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Costa Maya > Bacalar & Lake Bacalar

Bacalar is a lovely town about an hour and twenty minutes away from Mayan Beach Garden. Bacalar is cituated on one of the most beautiful lakes in the world - Laguna Bacalar.

Services in Bacalar:

  • ATM Machines
  • Hotels
  • Restaurants including Cenote Azule
  • Internet Cafes and Telephone
  • Market and Mini Supers
  • Bars
  • Tourist Attractions listed below
  • Gas Station
  • Mechanic
  • Health Clinic
  • Post office

Map of Bacalar

Swimming at Cenote Azul
Swimming in Cenote Azul (the Blue Cenote)

Fort of San Felipe

The Fort of San Felipe was built in 1733 under the order of don Antonio de Figueroa y Silva, field marshal of Yucatan, to protect the Bacalar population from the frequent attacks by pirates from the Caribbean and to defend the region from harassment from the traders in Campeche wood. In the second half of the 19th century, during the so-called War of the Castes, the fortress once again became the scene of skirmishes for the possession of the fortress. It has recently been restored and sits looking over Lake Bacalar in the center of town.

Cannon overlooking Lake Bacalar

Cenote Azule

Bacalar is a very Mayan town with little English spoken except at Cenote Azul restaurant. It's a very nice restaurant with good food, but relatively expensive for Mexico. The main appeal of the restaurant is that it sits on the rim of Cenote Azul, a 300 deep 600 feet diameter cenote that is crystal clear and good for diving when the Caribbean is too rough. Because the water is so clear you can easily see quite deep. Rumor has it that it is the largest and supposedly the deepest Cenote in the Yucatan. Its arguably one of the cleanest.To make it a whole day's trip, you can also enjoy Lake Bacalar and see the San Felipe Fort in town.

What's a Cenote?

The Yucatan is a large riverless peninsula made primarily of limestone. The Yucatan has thousands of underground caverns, many running with underground rivers. Occasionally these caves will collapse leaving an opening. If the cavern is running with water, it will create a cenote.

The Mayans used these for sources of water and would even build cities around them. Cenote Azul is a mature cenote and is documented as the largest in the Yucatan.
The fort is built in the form aof a four-pointed star and has a moat 4m deep. San Felipe contains a museum that is open Mon.-Fri. 10-2, and 4-7; Sat. and Sun., 10-6. The plaques on the museum are in both English and Spanish and there is parking nearby.
San Felipe Fort in Bacalar

View of beautiful lake Bacalar from fort San Felipe. The lake is called the lake of seven colors because of the different depths and composition of the lake.

Lake Bacalar

BioMaya Zipline tour

BioMaya Zipline Tour

About an hour from the Costa Maya and 15 minutes from the town of Bacalar is the BioMaya Zipline Tour. You will need to make reservations in advance for the tour. Click on the picture at the left for more information.

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