Quintana Roo
Kayaking with Ducky in front of our cabana on a remote stretch of Caribbean coastline
Bacalar Lagoon & Caribbean Coast
Quintana Roo is definitely one of the more touristy areas of Mexico and when most people hear Quintana Roo they think of big resorts lining the beaches of Tulum, Cancun and Playa del Carmen. I’ll get straight to the point and just say you can skip all three of these places. Unless you want an all-inclusive and an experience with zero culture, then sure, go there. But just remember that Quintana Roo has SO much more to offer than these overrun, overpriced and overrated spots. From the endless secret swimming holes deep in the jungle to the pristine stretches of undeveloped coast, Quintana Roo still has MANY hidden gems and I spent a month exploring them, while avoiding all the touristy hot spots. The best part? When you get away from the crowded, over-instagrammed beaches, you will meet the friendliest local people who are eager to share their world with you.
Bacalar Lagoon
Do not miss Bacalar lagoon! This was hands-down one of my favourite spots of this trip. Bacalar is a freshwater lagoon that is the colour of the caribbean sea. The water is the perfect temperature, the town is full of delicious and cute restaurants, and it’s very reasonably priced. I don’t know what it will be like in ten years from now and it could totally become overrun the way Tulum now is, but for now, it’s still a perfect slice of paradise. If you’ve visited the east coast of Mexico you probably have waded through a lot of seaweed in the water and on the beaches, which can definitely deter people from going in the water…. no seaweed in Bacalar lagoon because it’s a lake! From sail boats to party boats to floating down a lazy river in an innertube, there is no shortage of aquatic activities to do here.
Where to Stay in Bacalar:
If you are looking for a lively, social hostel experience, definitely stay at Hostel Che in Bacalar town. They have beautiful modern facilities, organized social activities every night and a pool. They also organize a boat party every week, which is super fun. If you are wanting to eat out at restaurants every day or party, I would recommend staying in Bacalar town. There are lots of cute waterfront hotels, there is glamping, there are hostels and plenty of unique and delicious restaurants to try. There is also cute shops to browse as well. If you want a quiet, more tranquil version where you will have the chance to experience life in an authentic Mexican village while still enjoying the beauty of the lake, I would recommend staying in Xul-ha at the southern end of the lake.
Xul-Ha
We spent 2 beautiful weeks in a town called Xul-ha, about 15 minutes driving south of Bacalar on the southern side of the lake. I established the most soul-satisying routine of walking to the local produce shop to collect fresh vegeatbles and eggs for breakfast each morning. Followed by yoga, and then a jump in the lake with Ducky (my dog). In the late afternoon we would usually do an activity which could be taking the bus to Bacalar town for dinner or maybe going out on kayaks or maybe just drinking beers with the friendly locals at the waterfront public park one block from our accommodation. There are several public parks and docks here for swimming whereas in Bacalar you generally have to pay an entry fee (super cheap) or buy a drink at a water-front bar to access the lake. Bacalar has a ton of options for for affordable hotels but we were staying for 2 weeks so we wanted a kitchen and quieter experience. We could not have chosen a better airbnb. We stayed in the cutest 2 bedroom apartment that had an outdoor kitchen and was only one block walk from the public park with docks to jump into the lake. Every single time we went to the park, we were greeted by the friendliest locals I have met in Mexico. Everyone seemed to want to chat with us and be our friend. Locals from either Xul-ha or the city of Chetumal often come here to drink beers in the park and every single time we would meet the friendliest group of them hanging out and they would always offer us beer or a smoke. This is where I really learned about that famous Mexican hospitality. Most people in this town didn’t speak English, but by this point my Spanish was getting fairly passable, so we were actually able to have conversations and make friends.
