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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 🇲🇽
Bacalar is an incredible town in Mexico! We only have good memories of it (except for the scam I fell for at the gas station… 🙁 read our 10 things to know before visiting Mexico to avoid it). Bacalar is full of gorgeous scenery, and above all 4 cenotes spread around the lagoon. The Bacalar cenotes are beautiful and very different from one another, and that’s what makes them so charming 🥰. You can also explore the lagoon by boat ⛵: that’s what we did on a sailboat, an absolute must-do excursion to enjoy the lagoon’s 7 colors.
They’re very different from the ones you’ll find around Valladolid, like Ik Kil, X’Canché or Hubiku: here, some cenotes are right in the middle of the lagoon! Bacalar is about 2 hours 45 minutes south of Tulum.
THE MAP OF OUR MEXICO ROAD TRIP 🗺️
To help you plan your itinerary, we’ve gathered every place from our 30-day road trip in Mexico 🇲🇽 on an interactive map: cenotes, Mayan sites, beaches and stopover towns, from Yucatán to Quintana Roo. Click on each pin to discover the place in detail 📍. And to keep it handy during your trip, open it in Google Maps: you’ll find it easily on your phone 📱.
Our itinerary
Our trip to Mexico
1 month8 stops2 states: Yucatán & Quintana RooCar + ferry to the islands
The stops, in order
- 1
Cancún
1 night
Arrival by plane, then last night before the flight home
- 2
Holbox
3 nights
Beaches, sunsets and a timeless vibe
- 3
Valladolid
5 nights
Suytun, Oxman, Ik Kil, Chichén Itzá, Ek Balam
- 4
Mérida
3 nights
Uxmal and the 3 cenotes of Cuzamá
- 5
Bacalar
5 nights
The lagoon of seven colors and its cenotes
- 6
Tulum
4 nights
Ruins, Coba, Sian Ka'an, Cenote Azul and Calavera
- 7
Cozumel
4 nights
Scuba diving and snorkeling
- 8
Isla Mujeres
3 nights
Jet skiing, beaches and the end of the road trip
THE 4 BACALAR CENOTES AT A GLANCE 📋
| Cenote | Access | Approximate price | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esmeralda | Swimming from a dock, or by boat | Dock entry (100 pesos for us in 2021) | ⭐ Favorite |
| Cocalitos | By road (beach club) or by boat | About 100 pesos | ⭐ Favorite |
| Negro (La Bruja) | Mostly by boat | Often included in tours | Impressive, quick stop |
| Azul | By road, south of town | About 25 pesos | Nice, not a must |
Approximate prices, subject to change. Cash only: read our article Where to withdraw money in Mexico.
CENOTE AZUL IN BACALAR
📍 Not to be confused with the Cenote Azul on the Riviera Maya, between Tulum and Playa del Carmen, which has the same name!
This is the Bacalar cenote that looks the most like the ones around Mérida or Valladolid. It’s at the southern entrance to town, on the road to Chetumal, about 10 minutes from downtown. It’s the darkest one, surrounded by jungle 🌳, and a real, very deep sinkhole: since the water isn’t very clear, you can’t see what’s below your feet, which can be a bit unnerving 😧. When we went, there was nobody there yet, as often during our road trip.
CENOTE AZUL PRICES, HOURS AND ACCESS
Admission cost us only 25 pesos per person (about €1), and that’s still the price listed on the official website. A life jacket costs 50 pesos extra (double the entrance fee!): you’re starting to know Adeline, she got one 😅. Open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., cash only. It’s a few minutes by car or bike from downtown.
This cenote is nice, but since the goal of this blog is to give you the best tips: it’s not a must-see 🤫. It’s cute, there’s a restaurant next door, but it’s not exceptional.
CENOTE ESMERALDA: SWIM OUT TO IT 🏊
This cenote is in our TOP 2! It’s right in the middle of the Bacalar lagoon. It’s often visited on boat tours, but you can also swim out to it 🏊♂️. Most of the access points to the lagoon are run by hotels and restaurants, and you have to pay to get through. Personally, I think it’s a shame there aren’t more public access points, a bit like the private beaches in Cannes or Saint-Tropez…
WHERE TO GET IN TO SWIM TO CENOTE ESMERALDA
We went through a hotel (Casa Sol y Luna), paying 100 pesos (€5) to use its dock before swimming out: it was amazing! Today, other hotels and restaurants on the lagoon offer the same access (with a drink purchase or an entrance fee), and you can also come by kayak, paddleboard or boat. Snorkel mask on 🥽, allow 5 to 10 minutes of swimming. If you’re like Adeline, bring a life jacket. Watch out for passing boats while you swim across.
