Your expert guide to visiting Bacalar with kids
In my opinion, pretty much everywhere in Mexico is great to visit with kids so we can begin with a full hearted, yes, Bacalar is great for families, and then dive straight into what to do with the kids while you’re in Bacalar. As long as your kids are up for some water adventures, you’re all going to have an absolutely magnificent time in the magical Laguna de Siete Colores.
My kids loved Bacalar and although I didn’t take them with my on my most recent trip, we will be returning together next year (they’ve made that very clear 😆).
In this article we’ll take a look at the best places to stay and to eat with the kids and then, what there is to do that kids of varying ages are going to love. And of course, if you have questions, feel free to get in touch with my via my FB page and I’ll try to answer them for you.
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MexicoCassie guides to Bacalar and the surrounding area
→ Full guide to what to do in Bacalar
→ Are there crocodiles in Bacalar and other great questions
→ How to choose between Bacalar and Holbox
Visiting Bacalar respectfully
Bacalar is a magically beautiful place, and having the opportunity to visit is a privilege. Bacalar is a huge lake with the most beautiful blue, crystal-clear water you’ll pretty much ever see. Responsibility to keep it this way, falls on every visitor.
Mass tourism in areas such as Bacalar, Holbox & Tulum can problematic because they simply don’t have adequate infrastructure to support the numbers of people arriving at their doors.
It’s really important that we acknowledge the vulnerability of pristine environments and the responsibility we have as travellers and tourists, to treat everywhere with respect.
Experts and locals have been reporting negative changes to the water colour over the past years. Tropical Storm Cristobal in 2020, for example, brought with it weeks of murky water for Bacalar. Every storm or influx of water like this causes changes to the water that are slower to reverse each time due to negative human behaviours.
I’m not saying don’t visit, I’m just asking people to be respectful
Easy ways to be a respectful visitor to Bacalar
✅ Rash vests and no suntan lotion in the laguna
✅ If you absolutely must use sun cream on the little ones, please, please ensure it’s reef safe and applied as long as possible before you get in the water
✅ Keep off the laguna on Wednesdays. The local population is trying to give the lake’s fragile ecosystem a chance to recover by keeping people out on Wednesdays – play your part and abide by this
✅ Always take your litter home
✅ Carefully consider your use of resources such as water
✅ Follow the polite requests of locals and local businesses
Thank you
Where is Bacalar and how to get there?
Bacalar is located right down in the south of Quintana Roo, almost at Chetumal and the border with Belize.
Pretty much wherever you’ll be coming from, you’ll find the same few transport options.
🚘 You can rent a car and drive yourself (my favourite, and always the easiest with kids)
🚆 Take the train – read the full MexicoCassie guide to taking the Maya Train (including how to book)
🚌 Take the bus – my least favourite whether alone or with kids. The long distance buses in Mexico are great but they’re never my first choice.
🧑🧒🧒 With kids I’d recommend the train over the bus since there’s ready access to bathrooms & snacks and less chance of anyone vomiting.
Book your transport now
⭐️ Rent a car with Discover Cars, my personal favourite broker for Mexico
⭐️ Book a bus in English with Busbud or in Spanish with ADO
Where to stay in Bacalar with kids
🏨 MexicoCassie best value for families: Hotel Hacienda Bacalar – this excellent value hotel offers family friendly rooms, has a pool, restaurant & free wifi throughout the hotel grounds. It’s just a short walk from the hotel to the laguna and the town plaza → Check hotel details and book now
🏨 MexicoCassie best lakeside option for families: Seven Blue House Village & Lodge – this incredible lakeside apartment option offers families with kids who won’t hurl themselves off the lodge pier, a luxurious place to relax with pool, hammocks and wifi throughout → Check apartment details and book now
🏨 MexicoCassie mid-range recommended family friendly hotel: Ade Hotel – an extremely family friendly hotel with small pool, free breakfasts and family puzzles and games available.→ Check hotel details and book now
⛺️ MexicoCassie rustic cabin/camping fun recommendation: Ecocamping Yaxche – if your family is into the more rustic adventures, choose to camp or stay in cabins some ten minutes from town, right on the lakeshore → Check details and book now
🗺️ Or, if none of these are quite right for your family, use the interactive MexicoCassie accommodation map to find something more to your liking.