Where To Stay in Xul-Ha
There are a number of boutique waterfront hotels in Xul-ha. We stayed at an airbnb and it was perhaps one of the best accommodation experiences I have ever had. Our host at our airbnb was hands-down one of the kindest woman I have ever met traveling. I would recommend anyone to go stay with her if you are looking for a quieter experience where you can cook, enjoy nature and true Mexican hospitality. The apartment has a separate entrance and her yard is separated by a fence, but she went above and beyond in so many ways. After having spent 2 months traveling in Mexico at this point, we were starting to feel like we were getting nickeled-and-dimed at a lot of our accommodations, so to come stay at this place where we were treated like family was SO refreshing. Our host, Dona Rosa, made us treats when we arrived, she had a constant supply of free drinking water (this is very rare in Mexico as most places will charge extra), air-conditioning and laundry at no extra charge, and on top of that, the price was so reasonable that I originally thought it must be fake. She could charge way more for her place: a 2 bedroom with a kitchen in an expensive area of Mexico, but she keeps the price low because she says she doesn’t want to make money off people, she just wants them to come and enjoy the area……. Beautiful. After spending two weeks with her, I was teary when we said goodbye. Every once in a while when you are traveling , you meet people who are so generous and kind-hearted that they leave the most most lasting impact of that place and culture…Dona Rosa is one of those people. She makes a delicious breakfast with so much food that you will have leftovers for lunch. Several times she surprised us with treats and on my birthday she made me the most beautiful cake. We had her over for dinner and although she doesn’t speak English, I loved the opportunity to connect with her and practice my Spanish. I would recommend staying at this airbnb for a family with young kids (the yard is fenced) or if you are also a crazy person who travels with their dog like me, or if you are a couple looking for a peaceful escape from the busier town of Bacalar. It’s also a great place to focus and get some work done. I will post a link here soon to the airbnb we stayed at so you can take a look.
What to do in Xul-Ha
Living is easy in the quaint little town of Xul-Ha. There are a couple simple restaurants serving typical dishes of the region (I loved the tostadas at charley’s) but we really enjoyed cooking in our outdoor kitchen most evenings. Everything you could need or want in terms of groceries and alcohol is in this town. There is butcher shop, fruit & veg shop, general stores and liquor stores all within 2 blocks of the airbnb. The town is very small and you can walk everywhere. There are also places that will take you sailing and kayaking so you don’t need to go to the town of Bacalar for that. There’s another place where you pay an entry fee of 50 pesos and they have this huge tower with different levels you can jump off - so fun! This place is called Balneario Lago Azul. Find it on google maps. Definitely an exhilarating and very low cost way to spend the day.
Another activity you can do right in Xul-Ha is a sailing trip with Hakuna sailing. We went on a private sailing tour around the southern lagoon and it was stunning. Our boat driver brought and prepared for us a delicious fruit platter to eat on board. We brought our speaker to play tunes and our own beers, which of course are very cheap from the store and had the most beautiful time. Another activity is kayaking, you can rent them at Rancho Escondido or you can go there just to swim and spend the afternoon for 30 pesos entry fee. A crystal clear creek runs into the lake here, great for snorkelling.
Sailing around beautiful Bacalar lagoon on a private catamaran
Getting to and from Xul-Ha
Of course if you are renting a car or driving your own, it’s easier than ever. But if not, then you can walk up to the main road/highway where you can wave down a passing bus or taxi. The local buses of course are super cheap and will stop if you wave so long as they’re not full. Just keep an eye on your map so you can ask them to stop when you are within walking distance of you destination. For example if you are going to Cocalitos or Los Rapidos, the bus will stop on the main road when you ask them to and then you walk down to the beach.
We would usually stay in Xul-Ha during the day because it was so hot but when it began to cool down in the early evening, sometimes we would hop on a bus to Bacalar to go for dinner or explore the town of Bacalar. Other days we would do something in between, like float the lazy river of Los Rapidos or one of the nearby beaches. Los Rapidos is like a lazy river the flows above stalagmites. Bring goggles so you can dive under the water and get a good look at them. Club de playa Maniantial is a quieter spot and a quicker walk from the main road that is nearby Los Rapidos where you can rent kayaks and head down to Los Rapidos. If you are a confident swimmer you can easily swim there as well. Cocalitos is another place you can check out or spend the day with hammocks and beautiful views. Basically there is no shortage of lakefront swim spots to spend the afternoon in this area, so try to see as many as you can and enjoy! As always, things will be much more crowded on the weekends with many locals coming from nearby cities like Chetumal so if you can visit there surrounding spots and attractions on Monday through Friday, it will be quieter. I would say the weekend is a great time to be out on the water in a kayak or a sailboat where you can escape the business.
