Mahahual Bacalar Lagoon Tour Review: Is It Worth It?

Planning a trip, like your, down to Mahahual, Mexico, and spotted this “Bacalar Seven Color Lagoon Adventure with Lunch” thing, right? So, too it’s almost, you are wondering if dropping your hard-earned vacation bucks on this excursion is really worth it. That makes perfect sense! I spent a day experiencing it myself, and I will give you, sort of, the lowdown—no fluff, just honest opinions, almost like a friend giving recommendations. I will cover what makes it cool, what might be not quite as perfect, and, that, at the end, help you make your own mind up about whether or not this tour is spot on for your travel plans.

First Impressions: Setting off to Bacalar

Okay, so, the whole thing started in Mahahual. In fact, that it was easy enough to find the tour operator; most of them cluster near the cruise port. Anyway, we, sort of, hopped into a van; the ride, maybe, was roughly a couple of hours to Bacalar. Is that it might feel pretty long, yet, if you, like your, have the chance to check out the countryside, it isn’t really bad at all. You will, literally, get a look at the non-touristy side of the area.

The van, sort of, felt clean and the driver appeared to be safe and sound, which, literally, is always a plus. It tended to be air-conditioned, which you, kind of, appreciate when you think of the Mexican heat! When we showed up in Bacalar, my first thought basically was, “Wow.” You probably saw those pictures, right? The ones that just don’t feel like they are real? Well, as a matter of fact, the lagoon actually looks just like them. So, really, those turquoise colors are something else.

Exploring the Seven Colors Lagoon

Okay, that this lagoon earns the “seven colors” title? Basically, totally true. What might create these amazing different shades, basically, are the varying depths of the water coupled with the light playing off the limestone bedrock. We started moving around the lagoon on a pontoon boat. So, literally, this part felt relaxing. You will, literally, lay out and take it all in, and you will literally cruise around.

One of the first highlights tended to be the Pirates Canal. Basically, word has it that pirates used this to go and hide back in the day. You probably imagine this, almost, right? Like your old-school swashbucklers. The water felt shallow, like your, like, just waist-deep for me, at any rate, and the guide almost explained a little bit of the area’s history. It, sort of, added a cool layer to just seeing the pretty water.

Then there tended to be Cenote Esmeralda. In other words, this cenote is that it flows right into the lagoon. The color felt darker, really, almost a deep emerald green, and is that it made for quite the contrast with the lighter blues around it. As I was saying, you get to take a quick swim here, so, too it’s almost, pack that swimsuit! Floating around in a cenote that’s connected to an immense lagoon felt a bit dreamy, truly.

Lunch and Downtime

Lunch was almost, honestly, pretty good. Is that it isn’t going to blow you away, anyway, after swimming and sunning, you might be ravenous. This really was a buffet-style setup with a selection of Mexican dishes: chicken, rice, beans, salads. Honestly, I felt content, yet, seriously, if you, like your, expect something super-fancy, like your Michelin-star-rated fare, that might not be the place. Is that it tended to be convenient and filling?

Is that downtime, really, felt welcome. After lunch, we had a while, maybe, to, like your, just hang out by the lagoon. So, basically, some folks chilled in hammocks; I wanted to try stand-up paddleboarding—which they’ve got available for rent. Frankly, getting out on the water with a paddle was so great and so relaxing and seriously gave me a great core workout to be so truthful! Others just went swimming. I mean, anyway, there actually was a little something for people to do without being organized. In a way, I would rather that than, that, constantly, you have to be moving every minute.

The Good and the Not-So-Good: Real Talk

What I appreciated:

The lagoon is, for real, breathtaking. Images basically do not do it right. You will literally need to see it for yourself to even start grasping that unbelievable beauty.
A touch of culture. Is that the guide told us snippets about the pirates and also the Mayan people did include more than just pretty sightseeing.
Everything felt organized. They kept things basically running right on schedule, from pickup right on through to drop-off. I always love things so organized.
Worth the experience. Getting a wonderful memory of swimming and learning in nature, is always the best!

Points where there, arguably, is space for being more good:

The ride: The ride down to Bacalar felt like it just kept going! A bit more about this would have felt okay.
Food: I mean, frankly, the lunch really was perfectly okay, though is that it did not wow me. In that case, a bump in food quality, that might be nice.

Was the Adventure Actually Worth the Cost?

Alright, at the end of the day, might you, like your, need to pull the trigger on this particular tour? Speaking from my experience, that, it felt that I, sort of, got great bang for my buck. Yes, the travel might be somewhat longish. And yes, arguably, lunch does not look super fancy. What you happen to be actually paying for might be the opportunity, literally, to experience Bacalar Lagoon, arguably, one of nature’s stunning masterpieces.

Is that the tour handled all the transport, and is that it included a boat tour with cultural bits tossed in, at any rate, is that it felt to be quite convenient. When you place that against attempting to get down to the lagoon separately, potentially, it costing you way more bucks plus the pain in the butt of working out logistics yourself, then, basically, this adventure actually seems like a pretty okay bargain.

Making it Amazing for You

Here’s, really, a handful of quick pointers if you go on this adventure:

Got that sunscreen! Is that Mexican sunshine felt very hot. Trust me when I explain you should protect your skin.
A towel! You may actually want this the instant you get out of the water.
Money for extras: Whilst lunch tended to be included, things, such as drinks or even the SUP rentals, might be separate.
That camera should stay fully charged: Seriously, that will feel vital. You might be snapping tons of shots.
Relax, even chill out: You’re on vacation, right? So, too it’s almost, don’t even worry. Just benefit from the incredible scenery.

In short, seriously consider a day visiting Bacalar. Having someone arrange all the plans might free you as much as possible and you are able to only experience your vacation. So just jump on the boat and enjoy!