Bacalar sits on the tranquil shores of Laguna de Bacalar in southern Quintana Roo, Mexico, and has been a meeting place for people and cultures for centuries. Its name comes from the ancient Maya phrase Sian Ka’an Bakhalal, meaning “where the sky is born,” a reminder of how deeply this place figures in regional history and identity. The town’s heart lies beside the long, narrow lagoon, fed by underground rivers and dotted with cenotes where the clear water ranges in hue from pale aqua to deep sapphire. This mix of colors has earned Bacalar its local title: the “Lagoon of Seven Colors.”

Visitors can take traditional boat rides or sail tours to places like Cenote Cocalitos, where shallow waters and swings set above the lagoon make a memorable stop, or glide through the gently flowing channel known as Los Rápidos, where kayaks and floats drift lazily along the current. Rent a kayak or stand up paddleboard and move at your own pace, observing the lagoon’s textures and hues from close up.