We spent our last days in Mexico – from 5 to 13 December 2023 – in the south-east of Quintana Roo, far from the crowds of Cancún and Tulum: five days in a tent on the beach in Mahahual, two days by the Bacalar lagoon and a final stop in Chetumal, the state capital, right on the border with Belize. After two months of travelling around Mexico, it was a fitting farewell to the country. Watch my video too:
9:52Table of contents
- Mahahual – five days in a tent on the Caribbean Sea
- Bacalar – the lagoon of seven colours
- Chetumal – getting ready for Belize
- Practical information
Mahahual – five days in a tent on the Caribbean Sea
From Tulum we travelled about 200 km to Mahahual – a small village on the Caribbean Sea. There is no direct connection, but it was enough to tell the colectivo driver where we were going: he arranged a transfer for us, and in Pedro Antonio Santos a second bus, coming from Bacalar, was already waiting.
Very few tourists make it here, which is a pity, because the atmosphere is completely different from the usual places in Quintana Roo – more authentic and calmer, the locals are friendly and life moves really slowly. We stayed at the Los Piratas del Caribe campsite, about 5 km from the village. It is a long way on foot and taxis are expensive, but hitchhiking is worth a try: most cars are pick-ups with room in the back.
Apart from us there were only a few guests at the campsite, so the whole beach belonged to a handful of people. The beaches are beautiful and the water is very warm. Every morning the sun rose over the sea, and we finally had time to simply rest.
Our tent was put to the test more than once, though: first a strong wind blew sand inside, then under a tree it got hit by bird “bombs”, and finally a dog – probably from the neighbouring property – tore a hole in the mosquito net. The campsite owners helped us patch it up and gave us one night for free.
It was hard to leave, but we had a mission to accomplish, so we couldn’t get that lazy.
Bacalar – the lagoon of seven colours
The nearby town of Bacalar, on the shore of a lagoon, is much better known. It is also a village, but a more touristy one – this time we did not sleep in the tent but in town, not far from the lagoon. We wanted to see whether the lagoon really has seven colours. It has to be said that its beauty draws tourists: the water is clear, and the different depths give it all kinds of shades of green and blue. It is also warm, so it is great for swimming.
For one day we rented kayaks together with Michał and Alicja, whom we had met online, and paddled to the Canal de los Piratas, where the water is a stunning light blue. Unfortunately the weather turned – little sun and a strong wind. Because of the currents we struggled a lot paddling back, and on top of that we had to go and help our new friends when their kayak capsized.
In Bacalar we also tried marquesitas – a crispy rolled wafer, in our version with banana, Nutella and… yellow cheese. Unusual, but edible. Two days in Bacalar were quite enough for us – apart from the lagoon there are no other attractions, and the forecast for the following days wasn’t great anyway.
Chetumal – getting ready for Belize
Our last stop in Mexico was Chetumal – the capital of Quintana Roo. We used our stay to prepare for Belize: shopping and planning. There are big shops here, which are hard to find in smaller towns – among other things we bought gas cartridges for our stove and glue for our shoes. Along the bayside promenade there are a few nice monuments and fountains, and on the other side of the water you can already see the neighbouring country. In December the city was decorated for Christmas.
From here you can take a ferry straight to the island of Caye Caulker, but it cost 1400 MXN per person. We crossed the border overland, hitchhiking – how it went is described in the post Belize: across the border from Mexico and our first night in Sarteneja.
Practical information
- Getting to Mahahual: colectivo from Tulum to Pedro Antonio Santos – 180 MXN (about €10), from there to Mahahual – 70 MXN (about €4).
- Los Piratas del Caribe campsite: 100 MXN per person per night – toilet, showers, kitchen, Wi-Fi and a shop on site; about 5 km from Mahahual (we hitchhiked in the back of pick-ups).
- Mahahual – Bacalar: colectivo 100 MXN (about €5).
- Kayak in Bacalar: a double kayak for the whole day – 500 MXN (about €27); someone from the rental shop drove us a bit further on, where we set off from.
- Chetumal – Caye Caulker: ferry 1400 MXN per person; crossing the border overland is cheaper.
- Prices: as of December 2023.
