Bacalar Lagoon Sailing Trip with Swimming and Drinks

Sailing the Lagoon of Seven Colours

Bacalar Lagoon is a long, narrow body of fresh water in the south of Quintana Roo, fed by underground rivers and cenotes and lying over a bed of white limestone sand. Depth changes paint it in bands of turquoise, aquamarine, emerald and dark blue, which gave it the name Lagoon of Seven Colours. Seen from the deck of a sailboat, with no engine noise, those colours feel even more vivid.

The town limits motorboat traffic to protect the water, and sailing is one of the gentlest ways to explore it. Your guide handles the sails and explains how the wind usually builds through the late morning, perfect for a smooth glide across the lagoon. Is a Bacalar sailing tour worth it? For travellers who want peace, space and photos without crowds, it is one of the best things to do in Bacalar.

Shallow sandy waters and the stromatolites

Halfway through the trip the boat anchors over a shallow sandbank where the water is often only waist-deep, clear and pale turquoise. You can step off for a swim, float on your back under the open sky or simply sit in the soft sand. Fresh water and the absence of waves make it ideal for families and less confident swimmers, always with a life jacket available.

Along these shallows grow the lagoon's stromatolites, rock-like mounds built over thousands of years by microbes related to some of the oldest life forms on earth. Bacalar has one of the largest freshwater colonies in the world, and they are very fragile, so please never stand on them. Use only biodegradable sunscreen to help keep the water clean.

Mangrove shores and birdlife

The edges of Bacalar Lagoon are lined with mangroves, whose tangled roots filter the water, hold the shoreline together and shelter young fish. They are also a magnet for birds. As the sailboat drifts quietly past, you may spot great egrets, tricolored herons, cormorants drying their wings and ospreys circling before diving for fish.

Because a sailboat makes no noise, birds are less disturbed than by a motorboat, and your guide can bring you surprisingly close to the shore. Bring binoculars or a camera with a zoom. The early 08:00 option is the best choice for birdwatchers, as the birds are most active in the cool morning hours and the light is soft and golden.

Bacalar town and its lagoon front

The trip starts and ends on Avenida Costera, the road that follows the lagoon front of Bacalar, a small town in Quintana Roo named a Pueblo Magico for its beauty and heritage. A short walk from the dock, the Fort of San Felipe de Bacalar, built in the eighteenth century to guard against pirates, now holds a small museum about piracy, and the main square nearby has cafes and craft shops.

If you are planning how to get to Bacalar, the town lies about 40 kilometres north of Chetumal and around two and a half hours by road south of Tulum, with regular buses. The best time to visit Bacalar is from November to May, the dry season, when the water is at its clearest and the winds are steady for sailing.