This Mexican beach town offers a laid-back vibe

The Mexican Caribbean—the strip of the Yucatán Peninsula that borders the Caribbean Sea and includes resort towns like Cancún, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen—has seen a tourism boom in recent decades, welcoming some 20 million visitors annually.

Meanwhile, a little over 100 miles south of Tulum, Bacalar offers an experience like that of the Mexican Caribbean during its early days. The laid-back, waterfront town founded in the 5th century features wellness experiences, historical sites, boutique hotels, and outdoor recreation, with its local flair still intact. 

Top 5 attractions in Bacalar 

1. The Ichkabal Ruins
This ancient Mayan site, comprised of grand plazas and pyramids hidden in the jungle, opened to the public at the end of 2024. Since the ruins are about an hour away from Bacalar, the best way to get there is to book a tour from Bacalar or the nearby city of Chetumal. 

2. The Kohunlich Ruins 
Within this 20-acre Mayan city outside Bacalar, howler monkey calls ring through the air. Its grand Temple of Masks is the most significant structure in the complex, thought to have been built in 500 C.E. Plan to spend about half a day in the area and book a tour from Bacalar or Chetumal. 

3. Fuerte de San Felipe de Bacalar
Italian architect Juan Podio designed this lagoon-front fort in 1733 to protect Bacalar from pirates. The structure was designated a National Historic Monument in 1975 and has been a museum since the 1980s.

4. Wellness experiences
Bacalar is earning a reputation as a wellness destination, thanks to places like Our Habitas Bacalar, Kapok Bacalar, Mía Bacalar, and eco-resort Rancho Encantado. In these retreat centers rooted in Mayan tradition, you can try treatments that range from massages and ancient Mayan skin therapies to aromatherapy, cupping, and a traditional temazcal sweat lodge.  

5. Wander the downtown
Bacalar’s downtown has a relaxed hippy vibe, much like that of Tulum a few decades ago. Wander its colorful streets lined with murals, sit in quaint cafes, visit local artisans’ shops, and stop by the fort. 

(7 of the best Maya ruins to visit in Mexico)

Consider Bacalar as an alternative to Tulum and Cancún

Bacalar is not located directly on the Caribbean but is home to a freshwater lake called the Bacalar Lagoon, or Lagoon of Seven Colors. Below the dazzling array of blues and greens at the lagoon’s surface lie cauliflower-shaped stromatolites, three-billion-year-old microorganisms that store CO2. Unlike in overrun Mexican Caribbean towns that have been damaged by unfettered development, in Bacalar, the community has come together to protect its fragile resource that doubles as its greatest tourism attraction. Even so, development looms ever-closer, like the controversial Tren Maya that opened a station in Bacalar last year and has already dramatically altered the natural environment. 

Marco Jerico is a Cancún native who has been working with environmental organizations in Bacalar for the last decade. He founded Agua Clara Bacalar in 2016, an NGO dedicated to protecting the Bacalar Lagoon and sustainably managing tourism in the area, and currently serves as president of the Emerge Bakhalal Foundation, a social development and environmental organization in Bacalar. Jerico lists the decision to close the lagoon to recreation each Wednesday as one of the most important actions the community has taken, “a day of respite” for the water and its fragile ecosystem. He also emphasizes the importance of focusing on tourism initiatives led by locals.

Adrian Blanco is one of the cofounders of The Bacalar Collection, a group of local companies that have come together to sustainably manage tourism offerings in Bacalar—what Blanco calls a kind of neighborhood watch that creates social pressure to halt large-scale developments. “As a group and as a community, we will do as much as it takes to make sure that we have the lagoon preserved for future generations,” Blanco says.  

Those seeking a wild spring break atmosphere may be disappointed by Bacalar. Jerico says, “There are no parties or nightclubs here. In Bacalar, we have nature, culture, and a colony of the first living organisms that appeared on Earth.” Blanco has a similar take on how Bacalar stands apart from the rest of the Mexican Caribbean. “Bacalar is focused on tourism with a lower impact,” he says.

Enjoying the Bacalar Lagoon as a responsible traveler

The highlight of any stay in Bacalar is time on the lagoon. With calm, clear waters, it offers some of the safest and most ideal conditions for stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, and more. To protect the natural marvel, Jerico implores visitors to seek out experiences with a low environmental impact. That means skipping tours that use motorized boats. “Sailing tours have a low impact and are the most beautiful way to explore the lagoon,” he says.

Most tour companies also ask guests to follow guidelines for responsible recreation closely. Opt for a sun shirt and hat over sunscreen to avoid introducing harmful chemicals into the water. Be mindful of waste, respect buoys that designate protected areas, avoid loud music that may scare off birds, and exercise caution when paddling or stepping so as not to avoid disturbing fragile underwater formations.