Bacalar is proud to be the only Magical town (Pueblo Mágico) of Quintana Roo, Mexico, mention that boasts its qualities and natural beauties.
Bacalar It is located 38 kilometers from Chetumal, capital of Quintana Roo and was founded in 435 A.D. as the Mayan village of SiyanCaan Bakhalal that translates as “place where the sky is born”.
And the ancient Mayans were not wrong with the name.
After the war of conquest in Yucatán, Gaspar Pacheco refounded the city with the name of the Town of Salamanca de Bacalar in 1544.
Since then Bacalar lived for many years under the threat of English pirates, who in 1652 razed the city. Today even though Bacalar has grown, it still has a pleasant village atmosphere.
The most important sites of interest in Bacalar are its beautiful Bacalar Lagoon, the Fort of San Felipe and the Church of San Joaquin, built in the middle of the 16th century.
It is very easy to travel Bacalar, its coastal avenue is the way you can move faster from one place to another.
Fuerte de San Felipe Bacalar
It is undoubtedly the obligatory visit point in Bacalar, this famous fortress was built by order of Captain Antonio de Figueroa y Silva in 1733, is a military structure of large and wide walls with a moat of 4 meters deep.
At that time it must have been a fortress that intimidated the most daring pirates.
During the Caste War in Yucatán, this place changed sides several times, until it was completely useless and it was until 1938 when the Mexican Army was commissioned to remodel it.
Today the fort of San Felipe Bacalar, houses a Museum of Piracy, where you can admire pirate ships at scale, representations, exhibitions of weapons, maps and historical pieces.
The schedule to visit is from Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 8pm.
Cenote Azul
About 4 kilometers south of Bacalar is this beautiful Cenote. It can be reached by Avenida Costera Bacalar or by road 307.
The Blue Cenote is about 100 meters in diameter and is surrounded by a dense and thick jungle.
Its dark blue color captivates visitors, but you must be careful for those who do not know how to swim yet, as it has a depth of 90 meters and is ideal for diving lovers.
You can swim on the shore, practice boating, there is also a restaurant of the same name and is open every day from 8am to 6pm.
Bacalar Lagoon
The crystal clear waters of this lagoon have made it famous. If you are adventurous you can kayak in the Bacalar lagoon and travel it very pleasantly to observe the blue tones and vegetation of the shore.
Maybe it suddenly changes to a darker tone, that will tell you that you may find yourself on the witch’s cenote, a “blue hole” inside the lagoon itself.
The lagoon is 42 kilometers long and about 2 kilometers in the widest part. It is ideal for resting, a spiritual retreat, traveling with your partner, friends or family.
It will certainly not disappoint you. Although most of the hotels in Bacalar are small, most are located on the shore of the lagoon, south of the center and along about 4 kilometers to the Cenote Azul.
Tips
There is a club in the Bacalar Lagoon known as “Club Vela” where you can rent boats, jet skis or boats called pontoons.
The Mulato de Bacalar Restaurant is one of the best in the area and also has a spectacular view. The club is open from 10am to 6pm and is near the Fort of San Felipe on Av. Costera Bacalar.