Caribbean Coast
A beautiful stretch of undeveloped coastline
There are a few ways to enjoy Mexico’s Caribbean coastline. The first time I visited Mexico, I stayed in an all inclusive in Playa Del Carmen and told myself: never again (unless it was free of course).
On our most recent trip to Mexico, we opted for a different experience : We drove down a dirt road to an off-grid beach front cabana on a remote stretch of coastline an hour south of the nearest town. There is no phone signal at the property and no electricity or wifi in the cabanas. Every cabana has an ocean view and the beach is empty and backed by jungle in either direction as far as the eye can see. We spent our days snorkelling the beautiful reef right in front of the property, kayaking, drinking beers, playing volleyball and eating the delicious, fresh food cooked on site. In the evenings, we watched the moon rise over the ocean, gazed up at the stars, and swapped stories with new friends around the fire. It was probably the most relaxing 5 days of our entire trip. The place we stayed at was called Cabanas Ecoturisticas Costa Maya. It’s not all-inclusive but there is a tab system where you pay for whatever food or drinks you had at the end of your stay so it has that same, laid-back feel as an all-inclusive where you don’t have to think about anything. You can bring your own food and drinks along to save some money as well. There weren’t any cooking facilities for guests to use where we stayed there so if you are bringing food, think sandwiches type thing but you can save a lot of money by opting out of the lunch and making your own, while still partaking in the dinner cooked by staff. You can also save a lot of money by bringing your own drinks. They have a few coolers they lend out to guests but you need to bring your own ice. And if you happen to be travelling with a dog, this place is PARADISE. There are two other super friendly dogs on the property and endless open beach for them to play and run free! If you are travelling with your camping gear, you can also pitch your tent at this property and save a ton of money doing that!
Getting Here: There is no public transportation here so your options are to either rent a car or get a taxi from Mahahual. You can easily take public transportation to Mahahual from wherever you are coming from beforehand or going to after (i.e. ChetumAL, Bacalar, Tulum, Cancun). But you would need a taxi to go south of Mahahual to Cabanas Ecotursitica Maya because it is not actually near a town. We actually took a taxi from Bacalar town to the cabanas and it was around 1000 pesos ($70 CAD). So from Mahahual, you should be able to get it for around $40 if you are willing to negotiate.
To Rent a Car or Not To Rent A Car
If you are hitting up Quintana Roo for a couple weeks and not doing a backpacking trip, it’s a great place to rent a car. The roads are wide, it’s relatively safe for foreign drivers and well-signed. With a car, you can easily access many cenotes for day trips that you wouldn’t otherwise see or that would take a lot more effort to get to via public transportation. Cenotes are fresh water swimming holes in the jungle that are often cave systems in which you can usually jump into. Some are so deep that you can scuba dive in them too. You can get to off the beaten stretches of coast like where we stayed south of Mahahual. You can explore Bacalar Lagoon and surrounding towns and then you can top off your trip by exploring the lesser-known but perhaps even more impressive ruins of Calakmul in Campeche. These Mayan ruins are about a 3 hour drive of Chetumal and are right by the Guatemalan border. In total, they are about an 8 hour drive from Cancun.
Other Noteworthy Spots in Quintana Roo
A couple other beautiful and noteworthy areas in Quinata Roo where you can’t take a rental car are: the Sian Kann biosphere reserve (unless you rent a 4x4) and Holbox island (a car-free island on the north of the Yucatan peninsula that is easily reachable by a 3 hour from Cancun and a ferry ride.
Cabanas Ecoturisticas Maya