Tucked away on Mexico’s lesser-explored Caribbean frontier, Bacalar, is a world apart from the mass-tourism magnet of nearby Tulum. Here, life unfolds within the Mayan Jungle to the gentle rhythm of water and wind.
At the heart of this sleepy town lies the Lagoon of Seven Colours – a vast freshwater lagoon that sways between aquamarine, jade, and sapphire depending on the angle of the sun. Beneath its glassy surface, ancient stromatolites (the oldest living organisms on earth) quietly filter the water, maintaining a delicate balance in this extraordinary ecosystem.
For mindful travellers seeking an escape from the constant hum of modern life, Bacalar offers something rare – not just tranquillity, but purpose. The lagoon, surrounded by mangroves and lush jungle, is fiercely protected by the local community who, recognising the perils of unchecked tourism elsewhere in the Yucatán, have chosen a different path.
In recent years, a wave of eco-visionaries has reimagined Bacalar as a haven for slow, responsible tourism. Forget beach clubs and mega-resorts, Bacalar’s charm lies in its small-scale eco-lodges, its emphasis on silence and connection to nature, and its community-driven ethos.
Solar-powered lodges, composting toilets, water conservation systems, and community-led environmental initiatives have become the norm. The movement is less about exclusivity and more about integrity, which in turn create meaningful holidays that give back as much as they take.
Mornings start with the call of herons and the rustle of palm fronds, and the days are filled with walks in the wilderness or paddling silently across still waters where no petrol motors are allowed.
Bacalar invites you to experience travel differently. Mornings start with the call of herons and the rustle of palm fronds, and the days are filled with walks in the wilderness or paddling silently across still waters where no petrol motors are allowed. You can then swim in crystalline shallows where the water is so clear you’ll spot schools of tiny fish darting past the deep, ancient stromatolites. When the sun sets, a golden glow bathes the lagoon, and the town’s rhythms slow to a hush, inviting travellers to do the same.
Depending on if your ideal escape involves waking to the calming laps of the lagoon or the untamed beauty of the jungle, we’ve narrowed down two eco-luxury hideaways that will leave you with irreplaceable memories and a minimal footprint.
Boca de Agua – For the Jungle Adventures
Situated in the heart of the Mayan jungle is the stunningly innovative yet authentically beautiful, Boca de Agua. This open plan, design led retreat was conceived by renowned architect Frida Escobedo and built using locally sourced, tropical hardwoods from nearby FSC certified tree farms while preserving 90 per cent of the original land.
Perched at the meeting point of jungle and lagoon, this stylish eco-retreat offers treehouse cabins that blend seamlessly with the surrounding forest and are purpose built on stilts to minimise their impact. In fact, during construction not a single mangrove plant was removed or damaged on the property, and one hectare that had been previously impacted by human activity, was replanted.
You could lose hours watching for the protected Spider Monkeys swinging through the trees above your hammock or cool off in the rippling waters of your own plunge pool
From your private terrace, the soundtrack is pure jungle: birdsong at sunrise and the chorus of cicadas after dusk. You could lose hours watching for the protected Spider Monkeys swinging through the trees above your hammock or cool off in the rippling waters of your own plunge pool.
Should you want to step away from your beautiful treehouse, your own private Cenote – a natural underground reservoir of water – is just a few steps away, tucked slightly further into the blankets of surrounding forest. Here you will only fleetingly remember you’re at a resort thanks to the incredible staff who have water, towels and beds ready for after your dip. For all other intents and purposes, you could well be deep within the Amazon.
The internal debate of whether to spend your day curled up on an over water bean-bed at the main pool, or on the deck by the lagoon’s serene shoreline is one you will definitely wrangle with – and only has one conclusion – factor a day to spend at each.
There are plenty of activities on offer at Boca De Agua, including solar-powered boat excursions, exploring nearby cenotes, and tours to learn about the Maya ruins. But our favourites had to be the Sunrise Kayak Explore and the Chef led Cooking Class.
Starting your day at 6am, in the pitch black of the jungle turns very quickly from slightly eery to the most beautiful experience imagined. An expert guide helps you settle into a kayak and then quietly tells you the history of the lagoon as you paddle through the calm morning waters. Before your eyes, the sky changes from black, to indigo to purple, brightens slightly to pink, and then shifts to a light orange as the sun slowly starts to wake up.
