Quiet, incredibly peaceful and simply magical.
I admit I thought for a long time about whether or not to stop in Bacalar. Bacalar looks beautiful on photos, but there isn’t really too much to do there. Meaning it’s one of those places that either catches you or it doesn’t.
When I arrived in Bacalar, I had just come from my roundtrip through some of the most touristy places in Mexico – Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. I was honestly afraid it would be too quiet for me. Simply because Bacalar is tiny and basically just exists of jetties leading onto the water.
However, Bacalar has a very similar yet different effect to Puerto Escondido. You arrive and instantly feel relaxed. It is incredibly quiet and peaceful, and you automatically take a deep breathe. As my hostel was at one end of Bacalar, I walked to what is probably the first official jetty in Bacalar. When I saw the view, I was hooked. The magic took hold of me and I knew immediately that it was the right decision to come here. Bacalar may ‘only’ consist of calm waters, jetties leading onto the water, a few reeds and grasses at the edge and people chilling on the jetties, going on boat trips or doing stand-up paddling, but… it’s just so incredibly quiet and relaxed. You just sit down, look at the scenery and unwind. And that’s it. That’s all the magic is about. And it’s enough 😀 I found Bacalar to be a place that makes you let your mind wander, enjoy the silence, be creative and just be.

PS: The centre of Bacalar and the rest of the town are really not spectacular. I took a walk around and… Just sit on the jetty and see what happens to/inside of  you 😉

Go or not? I think Bacalar is one of those places that captivates just about everyone. Especially if you’re open to it. Bacalar isn’t really a place for a quick visit, but even if you arrive and only stay for one entire day (meaning waking up and going back to sleep in Bacalar), it still has an effect on you. So personally, I wouldn’t skip it 😊