After the effort, the reward: crystal-clear water, a view of Bacalar, and the feeling of being alone in the world, since we were there around 10 a.m. 😍. You can stand near the edge, but be careful: the center of the cenote is very deep (about 70 m / 230 ft). You have to earn it, but it’s really worth it! It’s one of the Bacalar cenotes you absolutely have to do 👍.
CENOTE COCALITOS AND ITS STROMATOLITES 🌿
Incredible 😍! That was my first word for this cenote, a real highlight of our trip to Mexico ❤️. It’s also called the stromatolite sanctuary: living formations built by microorganisms, a form of life that appeared about 3.5 billion years ago. They’re protected, and you must never touch them or walk on them.
It was one of the most popular cenotes, with more people than the others, and you quickly understand why. Like at Esmeralda, the water was very warm, close to 30°C (86°F) ♨️. There are hammocks and swings, and you can stand for a long way out: it reminded me of Holbox. It’s really a place to see if you’re in Bacalar.
COCALITOS PRICES AND ACCESS
In 2021, we paid 50 pesos per person, with parking a few yards from the entrance. After closing in 2023, Cocalitos has reopened: today you get in through the Cocalitos Beach Club, for about 100 pesos (price subject to change), or from the lagoon side by boat or kayak. The site sometimes closes without notice: check before you go.
RULES TO PROTECT THE STROMATOLITES
- Don’t touch, walk on or sit on the stromatolites.
- Only get into the water at the marked areas.
- No sunscreen or bug spray, not even biodegradable: wear a UV shirt instead.
CENOTE NEGRO (LA BRUJA): THE LAGOON’S ABYSS
This is the last cenote in the lagoon, with a very special feature: an underwater sinkhole about 90 to 100 meters (300 to 330 ft) deep. The most incredible part is the difference in color, which is very visible, even more so from the air. We saw it briefly during our sailboat trip ⛵: even from the boat, the contrast is impressive and can quickly be a little scary 😨.
Today, you mostly see it by boat, kayak or paddleboard, and many tours don’t include a swim. During our trip, land access was signposted via the Centro Regional de Educación Normal (10 pesos), but we didn’t try it and this information isn’t confirmed today. A very unusual cenote, worth seeing, but not one where you stay very long.
TOURING THE CENOTES BY BOAT, SAILBOAT OR KAYAK ⛵
The easiest way to see the lagoon cenotes (Negro, Esmeralda, Cocalitos) is to take a boat tour: it usually stops at these cenotes, Bird Island and the Pirate Channel, in about 3 hours. We chose the sailboat, an unforgettable experience. For the more active, kayaking or paddleboarding at sunrise is also a lovely option.
THE COLOR OF THE WATER
During our visit in October 2021, the lagoon was green, with flashes of blue at times: gorgeous! But the color isn’t guaranteed: after heavy rain, the water can turn brown or green for several weeks (it happened in 2020, 2022, 2024 and July 2025). The dry season, from December to April, gives you the best chance of seeing the famous 7 colors.
HOW TO GET TO BACALAR ⏳
- By car 🚗: allow about 4 hours from Cancún or Playa del Carmen, and 2 hours 45 minutes from Tulum. Once there, you’re very close to all the cenotes. We were staying in Bacalar, with our rental car. Don’t forget that Mexico is big: if you want to be free and independent in getting around, a car is a great compromise. Feel free to check out my article on renting a car in Mexico.
- By bus 🚌: ADO buses serve Bacalar. Once there, a bike is a great way to get around.
- By taxi 🚕: cheap within Bacalar, but it gets expensive fast over long distances 💰.
WHAT ELSE TO DO IN BACALAR?
Don’t miss Los Rápidos de Bacalar, about fifteen minutes south, to let the current carry you. And if you’re continuing your road trip, head on to the Mayan site of Calakmul, deep in the jungle, or go back up toward Tulum and Muyil and Sian Ka’an.
RENTING A CAR IN MEXICO 🚗
To explore Yucatán and Quintana Roo, we think a rental car is the best option: you’re free to string together cenotes, Mayan sites and beaches at your own pace, without depending on bus schedules or organized tours 🌴.
We did our whole one-month road trip by car, and everything went really well. Here’s the agency we used and recommend, plus an alternative if you’d rather compare 👇
Our rental tip
Renting a car in Mexico
The agency we used, and an alternative to compare.
TouraCancun
Car rental in Mexico
We rented with them for our whole road trip: we recommend them without hesitation!
Our budget€95028 days, insurance included · ~€34/day
- Tested for 1 month
- Pick-up in Cancún
- Our go-to in Mexico
DiscoverCars
Rental comparison site
To compare several rental companies in a single search.
