hard and sometimes its squishy mud. What else? 2023 Adventurous Kate | Powered by Reggio Digital, my two-week Mexico road trip itinerary on the Yucatn peninsula, Best Luxury Accommodation in Bacalar Mexico: Mia Bacalar Luxury Resort & Spa, Best Mid-Range Accommodation in Bacalar Mexico: Casa Chukum, Best Budget Accommodation in Bacalar Mexico: The Yak Lake House, If Youre Driving From Mrida to Bacalar, you can join a boat tour here (with open bar!). Also, would love to hear about best places for a swim or to spend the day. Like the Cenote Negro, it suddenly goes from pale turquoise to navy blue as soon as you hit the drop-off. I hear the veggie burgers are great. Those are the two best things to do in Bacalar. Wearing water shoes or sports sandals would have been better. Since my friends and I were traveling in a large group, we booked a private Bacalar boat tour. ), a full spa, and its like your own private corner of paradise. You must take highway 307 all the way to Bacalar. I think we all cringed when we saw that. This is following a couple of isolated incidents that recently took place, but rarely do they tell the whole story. If youre driving, know that there isnt an exit from the highway when youre driving away from Bacalar youll have to do a U-turn after you pass it, then take the exit. If youre traveling solo in Bacalar and looking to meet friends, The Yak is a great spot for that reason. U.S. government employees may not travel between cities after dark, may not hail taxis on the street, and must rely on dispatched vehicles, including app-based services like Uber, and regulated taxi stands. We grabbed some food here after our boat tour. If youre looking to experience the brightest, clearest, most shimmering body of water of your life, I have some advice: travel to Bacalar, Mexico. Im convinced that its the most beautiful place in the country, and its proof that lakes can be much prettier than the ocean. To give you a better estimate of real-life travel, we've Dont Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip! Dont leave your belongings lying around. Los Rapidos is at the end of a long dirt road. Also, would love to hear about best places for a swim or to spend the day. You must take highway 307 all the way to Bacalar. But if youre not a big group, you can join a boat tour here (with open bar!). Vincenty formula. And best of all are the musicians, two men who played ukuleles and sang SO beautifully and really added to the atmosphere. Traveler Alert:Dont Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip! To be sure, crime does occur in Cancun and throughout the Mexican Caribbean, but it does in every tourist city across America too. Bacalar feels like a secret treasure located in the middle of nowhere but dont worry, its very easy to get here, even if youre relying on public transportation. Here's the quick answer if you are able to make this entire trip by car without stopping. Laguna Bacalar is gorgeous, and the water is incredible shades of blue, but there are exactly ZERO white sand beaches here. So that means we really need I loved the huevos bacalareos, scrambled eggs with chaya, red salsa, and a bit of cheese. for security, board and taxi on the runway, land at the other WebHeres my shortlist of the top Bacalar resorts: Overall Best Bacalar Luxury Hotel: Habitas Bacalar. People travel to Bacalar to immerse in nature and get away from it all. People travel to Bacalar to get away from the package tourist crowds. The easiest and cheapest way to get there is by car. the flight planner: Trippy has a ton of information that can help you plan your trip to Bacalar, Mexico. If you are planning a road trip, you might also want to calculate the total driving time from Cancun, Mexico to Bacalar, Mexico so you can see when you'll arrive at your destination. Rainy season runs roughly from June through November, with the rainiest months in September and October. Drive for about 1 hour, then stop in Playa del Carmen and stay for about 2 hours. Protect the lagoon and its people. As for the crowd, in addition to Mexicans, there are lots of North Americans, seemingly experienced travelers in the know (my first thought was erstwhile backpackers grown up), primarily young adults with few seniors and very few children (I saw zero foreign kids in Bacalar). Let Bacalars beauty stand on its own without comparing it to somewhere else! WebWere driving during the day from the Cancun airport to Bacalar, considering taking the 307. () , . I LOVE LOS RAPIDOS! If you take these steps to protect yourself, you can have a safe and memorable vacation in Cancun. I am at a loss for words describing how fun this place is!! La Pia This outdoor restaurant, hidden a bit from the street, has wonderful, healthy dishes and a friendly staff. Drive for about 1 hour, then stop in Playa del Carmen and stay for about 2 hours. Tulum to Bacalar | 215 km, 2.5 hours drive. If you want to stay somewhere that feels high-end but doesnt break the bank, Casa Chukum is a great option. If you're planning a road trip to Bacalar, you can research locations to stop along the way. Several of the tourism