Bacalar is a small and fairly compact town. If you’re staying in the centre or along the waterfront near Ecoparque, you’ll be able to get around on foot most of the time.

You’ll mainly use taxis or Uber when travelling to the bus and train stations, to more distant locations along the lagoon, or to Los Rápidos.

This is another reason why it’s worth giving some thought to your hotel’s location. From accommodation in the centre of Bacalar, you can walk to restaurants, the fortress, the Zócalo and several entrances to the lagoon.

On foot

Bacalar is very easy to get around on foot. The town has pavements, traffic away from the main Road 307 is not particularly heavy, and most of the town centre and the lakeshore are flat.

You can easily walk between the main attractions:

• Parque Principal Zócalo
• Fuerte de San Felipe
• Ecoparque Bacalar
• Balneario Ejidal Mágico
• restaurants, public jetties and the central stretch of the coast

We also walked through ordinary residential streets away from the tourist centre, and Bacalar struck us as very safe everywhere we went. Nowhere did we come across a neighbourhood or street where we didn’t feel comfortable.

I’d also expected to see far more stray dogs. We came across a few, but they were either lazily dozing by the roadside or paid no attention at all to passers-by.

The only real enemy of walking is the heat. During the day, it’s a good idea to carry water and wear a hat, as there isn’t much shade on all the streets. After heavy rain, some unpaved streets can also get quite muddy.

Taxis

Given how small Bacalar is, I was surprised by the number of taxis. We saw them quite often during the day and even came across a few empty ones by chance in residential streets.

You can hail a taxi by waving it down in the street, but I wouldn’t rely on that entirely. There are two more reliable options:

• Ask the hotel reception to call a taxi for you
• Walk to the taxi rank next to the main square, the Zócalo

Taxis are available day and night, and even early in the morning. This makes them the most reliable option when travelling to catch an early morning bus or train.

Of course, don’t expect to find taximeters here. Fares are based on local zones, but always agree on the exact amount before getting in. Pay in cash in Mexican pesos, and it’s a good idea to have smaller notes to hand.

Taxi drivers generally don’t speak much English. It’s enough to show your destination on your phone, but it’s worth knowing at least the basic Spanish numbers – for example, treinta (30), cincuenta (50), cien (100) or doscientos (200).

Taxi fares in Bacalar

As a guide, expect to pay the following prices for a whole car:

Route	Taxi fare
Short journey in the city centre	30 mxn up to 35 mxn
City centre–ADO or a more distant part of the coast	50 mxn
Citycentre–Cenote Azul	50 mxn up to 60 mxn
Citycentre–Cenote Cocalitos	50 mxn to 60 mxn
Centre–Los Rápidos	250 mxn to 350 mxn

At Los Rápidos, make sure to arrange your return journey with the driver straight away. There are usually no empty taxis waiting there, and it may take a while to book another one.

Uber

Uber was probably the biggest transport surprise for me in Bacalar. You’ll still come across claims online that it doesn’t work here, but this information is out of date.

We used Uber three times and had no problems on any of those occasions.

On one occasion, we travelled from the centre to the boarding point for a lagoon cruise on the very northern edge of the town, a journey of about 50 mxn. We also took an Uber to the railway station early in the morning.

There are, of course, far fewer cars than in Cancún or other large cities. We found the best availability on the app between about 8.00 and 23.00. Outside these times, a car may arrive, but I wouldn’t rely on it without allowing plenty of time.

The official Uber app quotes an average price of around 65 mxn. The actual price varies depending on the distance and the current availability of drivers.

The advantages of Uber here are the same as elsewhere:

• You know the price before you book
• You pay by card via the app
• You don’t need to speak Spanish
• You can see the car’s location and the driver’s details

When travelling outside the city, expect a longer wait for your return journey. At Cenote Azul, we waited more than 20 minutes for an Uber. At Los Rápidos, I wouldn’t rely on Uber being available at all.

Bicycles and scooters

Bacalar is flat, so a bike can be a pleasant alternative for longer journeys along the coast. Some hotels lend bikes free of charge; at standard hire shops, they cost around 100 mxn to 200 mxn per day.

We didn’t need to hire bikes. We had no trouble walking through the town centre, Ecoparque and the northern part of the coast.

When cycling, watch out for potholes, unpaved kerbs and junctions with poor visibility. I wouldn’t choose to cycle to Los Rápidos – part of the route follows the busy Road 307.

You can also hire a scooter. Depending on the type, a day’s hire costs around 350 mxn to 650 mxn. It’s unnecessary for the town centre itself, but comes in handy for trips to Cenote Azul, Cocalitos or more distant parts of the coast.

Hired car

You don’t need a car in the centre of Bacalar. It mainly makes sense if Bacalar is one of the stops on a longer road trip, or if you want to visit Los Rápidos, Cocalitos, Cenote Azul and other nearby places in a single day.

If you’re staying in Bacalar on your own, we wouldn’t hire a car just for getting around town. Taxis and Uber are cheaper, and you don’t have to worry about parking.

If you’re planning to travel further into Quintana Roo or Yucatán, compare car hire prices on Booking.com.

Local transport

There is no traditional public transport system in Bacalar.

Regional colectivos and minibuses run along the main road 307 towards Chetumal, Limones or Felipe Carrillo Puerto, but they are not suitable for everyday travel around Bacalar.

Shuttle buses from the Tren Maya trains only run between the railway station and the ADO terminal. They do not go to hotels, the Zócalo or the lagoon, so they cannot be considered part of the city’s transport system. We provide further details in the section ‘How to get to Bacalar’.

Which mode of transport to choose

Where are you going?	Best transport
Zócalo, the fortress, Ecoparque and the city centre	On foot
ADO bus terminal	Taxi or Uber
Railway station	Uber or taxi
The northern part of the coast and remote boat departure points	Uber or taxi
Cenote Azul and Cocalitos	Uber, taxi or scooter
Los Rápidos	Taxi with a pre-arranged return journey, hire car or organised tour

If you don’t want to worry about transport to and from Los Rápidos, have a look at the tours from Bacalar with transport included on GetYourGuide.

In our opinion, the ideal combination is a mix of walking and Uber. You can walk through the town centre, short journeys are cheap, and a traditional taxi remains a reliable option for late at night, early in the morning or for trips out of town.