Costa Maya Shore Excursion: Bacalar Lagoon and Mayan Village

Meet a Mayan family, make tortillas, then kayak a seven-color lagoon

This shore excursion from Costa Maya combines a visit to Chacchoben Village with a local Mayan family (where you learn traditional cooking, make tortillas, and eat a home-cooked lunch) followed by swimming, kayaking, and relaxation at Bacalar Lagoon. The tour departs one hour after your cruise ship arrives and includes round-trip transport, all meals and beverages, kayak and tube rentals, and a certified guide in English or Spanish.

Step-by-step itinerary

Mayan culture and Bacalar Lagoon visit

• Travel from Costa Maya to Chacchoben Village
• Meet local Mayan family and learn traditions
• Watch and try making traditional tortillas
• Enjoy home-cooked lunch with family
• Travel to Bacalar Lagoon
• Swim, kayak, or relax at Lake Shore Club
• Return to Costa Maya

The experience

Bacalar Lagoon and Chacchoben Village sit on opposite ends of what this excursion covers: one is living culture, the other is natural landscape, and the route between them takes about 75 minutes of driving total. You start in Chacchoben, a working village where a local Mayan family opens their home. The guide walks you through how they prepare traditional dishes, then you stand at the counter and make your own tortillas before sitting down to lunch: fresh ingredients, family recipes, the kind of meal that does not appear on a restaurant menu. After eating, the vehicle heads toward Bacalar Lagoon, the famous Seven Color Lagoon, named for the shifting blues and greens the shallow water reflects depending on where you stand and what the light is doing.

At Bacalar, you have roughly two hours at the Lake Shore Club, a facility right on the lagoon shore with direct water access. Swim in the freshwater lagoon, take out a complimentary kayak or tube, or settle into a lounger with a drink and watch the water. The club provides life jackets, loungers, kayaks, tubes, soft drinks, and two alcoholic beverages per adult guest (21+). Non-alcoholic options include horchata and hibiscus water. Children under 10 can kayak only with a supervising adult in a double kayak, and the weight limits are 220 pounds for a single kayak or 270 pounds combined for a double. If weather turns unsafe (wind, lightning), water activities pause or stop, though the lagoon itself remains accessible.

The whole day runs about five and a half hours from the moment you leave the port. Transportation departs from Plaza Las Fuentes, a few steps from the main port entrance, one hour after your ship docks. The walk from the ship to the meeting point is roughly 15 minutes. An air-conditioned vehicle handles the round-trip, so you sit back during the return journey. Bring a swimsuit, towel, change of clothes, hat, and biodegradable sunscreen. The tour runs rain or shine. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available if you request them in advance, and you can arrange additional premium alcoholic drinks at checkout.

What’s included

• Round-trip air-conditioned transport from Costa Maya port.
• certified tour guide in English or Spanish.
• authentic home-cooked Mayan lunch with traditional dishes and local ingredients.
• tortilla-making demonstration and hands-on experience.
• kayaks, tubes, and life jackets.
• access to Bacalar Lagoon with loungers and club facilities.
• soft drinks, bottled water, horchata, hibiscus water, and two alcoholic drinks per adult guest (21+).

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 today

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availableNot for heart conditions

Operated by Caribbean Shore Excursions

Is this one for you?Book this excursion if you want a small-group tour that balances cultural immersion with water recreation and you have a flexible schedule within your port time. The fixed departure one hour after your ship docks and the return timed to the port means you stay connected to your cruise, and the mix of family lunch and lagoon time fits inside a single afternoon without rushing either experience.

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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 (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What is Bacalar Lagoon and why is it called the Seven Color Lagoon?

Bacalar Lagoon is a freshwater lake in the Yucatan known for the shifting shades of blue and green visible across its shallow waters, which change appearance depending on depth, light, and viewing angle: earning it the name Seven Color Lagoon. It was once a strategic route and haven for pirates.

Do I have time to kayak at Bacalar if I'm on a cruise ship?

Yes. The excursion is designed for cruise guests and departs one hour after your ship arrives, giving you roughly two hours at the lagoon for swimming, kayaking, or relaxing before the return journey back to port, timed to get you back with buffer time before departure.

What happens during the visit to Chacchoben Village?

You meet a local Mayan family at their home, learn about their traditions and daily life, watch a tortilla-making demonstration, make your own tortillas, and then sit down with them for an authentic home-cooked lunch prepared with fresh local ingredients and family recipes.

What is included in the price at Bacalar Lagoon?

Access to the Lake Shore Club includes use of loungers, kayaks, tubes, and life jackets; soft drinks and bottled water; and two alcoholic drinks per guest aged 21 and older (non-alcoholic options like horchata and hibiscus water are also available).

Are there restrictions on who can kayak?

Children must be at least 10 years old to paddle a single kayak alone. Younger children may kayak in a double kayak with a supervising adult. Pregnant guests cannot kayak. Single kayaks have a 220-pound weight limit. Double kayaks accommodate up to 270 pounds combined. Life jackets are mandatory for all water activities.

What should I bring and what should I know about the weather?

Bring a swimsuit, personal towel, change of clothes, hat, and biodegradable sunscreen. The tour operates rain or shine, so dress for the weather. Water activities may be restricted if local authorities suspend them due to wind, lightning, or unsafe conditions, though you can still access the lagoon shore.