Los Rapidos (and other top things to do in Bacalar, Mexico!)
Without a doubt, Bacalar, Mexico was one of the highlights of my entire Central America Backpacking trip. Not only was the entire town adorable and the lagoon absolutely breathtaking, it’s not too far from one of the most stunning (and fun!) places I’ve ever been in my life: Los Rapidos.
If you’re reading this post, I can only hope that you’re planning a trip to Bacalar, or that you’re already there! I’m extremely jealous of you, I’d do anything to go back. Without further ado, let’s get into this Bacalar travel guide! It has everything you need to know about visiting Los Rapidos, as well as all the other top things to do during your time on the Lagoon of 7 Colors.
What is Los Rapidos?
Los Rapidos, Bacalar, is a real-life, natural lazy river! It’s known for it’s natural currents, turquoise water, and for being home to the oldest living organisms in the world: Stromatolites. In the picture below, you can see the stromatolites - they’re the white-ish beige-ish formations along the sides of the river, and believe it or not, they really are alive! Los Rapidos is one of the only remaining places where you can see evidence of these little prehistoric cyanobacteria, and even if scientific history isn’t your thing, they sure are stunning to look at.
When you arrive, you can set your things down and head to the right all the way up the boardwalk, then jump in and float all the way back to the main visitor’s area! The current’s are actually so fast, and although everyone in my group was a good swimmer, we all grabbed life jackets to float on and it actually made the experience so much fun.
The entry fee varies from 150 to 200 Mexican Pesos, or 7-12 USD, depending on the time of year you go! Theres a restaurant where you can get drinks and food, but they definitely are more western prices, just because it is a tourist attraction.
We couldn’t stop jumping in and floating down, it genuinely is addicting! It’s so much fun, I easily could’ve stayed all day.
There are also kayaks and stand up paddleboards to rent if you’re not as into swimming or if it’s a cold day. They currents are STRONG, however, so we didn’t choose these options. We saw people struggling to paddle against the current, and we were more than happy to just use it as a lazy river.
Here are some pro tips for visiting Los Rapidos:
1) Bring your own padlock - the lockers to keep your things in are free, but the padlock and key are not. If we had known this we would’ve saved ourselves not only money, but the stress of not losing the key to the currents of Los Rapidos! Bring a padlock with a combination code instead of a key, and you’ll be golden.
2) Don’t touch the stromatolites! They are living organisms, and they deserve to be treated with care. Stepping on them can cause corrosion, and the health of the stomatolites is Los Rapidos’ number 1 priority. You will get yelled at if you step on them or hit them with a kayak, so do yourself a favor and simply avoid at all costs!!
3) Try to show up right at opening time! They typically open right at 10 a.m., and Los Rapidos was the most beautiful when we were the only people there. We got first pick of our chairs and got some sick pictures before it got too crowded. I believe they close at 5, and I would recommend staying at least until 3! It really is like an amusement park - it’s just so much fun.
How to Visit Los Rapidos
Los Rapidos is located about 30 minutes from Bacalar town, and while you can take a super cheap collectivo from the center of town, I recommend taking a taxi. It’s not much more expensive, and you can arrange for them to come pick you up when you’re done swimming!
We had full intentions of stacking in the collectivo, but to be honest we couldn’t find one! Taxi’s are much more reliable.
Where to Stay in Bacalar
If you’re backpacking or on a budget, I have two hostels to recommend!
The first is Yak Lake House. It’s situated right on the lake with their own private dock, and they host lots of different events and parties to keep backpackers entertained! I didn’t stay here, but I came nearly every day just to socialize and hang out. They have a kitchen, dorm rooms, as well as privates.
I stayed at Che Hostel, and it was gorgeous! It had a pool, but no private lagoon access. The dorms were clean and the bathrooms were separate, which I always love. They also have a communal kitchen, and although they had events and parties planned, they never quite hit the way they did at the Yak Lake House.
If you’re looking for a hotel or a resort vibe, BlueBayou, Hotel Makaabá Eco-Boutique, and Bacalar My Love Front Laguna all look like great options.
Other Things to do in Bacalar, Mexico
While visiting Los Rapidos is a must-do in Bacalar, there are so many fun things to do on the lagoon.
The most popular thing to do on the lagoon is to take a sailing tour! There are so many different options available - you can choose a catamaran, a sailboat, or a pontoon boat to take you to all the most popular spots such as Pirate’s Channel, Bird Island, and Cenote Negro.
