Bacalar: Ichkabal Ruins & Los Rapidos Day Trip with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.98 (94 reviews) 98% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pickLikely to sell out

1/22

Duration8h

GroupUp to 10

LanguagesEN · FR +1

PickupAt your hotel

Walk ancient Mayan ruins float Bacalar’s turquoise channel eat fresh fruit

You’ll walk among ancient Mayan pyramids at Ichkabal near Bacalar, taste fresh fruit and local coffee for breakfast, then float or swim in the turquoise waters of Los Rapidos—all with hotel pickup and entry fees sorted for you. Expect small surprises—a fox sighting or new flavors—and moments of real calm as you drift along the lagoon’s gentle current.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ichkabal Ruins and Los Rápidos Tour

Hotel pickup in Bacalar
Visit Ichkabal Mayan ruins
Explore temples and jungle
Enjoy local breakfast
Travel to Los Rápidos lagoon
Swim or float in lagoon
Relax at restaurant and bar
Hotel drop-off in Bacalar

The Experience

I didn’t expect to hear howler monkeys before I’d even had coffee, but that’s how our day started near Bacalar. We got picked up early—still a bit groggy—and drove out past quiet villages until the jungle thickened. Our guide, Diego, pointed out a fox darting across the road (I missed it, everyone else saw). The air was heavy with that green smell you only get in the tropics. At Ichkabal, I tried to imagine what it must’ve felt like for the first archaeologists who found these pyramids buried under vines. We were allowed to climb one—my legs are still reminding me about that—but the view from up top was wild: just endless trees, and somewhere far off, a few birds making a racket.

After wandering through old plazas and half-listening to Diego’s stories about Mayan politics (he really loves the nerdy details), we sat down for breakfast under a palapa roof. Fresh fruit, strong coffee, toast with chocolate spread—simple but exactly what I wanted after sweating through my shirt. I tried some local juice (Diego called it “agua de chaya”—I probably butchered that when I repeated it). There was this quiet moment where nobody talked, just forks scraping plates and someone’s phone buzzing softly in the background.

The second half of the day trip to Bacalar was all about Los Rapidos. It’s this narrow stretch of water where you can literally just let yourself float along—the current does most of the work. The water is so clear you see your own toes wiggling below; honestly, it felt kind of silly how much we laughed trying to stay upright on slippery rocks. There’s a restaurant right by the channel if you want cold beer or something stronger. Some people kayaked but I just floated for ages, sun on my face, listening to wind in the palms and thinking about nothing at all. That feeling stuck with me longer than I expected.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Bacalar, all entrance fees to both Ichkabal ruins and Los Rapidos lagoon channel, a traditional breakfast with fresh fruit and coffee under a palapa roof after exploring the ruins, plus use of a life jacket and snorkeling mask while floating or swimming in crystal-clear water—and even drone shots if you want them as a keepsake before heading back home in an air-conditioned vehicle.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by mehran