Regular boat trips moor in the wide, shallow section at the entrance to the Pirate Canal and the famous unfinished structure. That’s exactly how our visit went – we went for a swim by the canal, but we didn’t actually sail through it.

If you want to travel through it all the way to the calmer Mariscal Lagoon, the safest option is a kayak or a paddleboard.

Compare boat trips around the lagoon

Either book a trip that explicitly includes a passage through the canal and a visit to Mariscal Lagoon in its itinerary (though we couldn’t find one), or hire a kayak for at least half a day.

From the shore in the centre of Bacalar, it’s about a 45–60-minute paddle one way to the canal, and the whole circuit takes roughly three to four hours.

It is possible to go on your own, but the route takes you across the open part of the lagoon. Set off early in the morning, only when the wind is light, take a life jacket, water and a waterproof bag, and ask the rental shop to show you the exact route.

There is no land access to the canal and there is no entrance fee. Motorboats require a permit to enter, and access to areas marked by protective buoys is strictly prohibited.

We show what a typical stop along the canal looks like during a cruise in the article ‘Our experience of a boat trip on the lagoon’.

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Bacalar.