Travel Tuesday – The Pure Magic of Bacalar

Bacalar is one of the most magnificent places that one can ever experience!  If you talk to anyone that has been to Bacalar they will tell you, it’s purely magical!  And that is as true as it gets!  It is not just a beautiful place to see but it leaves every visitor with a special feeling; sort of unexplained and mysterious!

Bacalar lagoon is the second largest lagoon in Latin America.  It is known as the lagoon of 7 colors and has been announced to be one of the most magical sites in Mexico!

 

The Charm of Bacalar Town Center!

When you enter Bacalar you head into a small, but quaint, Mexican village!  Although this is a tourist destination, the town remains pure with a small center, a local church and a couple of local restaurants and cafes that have been operating for years.  This magic town is little but it is big with charm!
One of the biggest landmarks in the town center is the Fortress de San Felipe Bacalar which was built after the town had been attacked by pirates in the 17th century.  This fortress is a staple in the town and can be visited as a museum during the day light hours!

 

Finding a place to stay!
If you intend to stay the, or for an overnight stay in Bacalar, you will need accommodations.  I will highlight the fact that there are no resorts or high end hotels in Bacalar.  Your options will be more like bed and breakfast type concepts.  Instead of typical hotels, you will find houses that rent out rooms and will likely provide you the use of their back yards and docks. Most of these houses are located directly on the lagoon!  Vacationing in Bacalar is more like going to a lake for calmness and pure relaxation rather than a beach which might hold lots of attraction.

 

The Magic of the Lagoon!

But now for the best part!  The Lagoon!  The Bacalar Lagoon is one of the most special and intriguing sites to see!  If you look out you will notice colors ranging from crystal, deep blue, to turquois!  What makes the colors shine is the pure white sand at the bottom!  It is incredible how one body of water can take your breath away so deeply!
Swimming in the lagoon is incredible!  Everything is crystal clear and you can see everything!  One of my most favorite things to do is to swim downwards and then rise up to the surface looking up towards the sun. The water is so crystal clear that you can’t even tell when you will reach the surface; again leaving you with another magical feeling and experience.

 

The Green Lagoon

The lagoon is about 34 miles long and is connected to a deeper lagoon heading to the jungle called the Green Lagoon!  The Green Lagoon is much deeper and can be visited simply by taking a boat tour through the lagoon.  The Green Lagoon can give you somewhat of a creepier feeling as you are surrounded by nothing but jungle.

 

Deep underwater world in the Centotes
The Bacalar Lagoon is also connected to seven different cenotes (deep natural sinkholes).  Cenotes are a very popular location for swimming all around Mexico and Latin America.   One of the most popular cenotes connected to the Lagoon is called “Cenote Azul”.  What makes this cenote so wondrous is that nobody actually really knows how deep it goes.  It is estimated to be 90 meters (295 feet) deep. Many flock to this area to swim every day!

 

Getting around the lagoon!

It is a great idea to take a boat tour through the lagoon if at all possible!  One of the interesting attractions that your tour guide will take you too is where you can take a natural mud bath and experience the weird sensation of walking through quicksand!

 

Sunrise Sundown!
After the sun goes down you can look out into the quiet calm Bacalar lagoon and find peace and quietness.  It is a place to be completely in tune with nature and your surroundings.  In the morning when you wake up you will have the chance to see the sunrise over the Bacalar Lagoon which is sure to be one of the most amazing sunrises that your eyes will ever have the honor to witness.

 

The Feeling of Bacalar

There are so many mysteries and wonders about the Bacalar lagoon which is why it can leave you with such an interesting and amazing feeling.  The whole town and lagoon itself is filled with history and mysteries!  Where else do you get to swim in crystal clear waters, seemingly eternally deep cenotes, walk through quick sand and be surrounded by miles and miles of jungle and nature?

For more adventures and quick trip ideas through Mexico, click here!

-By Bea Lozano
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