You’ll have found yourself in an ancient lagoon Cenote at this point, and handed a morning coffee so you can sit and watch the sun rise from the peace of your kayak. Once the sun lightens the surroundings, you find yourself in a white clay bottomed lagoon filled with stromatolites, fish and the rare but occasional roaming turtle. An ethereal moment not to be missed.
Much like the sunrise kayak, food at Boca de Agua is also an experience. Boasting a Michelin Key restaurant, Flora, here foodies can enjoy some of the most vibrant flavours of Mexico all home grown on-site or locally sourced. There is a consciously curated menu for both vegetarians and vegans and if you book the Chef led Cooking Class, you can prepare some regional dishes yourself and learn about native ingredients.
From start to finish, Boca de Agua is wholeheartedly committed to preserving Bacalar’s delicate environment. Solar panels, rainwater collection, and sustainable waste management are standard, while amenities and consumables are custom made with natural and biodegradable materials.
It’s a modern eco-luxe retreat rooted in traditions, for travellers who want to gently reconnect with nature without forgoing modern comforts.
Jungle Treehouse – Approximately AED900 per night (Two nights minimum stay)
For more information visit bocadeagua.com
Azul Nomeolvides – For the Water Explorers
Craving a genuine off-grid, lakeside escape? Then Azul Nomeolvides is Bacalar’s hidden gem. Perched on the cliff face of the strikingly blue water, this resort offers a collection of beautifully crafted A-Frame Cabanas made entirely from local materials, nestled in the wilderness.
The entire eco-retreat operates under a strict low-impact philosophy powered by 18 solar panels, with the absence of WiFi not an inconvenience, but an invitation. Time here isn’t measured by emails and notifications, but by the movement of the sun across the water and the changing palette of blues beneath your feet. While WFI is available in the resort’s cafe, Azul Nomeolvides provides the digital detox you have long been searching for, set in the most stunning surroundings.
On arrival guests are greeted by Sam and Bernie, the warm local hosts and their adorable dogs, and offered a delicious, native hibiscus welcome drink at the reception café. Here you’ll find yourself curious about everything else on their incredible menu, curated entirely around local cuisine.
Meals here are made from organic, locally sourced produce from farmers in Bacalar and shared at communal tables designed to spark connection. Azul also only employs people from the local community, so meals are also made authentically. We highly recommend the hibiscus tacos and palm stem tostadas.
Accommodation comes in the form of eco-chic wooden cabanas designed to blend harmoniously with nature. The design led interior and open bathroom is striking but the in-room hammock is the cherry on the cake. Here, guests can fall asleep to the gentle sound of waves lapping beneath you, and wake to soft dawn light painting the lagoon in multiple shades of blue.
As part of their sustainable commitment, Azul has a zero-plastic policy and only uses organic, biodegradable and environment friendly products in their private jungle rooms.
Here you can enjoy the slow life on your private wooden deck, the perfect place to meditate, journal, practise yoga under the open sky, or enjoy the simple pleasure of doing nothing at all.
Venturing out from the gorgeous cabins, the walkway down to the lagoon is a must. The partially submerged hammocks and lake platforms provide a peaceful setting to simply float in the lagoon’s mineral-rich waters. Kayaks are left at the deck all day so guests can explore hidden cenotes, paddle out to watch the sun rise, or watch the sunset against the backdrop of Bacalar’s lagoon.
With just a brief glance around the resort you would never know the eco-efforts going on behind the scenes.
Just across from the café is the zero waste compost heap for all food waste, the water well at the entrance has an eco-pump to supply water to the whole area and there is an ISO certified water treatment system built under the decking that treats all wastewater. According to their app, monitoring the resort’s footprint, in just one year they have had a co2 reduction of 1765kg and saved 243 trees from deforestation with their sustainable practices. But visibly, the guests enjoy a rustic luxurious stay in paradise.
At this unique, sustainable boutique retreat on Bacalar’s blue lake you will find in the stillness, something unexpected – a gentle recalibration, a reminder of what it feels like to simply be. And as the stars scatter across the ink-black sky, mirrored perfectly in the lagoon below, you realise that here, doing less feels like gaining more.
Lagoon Front Cabana, Approximately AED800 per night (Two nights minimum stay).
For more information visit azulnomeolvides.com
