Bacalar: The Lagoon of Seven Colors
Over the years I have visited Bacalar on several occasions. I have done ViDAS spay and neuter clinics, stopped for lunch, spent time exploring the lake and surrounding areas, but during this last visit Bacalar finally stole my heart! I don’t know what made the difference, but it is now one of our favorite places to visit and relax. And, fortunately, it is only 3 hours south of us.
We decided spur of the moment to take a short trip to Bacalar with our friends, Jill and Jim. We luckily found a lovely house, Casa del Árbol Bacalar which was situated right on the water. It is a 2 story, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, fully equipped house. But the real plus is the hostess, Martha, who, in all my Airbnb experiences, was the best we have ever had. She was quick to respond, pleasant and amazingly helpful. The house is fully gated, staffed during the day and pet-friendly. Martha has thought of everything you might need – a full kitchen, outdoor grill, nice linens, water toys, games, books, toiletries, hammocks, paddleboards, kayaks, and a dock with a ladder. There is even a rooftop with hammocks and amazing sunset views. It was more than adequate for the 4 of us and we hope to return soon with even another couple. If you have a large group there is housing next door at Blue Bird Bacalar or Casa Bakal.
Martha was full of recommendations and even arranged a pontoon boat tour for us. Jorge, our captain, came right to our dock to pick us up. He took us on a lovely tour of the lake and stopped twice for us to cool off and enjoy the water. Next time I would like to hire Jorge to take us on the sunset tour, when the birds are returning for the evening to Bird Island.
For Mike and I, Bacalar rekindled our love for a lake. Living in paradise with the Caribbean Ocean at our doorstep we kind of thought our lake days were over. Mike’s love for lake life goes back to his childhood summers on Lake Champlain in upstate New York. As adults we both loved relaxing on that lake and spent hours boating or simply sitting on the shore. Lakes are very different from oceans. Oceans are always changing, minute to minute, the colors, the size of the waves and the strength of the wind; in a flash of an eye it can go from dead calm to roaring. Lakes are more predictable; it takes a real storm to change them. They are calmer and the lapping of the water rarely changes. There is a rhythm to a lake that can lull you.
Bacalar is a place you literally can do nothing and feel happy. We spent hours near the water reading, napping and eating. There are some wonderful little restaurants in town and along the waterfront. And the town has a lovely fort and wonderful little gift shops.
We enjoyed lunch at La Playita, a pet friendly, gorgeous restaurant on the water. Playita has incorporated a huge tree into their outdoor seating with a wonderful dock so people can cool off in the lake. The portions were large and menu quite extensive.
We dined one evening at Los Aluxes Bacalar, which was very close to our house. It is a beautiful setting, especially in the evening. I love what they have done with incorporating the trees and creating seating that is beautiful and private. I have a fascination with “aluxes” and I could imagine them living and playing right under our noses. We were able to sit right on the water and wander the docks to get some great sunset views.
The next evening, we chose to eat at Restaurant Kai Pez, which was also located right on the water. This place is wide open and would be perfect for a huge event. The food was fresh and delicious and I may have had the best Lime Soup ever. The atmosphere is very casual and it also has a dock for swimming.
The following day Jill and I explored the small shops around the center of town, close to the fort. Later we went to lunch with the men to Hotel Laguna Bacalar. This is the oldest hotel on the lake, and it has a rich history dating back to its heyday, when its guests would arrive via seaplane. You can still imagine them mingling, dressed to the nines, sipping martinis and listening to the music of their day. Sadly, this amazing property is slowly deteriorating. I do hope someone will one day purchase it and return it to its retro glory.
On our last full day, we decided to drive to nearby Chetumal and have breakfast on the Malecon. We found Winners Restaurant & Sport Bar a fun diner with great breakfast choices. After breakfast we made a quick stop at Chedraui so we could grill dinner our last night. We had such an amazing time that we were not ready to leave after 3 nights and extended our stay one more night so we could soak up our last afternoon and evening at home.
Bacalar will now be a favorite get-away spot, at least until it is totally discovered and becomes over-built. Sadly, we see that it could end up much like Tulum if the Maya train is finished and getting there becomes easier.