Where to eat in Bacalar with kids
Honestly, you can eat anywhere with kids in Mexico. Everyone loves kids and they’re welcome everywhere. What really matters is knowing what they’ll eat, right?
Use the MexicoCassie food guides to figure out what the kids are likely to eat
→ Complete guide to feeding the kids in Mexico
→ Ensure you don’t miss out on amazing food with this complete guide to breakfast in Mexico
→ No matter where you are in Mexico, this guide to enjoying street food will be invaluable
→ Even the drinks in Mexico can be confusing if you don’t know what your options are
→ Shock the kids and let them try Mexican candies, but check out my guide first so you know what’s what
→ Everything you need to know about water and drinking it, or not, in Mexico
One of the highlights of Bacalar is eating in lakeside restaurants and enjoying the views while you eat. Obviously, if your kids are runners and can’t be trusted to stay still and not hurl themselves into the water, this might not be your ideal. Luckily, there are dry options too.
MexicoCassie top lakeside recommendations
La Playita – you’ll probably need to reserve a table if you want to sit right on the water but even the tables a little further back are great and there is a small pier from which you and the kids can play in the water. This is one of the more famous and pricy places in town but it’s worth it. The food is amazing, the views stunning.
Balneario Ejidal Magico – this decently priced municipal resort is one of my favourite spots in town overall (photo above). While it’s not especially luxurious, I promise it has everything you need for a day with the kids (more on this later). The food is excellent and the restaurant staff are extremely friendly.
Bacalar town recommendations
🍤 Navieros – this is a good, local fish restaurant
🌮 Mr Taco – there are a few tacos spots in town, all are decent. This one has more of a tourist, hippy vibe and is super popular with visitors
🌯 Mi Burrito Bacalar – burritos from a food truck, they’re tasty and huge
🍔 La Burguesía del Pueblo – I haven’t eaten here but it gets good reviews and it’s 100% where my boy child would choose once he’d eaten his fill of tacos
🍕 Pizzeria Bertilla – a very popular pizza and Italian restaurant in Bacalar
🥑 Mango Y Chile – delicious vegetarian and vegan burger bar on the plaza (my kids willingly ate here despite not being vegetarians.)
☕️ Café Tito – good coffees and friendly staff on the plaza
🍦Paleteria y Heladeria la Guadalupana Bacalar – there are some good, pricy ice cream shops around, and there’s this traditional and local option that has perfect paletas and ice cream options. Support local
🥭 Street food stalls on the plaza – you can’t miss trying a marquesita with the kids, they’ll love it (read my street food article for more info on how to order and choose your flavours). You’ll also find cut fruits stalls, crepes, esquites, coconuts and more. Enjoy it all, it’s safe and delicious
Safety & shade
If you’re worried about your kids in the water, you can bring your own life jackets for the kids. That’s what I used to do when my kids were small and I was worried places wouldn’t have anything in their teeny tiny sizes. Now they’re giant and excellent swimmers, I don’t worry so much.
Much of the water in Bacalar is extremely shallow but of course, we all know that water doesn’t need to be deep to be a danger if you’re not paying attention. The cenotes are deep and definitely require life jackets. And any tour you take will require everyone to wear a lifejacket (provided).
→ MexicoCassie lifejacket recommendation
😎 In serious heat it’s always a good idea to know how to find shade, especially with little ones around. Most official lakeside spots will have shaded options but it’s still always a good idea to have sun hats and rash vests for everyone.
What to do in Bacalar with the kids
Ok, here we are, the exciting stuff, finally!
Balnearios
With kids, my top recommendation for hanging out on the water is absolutely the Balneario Ejidal Magico.
There’s a small cost to enter (in March 2026 it was $70 pesos for residents and $100 pesos for foreigners), and once in you have access to the grounds, restaurant, bathrooms, and, of course, the water fun.
😎 Lakeside palapas and sun-beds have a small cost ($100 pesos for a sun-bed). You can also take a boat tour from here ($350 pesos per person) and rent lifejackets too. Restaurant tables are free.
Kids of all ages are well catered for here: there’s a small separate area with a slide for little ones, a bigger water slide/water climbing frame for kids 4 – 10 (photo above). Bigger kids will enjoy the full size water slides, the water rope course, and the swings, as well as generally, the crystal-clear waters of the laguna.
