If you are coming to Mexico, and more precisely Bacalar, one of the best things to do there is a boat day in the lagoon, but a catamaran tour is the ultimate way to appreciate the unreal beauty of Bacalar.
Also called “the Lagoon of Seven Colors”, Bacalar Lagoon is a true hidden gem. It has the clearest, most beautiful turquoise water I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been to more than 50 countries !
It is a real paradise, imagine this : only a few people, no big touristy boats, countless birds, crystal-clear waters, only the sound of the boat on the little waves.
I would 100% recommend booking with Bacalar Sailing. It is a family-owned, 100% Mexican and eco-friendly company, who’s been sailing on the Bacalar Lagoon for over 8 years.
The tour is 3 hours long, and you will have three long stops for swimming and enjoying the stunning lagoon.
We booked through WhatsApp, they have been very reactive and gave us a lot of details regarding the different excursions they offer. We opted for the 4-person catamaran, but there is also a bigger one that can have up to 10 people, and a monohull boat for 4 people.
Each of these boat can be a shared tour or private tour, only the price will vary.
If you are interested, the company also provides sunset sailing tour and full day tour (6 hours long).
The price for the shared sailing is 750 MXN per adult, which equals to around 33€, which is really fair for a 3 hour catamaran tour in Bacalr with a small boat !
For the private tours, prices will depend on the boat you choose, you ask them directly and they will send out a document with all the information and pricing.
Here is Bacalar Sailing phone number if you want to book a tour, I can only recommend this agency, they have been really nice and helpful :
First thing to think of is some cash to pay the captain. as the payment needs to be done during the excursion, in cash.
Definitely bring sunscreen, as it gets hot from the first hours of the day until sundown. The lagoon is quite protected, so you will only be able to wear sunscreen after the swimming stops. What I do recommend is bringing a hat/cap and a tee shirt or better yet, a UV protection shirt to wear on the boat and in the water. Of course, don’t forget your swimsuit, beach towel and sunglasses.
They will provide refreshments and a delicious fruit platter to enjoy while swimming in the lagoon.
You will meet the captain 15 minutes before the departure time, at the address provided on WhatsApp, also in Google Maps here. There are parking spots right in front.
From there, you will hop on the catamaran and relax for the next 3 hours !
The journey starts with a short tour around the lagoon to show you the Cenote Negro (Black Cenote), which is approximately 90 meters deep ! This extreme depth and sudden drop-off, which is visible from above as a strong color difference in the lagoon, make it a unique cenote to see in the lagoon (see last picture above).
After a few minutes, you will stop for a while to enjoy this incredible lagoon and have a swim. The decor is absolutely paradise-like and the water is incredibly turquoise and crystal clear :
Back on the catamaran, to see Cenote Esmeralda, a bright green 70-meter deep cenote.
The second stop is near the Cenote Cocalitos. The water is very clear and shallow, and there are many stromatolites — ancient living fossils.
At this time, you will get a huge fruit platter to savour while relaxing in the lagoon, does it get any better than that ?
Third and final stop is near the Isla de los Pájaros (bird island), you will get to observe stork, pelican, frigatebird flying around :
Last tour on the lagoon before heading back, last moments to soak up the views and atmosphere on the catamaran :
And that concludes this breathtaking sailing tour in Bacalar !
I would definitely recommend booking a boat tour if you are coming to Bacalar. This is the ultimate way to discover the lagoon and enjoy it to the fullest, especially on a catamaran.
A small boat really makes a difference, as you can enjoy a more organised and calm tour. We were only 4, very quiet, intimate and relaxing !
We had a really good captain and the tour was really well organised, plus Bacalar Sailing offer great value for money.
If you need more inspiration you can check out my articles about A boat day in Cozumel or A boat day in Holbox as well.
If you need a custom itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll make your own personalised itinerary.