Excellent rating290,000+ Trustpilot reviews
- 1,000+ rental companies compared
- Free cancellation
- 24/7 support
To compare before you choose
Good to know before you rent
- Third-party liability insurance is mandatoryIn Mexico, it's often not included in the price shown online: check before you pay.
- A deposit on a credit cardAn amount is held on your card for the whole rental. Bring a card with a high enough limit.
- Your French driving license is enoughIt's accepted for tourists. The international driving permit is optional: only if you want one.
- Photos and video at pick-upFilm the car from every angle when you collect it, to avoid any dispute when you return it.
- Filling up at the gas stationCheck that the pump meter is at zero before the attendant starts.
- Watch out for “topes”These speed bumps are everywhere, sometimes without a sign: slow down as you enter villages.
OUR REVIEW OF THE BACALAR CENOTES 💭
We absolutely loved two of the cenotes out of 4. If you’ve been reading carefully, that’s Cenote Esmeralda and Cocalitos. It’s so relaxing and such a change of scenery to discover unique places like these. We don’t always realize how lucky we are to explore a country like this one 🍀. Nothing like this exists in France, and that makes it all the more thrilling for us! You can easily see the Bacalar cenotes in one day. If you need to prioritize, pick Cenote Esmeralda and Cocalitos, you won’t be disappointed 👊!
👉 What about you? What did you think of the Bacalar cenotes?
FAQ: YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BACALAR CENOTES ❓
These are the questions people often ask before visiting the Bacalar cenotes. Feel free to ask yours in the comments, and I’ll add to this FAQ 💬.
Four are well known: Cenote Azul, by the road, and three in the lagoon (Negro, Esmeralda and Cocalitos). We saw them all during our stay, by car, swimming and on a sailboat.
Our two favorites are Esmeralda and Cocalitos, for their clear, shallow water near the edge. Cenote Negro is mostly seen from a boat, and Cenote Azul is nice but not a must in our opinion.
The official website lists 25 pesos per person and 50 pesos for a life jacket, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: that’s also what we paid. The price may change, so bring cash.
Yes. After closing in 2023, you now get in through the Cocalitos Beach Club, for about 100 pesos per person. The site sometimes closes without notice: check before you go.
Yes, by swimming from a hotel or restaurant dock. We went through a hotel (100 pesos in 2021), then swam for 5 to 10 minutes: it was amazing. Stay alert, boats go by.
It’s mostly seen from a boat, and many tours don’t include a swim. It’s about 90 to 100 m deep. We saw it from our sailboat.
No, you’re asked not to wear sunscreen or bug spray in the water, not even biodegradable. Bring a UV shirt.
No. These very fragile living organisms must not be touched, stepped on or used as a seat. Only get into the water at the marked areas.
Not always: after heavy rain, the water can turn brown or green for weeks. In October 2021, it was green, with flashes of blue at times, and it was gorgeous.
Yes. A boat tour usually stops at Negro, Esmeralda and Cocalitos, and Cenote Azul is just a few minutes away by car afterward.
WHERE TO STAY IN MEXICO 🏨
During our one-month road trip in Mexico 🇲🇽, we stayed in 8 different towns, alternating between Airbnbs and hotels. And we were always very happy with where we stayed 😇.
We deliberately avoided “All Inclusive” packages. It’s not our idea of travel: we’d rather be in the heart of towns and villages, eat local and discover the country at our own pace 🌮.
OUR TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLACE TO STAY
- 📅 Book ahead in high season: the best places go fast and prices climb.
- 🚗 Private or secure parking if you’re traveling with a rental car. You’ll see, it’s not always available, but depending on the town it can be really worth having.
- ❄️ Air conditioning: essential in Yucatán and Quintana Roo, where it’s hot all year round.
- 🏊 A pool: up to you whether you want one at some of your stays, because it can quickly push the price up.
- 📍 A place close to the center: so you can do everything on foot in the evening. That said, if you like places outside town and you have the car, nothing forces you to stay near the center
- ✅ Free cancellation, to keep your itinerary flexible.
AIRBNB OR HOTEL IN MEXICO?
Both have their advantages. An Airbnb is ideal for more space, a kitchen and living like a local. A hotel is more convenient for one or two nights passing through, with a reception desk and often breakfast included. As for us, we liked both. It all depends on what you want, whether you’re with family, solo or as a couple, and how you like to travel.
HOW MUCH DOES ACCOMMODATION COST IN MEXICO?
There’s something for every taste and every budget. We paid between €40 and €100 a night for two. To be completely transparent with you: €1,800 for 29 nights, or about €62 a night on average (that was in 2021, prices may have changed since).