Other public balnearios
Balneario Ecologico – This balnerario is much quieter, there’s far less going on. If you want to access the laguna without the trappings of Instagram or any facilities at all, this is the gorgeous spot for you.
Ecoparque Bacalar – Keep going a few more blocks out of town and you’ll reach the newer Ecoparque Bacalar (photo above). Here you’ll find a new and long, sturdy wooden 1km walkway that takes you around a 5 hectare section of the laguna.
You’ll find people lounging in the sun on the walkway and enjoying the water here but note that here, there’s no shade at all.
→ Read the full MexicoCassie answer to the question, “are there crocodiles in Bacalar?”
Balneario Municipal El Asseradero – This balneario has a beautiful looking pier with a thatched covering at the end. You can also hire lancha tours from here. We weren’t actually permitted into this balneario because it can also be hired out for events and hen we wanted to visit it was closed for a wedding.
Also
Cocolitos – Cocolitos is as a “laguna resort” where you can swim with the stromatolites, relax in hammocks in the water, swim, splash & relax. It’s even possible to camp here. There is a restaurant but it only offers its full menu on the weekends.
What are Stromatolites?
Oh, only fossils of one of the earliest organisms on earth, and possibly the reason for the oxygenation of the atmosphere, hence the reason life as we know it, including humans, evolved. Stromatolites are super rare, this is one of the few places on earth where you can still find them. These things have been around for 3 billion years!
You don’t have to go to Cocolitos to see them as they’re found all around the lake, generally roped off for their protection.
Please ensure the kids don’t touch them.
Los Rapidos
It’s also possible to see the stromatolites at Los Rapidos, the most narrow point of the Laguna de 7 Colores. Swimming in the rapids around the stromatolites is popular and a lot of fun for the kids but people are clear that the cafe is not great and the owners do not properly care for the area. I haven’t personally been.
💰 There is an entrance fee and life jackets are required.
Cenotes
There are four cenotes around the laguna; three form part of the laguna and one is inland. All four of these are fully open, mature cenotes and can be a lot of fun for swimming and diving.
All four cenotes are located pretty close together, three along the edge of the lake and one slightly inland.
Cenote Bruja (also known as Cenote Negro or Black Cenote, photo above)130m across and between 55 – 100m deep depending on who you talk to. Boat tours no longer let you swim here as I did with my kids but if you kayak in on your own you still can.
🤿 I swam here recently, in March 2026, but the photo I’ve included is way cooler than any of me in the water.
Cenote Esmeralda – 70 m deep, often busy with small boats, you can swim here from the hotels
Cenote Cocalitos – This is where you can swim with the stromatolites (see info on Cocalitos Beach club)
Cenote Azul – This cenote is visited separately as it’s not on the laguna. In 2026 it costs $100 pesos to visit. The cenote is large, open and 90m deep. Life jackets are technically required. There is a small restaurant here on site as well as options for snacks and even to pick up swim stuff if you’ve forgotten your own.
Tours with the kids
I absolutely recommend taking the time for a boat tour of the laguna if your kids can manage it. You can have a great time on the shore but you won’t get to truly experience the full beauty of the place unless you’re actually on the water.
I’ve taken multiple tours around the laguna. I’ve been on a regular lancha, a pontoon, a sail boat and in kayak. All are fun and all go to pretty much the same places, the price difference is in the levels of comfort and whether you’re given beer/fruits/water or nothing. For me, all have been equally fun although the tour I recommend below was the best in terms of information provided and general enjoyment.
⏲ Tours tend to last around three hours and include at least one swimming stop.
The tours all visit:
⛵️ Cenotes – there are three cenotes, Esmerelda, Negro, Cocolitos to visit.
⛵️ Isla de los Pajaros (Bird Island) – many boat tours will stop here for a swim as the water is nice and shallow. The island is roped off to keep humans off the island. I’ve seen herons, ibises, hawks, and even one pink spoonbill here
⛵️ Canal de los Piratas (Pirates’ Canal) – an extremely shallow area of beautiful water where you can swim and play to your heart’s content. The canal is probably the most photographed part of Bacalar’s laguna and with good reason. It links Laguna de Bacalar with Laguna de Mariscal and was used by pirates in the 1700s. If you visit with kayaks, you can actually head down the canal to the second Laguna.
