A lot of people in my hostel I met during my trip in Mexico were talking about Bacalar all the time, encouraging me to go check out its beauty. Since Bacalar is located further south (further down than Playa del Carmen/Tulum), it is less crowded, less touristy, and has a beautiful lagoon that people can swim in. I decided to go and take the Colectivo (minivan) from Playa to Tulum and then take the ADO bus from Tulum to Bacalar. I thought there would be a direct colectivo that would take me to Bacalar from Playa, but there wasn't so it took me longer than I expected (but cheaper). I recommend taking the ADO bus straight from Playa to Bacalar.
Keep reading to find how my day went!
Sunrise Paddleboarding
I only had one day to spend in Bacalar so I wanted to maximize my time here. On the top of my list was the lagoon because Bacalar is known as the Maldives in Mexico. As mentioned in my IG (@sr_ch_), I've never been to the Maldives so I am guessing it's a similar vibe. The sun was supposed to rise a little past 7 in the morning, so I left my hostel (which was very close to the ADO bus station, and it was a 15-minute walk to the dock) past 5 am and started walking to the dock. I felt very safe: nobody was on the road, and there were street lights that lit bright. (But always, use your instinct to determine if you are doing things with caution and pay attention to what is happening around you.)
I stayed at Hostel Xibalba, which was close to the bus station since I was only staying for one day and was planning to take the bus to Cancun the next day.
Started walking at 5:15 am so that I don't miss the sunrise.
It was still dark when I hopped on the paddleboard.
The black cenote: This was where I saw the sunrise. It was cloudy in the morning so I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to see the sunrise. Luckily, I was able to see the sun slowly coming up between the clouds, and it was a great view from my paddleboard!
Overall, my experience at Bacalar was amazing. I met a Dutch girl at my hostel that I hung out with the night before my morning paddleboarding and right after paddleboarding. She didn't wanted to wake up early, so I ended up going alone to see the sunrise, but I still had fun. I played games with her at night and went to a local food place too. One of the reasons why I love staying at hostels is because I can meet other solo travelers and connect with them. We had a great time and it was a pleasure to get to know her.
Bacalar was my last destination in Mexico, although I was planning to explore Oaxaca and San Cristobal. I spent 6 weeks in Mexico and I highly recommend traveling within the country to learn new culture, be outdoors, and meet new people. I hope to be back to explore more places that I haven't been to.
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