Bacalar Lagoon is famous for its clear turquoise waters, and is often referred to as the “Lagoon of Seven Colors.” We had never seen a freshwater lake so clear before! The lagoon is connected to and fed by multiple cenotes and underwater caves. The water colour comes from the varying depths of the lagoon, ranging from just a few centimetres to over 100 metres deep!
One of the highlights of our time in Bacalar, Mexico, was our sailboat tour of the stunning Bacalar lagoon.
HISTORY OF BACALAR LAGOON
This area was previously inhabited by the Mayans, until the Spanish Conquistadores came in the 1500s and took control over the area. The Mayans had built a man made channel that led to the ocean that is now called the Canal de los Piratas (Pirates Channel), as this area was then constantly ransacked by pirates, hoping to steal the precious natural resources from the area.
HOW TO BOOK AND COST
We booked this sailing tour of the lagoon from Casa China Bacalar. The tour cost 800 MXN ($46 USD) per person, and included a tour guide, 3 beers per person, fruit snacks, as well as use of the Casa China Bacalar beach club and kayaks after the tour.
The tour runs 3 times a day: 8 am, 11 am, and 3 pm. We opted to do the 8 am tour.
WHAT TO EXPECT
We arrived at Casa China Bacalar around 7:45 am in preparation for our tour. Our guide, Fernando, introduced himself and guided us onto the boat. Our boat had 8 people total, the two of us, a French family of 5, and Fernando.
STOP #1: CENOTE DE LA BRUJA (THE BLACK CENOTE)
There was little to no wind when we first pulled out of the dock, so Fernando had to motor to the middle of the lake. When the wind started to pick up, he expertly navigated the sails and got us underway to the first stop of the day: Cenote de La Bruja, aka the Witch’s Cenote aka Cenote Negro. The cenote gets its name from the dark black colour of the water, due to the dramatic drop from 2 metres around the edge to 90 metres in the middle. However, the local legend is that a resident Mayan witch living on the shores is how the cenote got its name.
We saw so many types of birds, such as the Yucatan hawk, fly by as we were sailing through the cenote.
We did not jump in and swim here, although Fernando did give us the option. The water was very deep and the French family preferred to swim in shallower waters with their children, so we opted to keep sailing towards the Canal de los Piratas.
STOP #2: CANAL DE LOS PIRATAS
Fernando sailed us onwards to the Canal de los Piratas, and the water got more spectacular the shallower it got. He finally dropped anchor and let us jump in for some free time in the water. It was the perfect temperature, and we really could see how this area got it’s “Lagoon of 7 Colours” moniker.
The Canal de los Piratas was a man made canal built by the Mayans, to create a trade route for the Mayans in the Yucatan peninsula with the Mayans further south in Central America. The canal created a commercial trade route in order to exchange bird feathers, varied foods and fine wood. As the trade grew more and more, it became a hot bed for pirates who would wait in the mangroves surrounding the channel for the perfect moment to attack!
The water in this area was absolutely gorgeous, and it was definitely the highlight of our boat trip. We got to spend over an hour floating, swimming, and taking in the gorgeous sites of the Canal de los Piratas.
STOP #3: CENOTE ESMERALDA
Our last stop of the day was Cenote Esmeralda, which is located right next to the starting point of Casa China Bacalar. The wind was much stronger sailing south, so we were back to where we started after about 30 minutes of sailling. Fernando passed our beers, juices, waters, and fruits for us to eat on the ride back.
We arrived at Cenote Esmeralda, and the water was also a stunning turquoise colour. We were given another 30 minutes to swim, take pictures, and enjoy the scenery.
In total, were on the water for over 4 hours! The wind sailing north was not too strong, so Fernando had to do a lot of tacking upwind in order to avoid using the motor. However, we were not complaining at all because it was an amazing day on the water, and we really enjoyed our time watching Fernando navigate the sailing equipment, taking in all the birds and other wildlife, and soaking up the sun while sailing the lagoon!
AFTER THE TOUR
After the tour, we took advantage of the Casa China Bacalar day club and posted up on their lounge chairs, reading our books, eating some food, drinking our beers, and jumping in for a swim whenever we got too hot! We were too tired to use the included kayaks to further explore the lagoon, but that is an included option when you book any tour with Casa China.
Our sailboat tour of the lagoon was honestly one of our highlights of our time in Bacalar! We had an amazing time learning about the history of the region, swimming in the stunning waters, and having fun in the sun!
To check out our full Bacalar gallery, click here!