Bacalar Lagoon pontoon tour: Lake of Seven Colors

Five cenotes and a pirate canal in one morning on the water

A pontoon tour of Bacalar Lagoon in Quintana Roo takes you past five cenotes and through the pirate canal in two and a half hours, with a live guide in English or Spanish, swimming time at Cocalitos, and hotel pickup included. The boat stops at each cenote to observe the landscape (from the black-water depths to the emerald shallows where stromatolites grow), and passes an island sanctuary for migratory birds. Drinks, snacks and a life jacket are provided.

Step-by-step itinerary

Pontoon tour of Bacalar Lagoon

• Observe deepest cenote and mangroves
• Admire emerald green cenote and hotel
• View smallest cenote and stromatolites
• Swim near Cocalitos spa
• Appreciate island with migratory birds
• Visit pirate canal and swim

The experience

The tour runs across the Lake of Seven Colors, the lagoon's formal name, and the color shifts are real: you move from deep black cenotes ringed by mangroves to bright emerald shallows where you can see the bottom. The first stop is the deepest cenote in the lagoon, a black-water sinkhole where mangroves line the edges and wildlife stays hidden in the vegetation. Next is the largest cenote, an emerald green expanse where the first hotel ever built in Bacalar sits on the shore. You stop to take in the views. The third cenote is the smallest and shallowest, and this is where stromatolites live, layered rock formations that rank among the oldest life forms on the planet.

After the cenotes, you swim in front of the Cocalitos spa in the clear lagoon water, then cruise past an island that serves as a sanctuary for migratory birds: gulls, pelicans, herons, and occasionally pink spatulas that resemble flamingos. The final stop is the pirate canal at the lagoon's entrance, where 17th-century pirates once sailed in. The ruins of a ship-shaped structure still stand there, and the water often holds catfish. You get time to swim here as well. The captain stays attentive to what you want to see and do, and the boat carries soda, bottled water, beer, optional tequila shots and snacks for the ride.

A live guide speaks English or Spanish throughout, and pickup from your hotel is included in the booking. Life jackets are provided and the pontoon itself is wheelchair accessible, as are all surfaces on board.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup.
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• life jacket.
• soda, bottled water, two beers and optional tequila shot.
• snacks.
• access to five cenote stops and the pirate canal with swimming time at two locations.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Wednesday

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Child (3 to 8 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 13

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Bacalareando Tours Bacalar

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guided boat tour covering multiple lagoon zones in one morning, leaving your afternoon free for exploring Bacalar town.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 8 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the cenotes on the Bacalar Lagoon tour actually like?

The deepest cenote has black water and mangrove borders; the largest is emerald green with the lagoon's oldest hotel on its shore; the smallest and shallowest holds stromatolites, ancient layered rock formations considered some of the oldest life on Earth. Each stop is for viewing and photography, and two of them allow swimming.

How much time do I spend swimming on this tour?

You swim at two points: once in front of the Cocalitos spa in the open lagoon, and again at the pirate canal stop at the lagoon's entrance. The exact duration at each depends on the group and the captain's judgment, but both are built into the two-and-a-half-hour itinerary.

Does the tour include drinks and snacks?

Yes. The pontoon carries soda, bottled water, two beers per person, and snacks. Tequila shots are available as an optional add-on. A refrigerator keeps drinks cold throughout the tour.

What wildlife might I see on the Bacalar Lagoon tour?

An island sanctuary on the route hosts migratory birds including gulls, pelicans, herons, and occasionally pink spatulas that resemble flamingos. The pirate canal and deeper cenotes sometimes show catfish and other fish species, though sightings depend on the day and time.