The group I was with chose to take a pontoon simply because they’re much cheaper! Obviously a catamaran would be so much fun, but the weather we had while we were there was actually a little stormy and cold so we knew it wouldn’t make too much of a difference! If we had gorgeous, sunny weather, I would’ve paid the extra for a fun boat, but the weather was out of our control!
Regardless, we had so much fun blasting music, having a few drinks, hanging out at the sand bar that they bring you to, and it was a really good, efficient way to see the whole lagoon without having to exert all the effort of paddling yourself around in a kayak or a paddleboard.
We were also able to see Cenote Negro, which is a super dark, deep sinkhole within the lagoon, and it’s so cool to see the water color change so immediately! Definitely google a picture! We had terrible weather during this boat ride so unfortunately I don’t have any photos that do it justice, but it’s actually insane.
They also drove us by a shipwreck that lots of people swim out to, but once again, it was quite chilly when I went! My lips were already purple so I unfortunately had to pass on that.
2. Rent a paddleboard or a kayak
Another thing to do on the lake is to rent a paddleboard or a kayak and explore the lake at your own pace! I know a few people who did this and they reported that it was a workout; the lake is actually quite huge and the notable locations are quite spread out. If I had better weather, however, I definitely would’ve made a day out of it.
Quite a few people choose to do this for sunrise - so if you’re up for an early morning wake up call, I promise it will be well worth it.
There aren’t too many things to do in Bacalar besides just enjoying everything the lagoon has to offer, so regardless, it’s a great way to kill a few hours. Something I love about the Lagoon of 7 Colors is that it’s freshwater, so you don’t get the same crusty salt and sand all over you like if you were to spend a day at the beach! It feels like being in a bath all day, and I actually much preferred it to the ocean!
3. Visit San Felipe fort
In Bacalar town, there’s a small stone fort called Fuerte de San Felipe that was built by the Spanish to protect Bacalar town from English, German, and African pirates. It played a crucial role in protecting the region's precious natural resources and served as a military outpost. Nowadays, you can climb to the top for a gorgeous view of the lagoon, and the inside has been converted into a museum that showcases artifacts and exhibits about Bacalar's history, the pirate era, and Mayan culture.
You can kind of see the fort from above in the photo below! (plus a little photo of some stromatolites here in the main part of the lagoon! How cool!!)
4. Explore Bacalar town
Speaking of Bacalar town, there are so many different cafes and little shops that line the main street. I was actually shocked to see the amount of nice restaurants with aesthetic interiors and boujee menus, and if I wasn’t a backpacker on a budget, I would’ve had an absolute field day.
But, if you’re in the same boat, never fear. I have a few incredible food options for you too.
The first is Mr. Taco. Their menu is massive and ridiculously cheap, it’s an open air situation, and while it’s not directly on the lagoon, the vibes are just immaculate. It’s always packed, and for good reason! I think I came here every day for dinner.
I also stopped by a food truck one day for lunch called Mr. Burrito - I’m assuming they’re run by the same people? But dare I say, the burrito was even better than the tacos. Be sure to check them both out for cheap, delicious food!
The second is Picaflor cafe. This was just a short walk away from my hostel and just across the street from the lagoon. They had a fabulous iced coffee (if you’re new to this region of the world, you know a good iced coffee is actually quite hard to come by - LOL!), and if there’s one thing about me - if there’s shakshuka on the menu, I WILL be ordering it, no matter the time of day.
5. Hang out at the local pier
If you walk out the doors of Picaflor and continue down to the right a little ways, you’ll run into this public pier! If you’re sick of the hostel pier or just want to explore a little more of Bacalar, this is the place to be.
We got our burritos from the food truck to go, and then had a little picnic. We swam around, practiced our flips off the pier, put up the drone, and all got horrific sunburns!! As one does in Mexico.
P.S. - look at the way the water just glows - even when the rain clouds were rolling in! Absolutely insane.
That wraps up everything you need to know about Los Rapidos + everything Bacalar has to offer!
Bacalar is truly a GEM, and so much better than Cancun, Tulum, or any of the other resort cities. I would go back in a heartbeat. The lagoon is unlike any place I’ve ever been, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It’s so magical.
Not to mention, I met 3 of my very best travel friends here that I ended up being able to travel almost all of Central America with! So Bacalar does have a special place in my heart :)
Have you BEen to Bacalar or visited Los Rapidos? Let us know in the comments below!
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