Bacalar Lagoon Tour from Costa Maya: Swim & Maya Village

Spend a morning with a Maya family, then swim and kayak Bacalar's turquoise waters

This tour from Costa Maya combines a cultural morning in Chacchoben Village with a local Maya family (where you learn to make tortillas and eat a home-cooked lunch), and an afternoon at Bacalar Seven Color Lagoon for swimming, kayaking or floating. The guide is a certified local, transportation is included, and the tour departs one hour after your cruise arrives, timed to get you back before your ship leaves.

Step-by-step itinerary

Maya culture and Bacalar lagoon visit

• Depart Costa Maya port
• Drive to Chacchoben village
• Meet local Maya family
• Learn about traditions and remedies
• Watch and try tortilla making
• Enjoy authentic home-cooked Maya lunch
• Drive to Bacalar Seven Color Lagoon
• Swim, kayak, float, or relax
• Return to Costa Maya port

The experience

Chacchoben Village is where the day starts. After a 50-minute drive from Costa Maya port, you meet a local Maya family at their home and spend roughly an hour and twenty minutes learning how they live. You'll watch a traditional tortilla-making demonstration and make your own, discover the fresh ingredients and family recipes that go into Maya cooking, then sit down for an authentic home-cooked lunch: tamales and other dishes made with what they grow and prepare. The habanero sauce is optional.

From there, a 25-minute drive takes you to Bacalar Seven Color Lagoon, where the water shifts through shades of turquoise depending on depth and light. You get nearly two hours to move at your own pace: swim in the clear water, take out a kayak to explore the calm shallows, float on a tube, or settle into a lounger with a drink and watch the lagoon. Life jackets are provided and mandatory for water activities. The return drive to Costa Maya is roughly an hour and ten minutes, scheduled so you're back before your cruise departs.

The tour includes round-trip air-conditioned transportation from Plaza Las Fuentes (a 15-minute walk from the main port entrance), a certified local guide in English or Spanish, kayaks and floating tubes, lagoon facilities, bottled water, two alcoholic drinks per guest aged 21 and older, and all the food. Bring a swimsuit, towel, change of clothes, hat and biodegradable sunscreen. The tour runs rain or shine.

What’s included

• Round-trip air-conditioned transportation from the port.
• certified local guide in English or Spanish.
• hands-on tortilla-making demonstration and authentic home-cooked Maya lunch in Chacchoben Village.
• kayaks, floating tubes and loungers at Bacalar.
• bottled water and two alcoholic drinks per guest aged 21 and older.
• lagoon access and facilities.
• life jackets for water activities.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 80

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go 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.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Costa Maya Shore Excursions

Is this one for you?The tour departs from Plaza Las Fuentes just steps from Costa Maya port and returns timed to your ship's schedule, so you don't need a car or separate transport to reach Chacchoben Village and Bacalar. The guide handles the route and timing for you.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

How long does the visit to the Maya family home in Chacchoben Village last?

You spend approximately one hour and twenty minutes with your hosts in Chacchoben, watching a tortilla-making demonstration, trying it yourself, learning about local ingredients and family recipes, and then eating an authentic home-cooked lunch together.

What can I do during the time at Bacalar Seven Color Lagoon?

Bacalar gives you nearly two hours to choose your own pace: swim in the turquoise water, kayak the calm shallows, float on a tube, or relax in a lounger with a drink. Life jackets are provided and required for water activities.

What's included in the lunch at the Maya family home?

The lunch is prepared by your hosts and features traditional dishes made with fresh local ingredients, including tamales and other foods from their family recipes. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available if you request them in advance.

When does the tour depart from Costa Maya port?

The tour departs approximately one hour after your cruise ship arrives in port, leaving from Plaza Las Fuentes, which is just a few steps from the main port entrance. The meeting point is about a 15-minute walk from your ship.

Are alcoholic drinks included?

Guests aged 21 and older receive two alcoholic beverages during the lagoon portion of the tour. Additional premium drinks can be purchased separately.

What should I bring for the water activities?

Bring a swimsuit, personal towel, change of clothes, a hat, and biodegradable sunscreen. Life jackets are provided for all water activities and are mandatory. Children under 10 can kayak with a supervising adult. Children 10 and older can paddle a single kayak alone.