👇 Here are the 8 places where we slept during our road trip, with our review of each one.
Tested during our road trip
Our 8 places to stay in Mexico
AirbnbHotel
-
AirbnbHolbox
An incredible room, with the pool right next door to cool off. Just perfect!
- Room
- Pool right next door
- Incredible room
- Hotel
Valladolid
A stunning setting and a super spacious room, ideal for catching your breath between two cenotes.
- Very spacious room
- Pool
- On-site massages
- Airbnb
Mérida
A whole house just for us, with a small pool to relax.
- Whole house
- Small pool
- A bit out of the way
- Hotel
Bacalar
A gorgeous place right in the town center, with a superb pool.
- Hotel
- Superb pool
- Town center, far from the lagoon
- Airbnb
Tulum
A whole place with a pool, but very far out: you'll need the car.
- Whole place
- Pool
- Far out, car essential
- Airbnb
Cozumel
A clean, well-located studio, so you can do everything on foot from the town center.
- Studio
- Clean and well designed
- Close to the center
- Hotel
Isla Mujeres
A beautiful seafront hotel with a magnificent pool.
- Hotel
- Magnificent pool
- Seafront, a bit out of the way
- Hotel
Cancún
Right next to the airport: perfect for the first or last night of the trip.
- Hotel
- Close to the airport
- Ideal for the 1st or last night
MY MUST-HAVE TRAVEL GEAR 🧳
It’s a question that comes up a lot when preparing a trip “What should I bring?” That’s why you’ll find below some essential travel accessories to set off on vacation with peace of mind (your documents kept safe) 🛡️ . Planning ahead and getting these items in advance helps you save money and avoid paying for some of them on the spot, where they’ll cost you much more 💸 These are the accessories we took to Mexico and still use for every destination we travel to 👇.
Our road trip checklist
What to pack for Mexico?
Most of these items came with us throughout our 30-day road trip.
0 / 12 in my suitcase · check what you already have
- Essential
ElectronicsUniversal travel adapter
In Mexico, outlets are the American type: French chargers won't fit.
- Essential
ElectronicsPower bank
Long days between ruins and cenotes: your phone lasts until evening.
- Essential
Health & protectionBiodegradable sunscreen
Mineral and biodegradable, kinder to cenotes and reefs.
- Essential
Health & protectionMosquito repellent
Mosquitoes are everywhere, especially in the evening and near the jungle.
- Essential
Cenotes & beachWaterproof phone pouch
To film in cenotes and at the beach without any risk.
- Recommended
Health & protectionFilter water bottle
Tap water isn't drinkable in Mexico: filter it and avoid plastic.
- Recommended
Health & protectionTravel first-aid kit
Band-aids, painkillers, anti-diarrhea meds: enough to handle small issues.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachWaterproof bag
Papers and keys kept dry on boats, at the beach or by the cenotes.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachWater shoes
For slippery cenote steps and rocky seabeds.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachMicrofiber towel
Light and quick-drying: perfect for swim after swim.
- Bonus
Travel & securityTSA lock
To lock your suitcase on the plane, with no risk of it being broken at security.
- Bonus
Travel & securityAirTag
To track your suitcase if your luggage is delayed or lost.
OUR YOUTUBE VIDEOS IN MEXICO 
During our 30-day road trip in Mexico 
, we filmed everything! From Holbox to Cancún, by way of Valladolid, Mérida, Bacalar, Tulum, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, we take you along with us step by step in our vlogs.
You’ll discover the cenotes we swam in, the Mayan sites we explored, the beaches that made us dream, our places to stay, our favorite spots to eat… and above all our honest take on each place: what amazed us, and what disappointed us a little 
.
If you’re planning your trip, or simply dreaming of getting away, these videos will give you a real glimpse of Mexico, far from the tourist brochures.
Our road trip on video
Our YouTube videos in Mexico
Now watching: Episode 1 · Discovering Mexico & Holbox
21 minEpisode 1Discovering Mexico & Holbox- 17 minEpisode 2Cenotes & Mayan cities
- 9 minEpisode 3Mérida, Uxmal, Cuzamá & the bats
- 13 minEpisode 4Bacalar, a hidden paradise
- 12 minEpisode 5Tulum, Coba, Sian Ka'an & Cenote Azul
- 12 minEpisode 6Cozumel, diving & snorkeling
- 17 minEpisode 7Isla Mujeres, jet skiing & the end of the road trip
21 min
17 min
9 min
13 min
12 min
12 min
17 minTHANKS FOR YOUR FEEDBACK
Thanks for reading this article all the way to the end 🙏! We hope it helps you plan your trip.
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