Mexico Cassie tour recommendations
⭐️ Sunrise kayak/paddle board tour – this is one of the most wonderful tours I’ve ever taken. Is it fun to get up before sunrise when you’re on vacation? No, it’s not but it’s absolutely worth it when you get onto the water and have the enormous privilege of experiencing the utter stillness of the lake as the mist rises around you, the birds wake and the sun greets the new day while you sit with fresh coffee in your kayak. This, my friends, is the most unforgettable experience you’ve been looking for.
While it won’t work with the little ones, older kids will absolutely love this experience and there are double kayaks if you feel like doing all the work for them too! (it’s also possible to paddle board) → Book now
⭐️ 3hr Pontoon tour with Day Tour Bacalar – why these guys when there are so many options that are basically all the same? Because when we wanted to change the time of our tour, they let us with no questions asked, they replied to my questions immediately, they give a great tour that’s safe, fun and super informative. The guides are brilliantly knowledgeable and friendly, and you can use their kayaks for free after any tour. → Book now
🚕 They are located out of Casa China so you’ll need a cab to get there but I assure you, their service makes it worth it. There’s also a cool look out tower here with great views over the laguna.
⭐️ If you prefer a fully private tour for your family, this is possible too.
💸 And if you’re feeling poor, a basic lancha option from the Balneario Ejidal Magico costs $350 pesos per person.
What else to do in Bacalar with kids
Bacalar city letters
My kids always enjoy finding the city letters, although maybe these days they enjoy posing with them a little less than when they were younger. Be careful though as I did see a Mexican family accidentally knock the letters over here. They were pretty shocked. I later saw ayuntamiento workers re-attaching them.
Fort San Felipe
Yup, they tried to shoot the doll out the cannon. Obviously.
You can visit the fort and the small museum housed inside it. Kids may enjoy running around the grounds and playing with the canons (mine definitely did). The museum is small, informative and won’t take much of your time.
Night market and souvenir shopping
If the kids are interested in souvenirs, everyone will enjoy an evening on the plaza, strolling around the artisan market and trying traditional street foods.
Playgrounds
And handily, there are a few play spaces for the younger kids on the plaza, meaning the kids can join local kids running, squealing and generally having a grand old time while you relax after your long and perfect day.
Day trips
People do sometimes stay long enough to need day trips from Bacalar, although if you’re only in town for three days you probably won’t need to think of extra things to do. There are good ruins to visit in the area, either with tours or in your car, if you’re renting one.
Ichkabal, the nearest ruin to Bacalar, re-opened its gates to visitors in early 2025. This site is older than Chichén Itzá.
If you have time and an interest in Mayan ruins in Quintana Roo and beyond I recommend also taking the time to
👣 Take a tour to Dzibanche and Kohunlich Ruins
Head north to see the archeological sites of Yucatán – Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Ruta Puuc
Go north to see the archeological sites of Quintana Roo – Tulum, Cobá, and Muyil
West takes you to the archeological sites of Campeche – Calakmul, Bamku, Chicanna or Edzná (Calakmul and Becán both make it onto the MexicoCassie list of top 10 ruins to visit on the Yucatán Peninsula.)
Visiting Mexico with kids – a directory
🧳 Packing for a trip to Mexico with kids
✈️ Spring break in Mexico with kids
🏖 Best family friendly beaches in Mexico
🏝 Family fun in Playa del Carmen
✅ Río Secreto with kids – a review
🏝 Chilling in Cozumel with kids
⭐️ 50+ things to do in Mérida with kids
⭐️ Exploring Valladolid with kids
💦 Best cenotes in Yucatán for kids
⛰ Visiting Mexico’s Copper Canyon with kids
⭐️ What to do in Guadalajara with kids
⛰ Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte with kids
⭐️ Exploring around Queretaro with kids
⭐️ Getting to know Cholula (Puebla) with kids
🎄 Celebrating Christmas in Mexico
✏️ A guide to homeschooling in Mexico
🍭 All your kids need to know about Mexican candy
🍦 Finding the best ice creams in Mérida