professionals we met gave us permission to drone in Bacalar Lagoon and at Los Rapidos. Bacalar is located only 215 km from Tulum which is 2hrs and a 30-minute drive. Service is slow. Tulum is for the cool people. Hot water isnt always a given. People travel to Bacalar to enjoy a low-key, quirky town. Nixtamal One of the best restaurants in Bacalar, Nixtamal has a cave-like atmosphere with a fire going. WebRe: Cancun to Bacalar 2 years ago Save As others have said, an easy drive and worthwhile if you have a couple of days to spend. Finisterre If youre missing Italian food and dont mind spending a bit more, my friends recommend this restaurant serving Italian cuisine, including pizza from a wood-burning oven. Kayaking is another fun way to explore Bacalar lagoon. As much as I love Isla Holbox, and I think its very similar to Bacalar in terms of how it feels, its not the most logical destination its a 5.5-hour drive, or you can take the ADO bus to Playa del Carmen, then switch to a bus to the town of Chiquil, from where you can hop on the 30-minute ferry to Holbox. For roughly 15 years or so, Tulum has been showcased as the artsy, creative alternative to Cancn and Playa del Carmen. Warning: the ADO site doesnt always take foreign cards, but they take Paypal. Depends on your budget, but I like Casa Chukum for a mid-range hotel and Yak Lake House for a budget-friendly spot. The Yucatn Peninsula is full of Mayan ruins, and the area around Bacalar is no exception. Of all the seven shades of blue, the bright turquoise surrounding Bird Island is probably my favorite shade. WebBacalar is located in the far south of Mexicos Yucatn Peninsula, in Quintana Roo state, close to the Belize border. Its right in the middle of everything, the rooms are super nice, and it has its own private lakefront area with swings right in the water. Has anyone made the trip recently or had any issues along the way? This narrow channel leads to the Caribbean Sea; historically, it was used by pirates. The coolest site at Kohunlich is the Temple of the Masks, a pyramid flanked by human-like masks. There are sufficient parking lots in Bacalar itself, and the journey from Cancun to Bacalar is easy and safe. Sunrise paddleboarding tours are especially popular in Bacalar. airport, and get to your destination. Bacalar is situated in the state of Quintana Roo in southwestern Mexico, near the border with Belize. Were driving during the day from the Cancun airport to Bacalar, considering taking the 307. The cost to enter Los Rapidos is 100 pesos ($5) for adults and 50 pesos ($2.50) for children (2023 note: theyve unpublished their prices so it might be more expensive now). Here are the different ways to get to Bacalar. Now that we have kids and so many bags, they wont fit in the rental car. Best Bacalar Luxury Hotel for Families: Mia Bacalar. This part of the lake is a lot of fun a lot of boats dock here at the same time and there are lots of people having fun in the water. shortest distance is actually the "great circle" distance, or Rentalcars compares 900 companies at over 53,000 locations. WebHeres my shortlist of the top Bacalar resorts: Overall Best Bacalar Luxury Hotel: Habitas Bacalar. It is a two lane with no shoulders but locals often drive it at a high rate of speed leading to the accidents. Bacalar is a very safe place to visit in Mexico. There are hammocks in the clear waters, just waiting to be posed in for Instagram (thats where the cover photo in this post came from). Traveling around the Riviera Maya is safe in general and you should not encounter any problems on public transport. No, Bacalar is quite far from Cancun, being on the opposite side of Tulum. you'll be able to customize this plan, choosing your own airports WebStart in Cancun. Best day tours in Bacalar, Mexico The travelers who come to Bacalar are looking for something better somewhere away from the popular places with all-inclusive resorts, away from the xenophobes complaining that its dangerous outside their resort and Mexican food is just too spicy for them, away from the drug dealers asking people if they want coke. Its located on the edge of Bacalar town. During these months you have the least rainfall of the year and more pleasant temperatures. I found Bacalar to be very similar to another cool Mexican destination, Isla Holbox, in terms of the atmosphere. Bacalar may not be an island, but everyone here is on island time. Know that going in and your trip will be better for it. Limit your drinking. Screaming with joy as a river whisked me down the rapids. This is to protect the lake. Most travelers to the Yucatn fly to Cancn, as it has the biggest airport and the most international flights. And thats just during the day. Finally, drive for about 16 minutes and arrive in Bacalar. But increasing tourism in somewhere as beautiful and fragile as Bacalar Im wary of the effects of increased tourism and development in this beautiful, fragile part of the world. Dont take drinks from strangers. 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Were driving during the day from the Cancun airport to Bacalar, considering taking the 307.