Cenote Bacalar, Quintana Roo Municipality of Bacalar Bacalar Lagoon
A small lakeside swimming spot south of Bacalar town with a cenote, hammocks and swings over the water, and one of the lagoon's best stromatolite beds.
From Chetumal: 35 min by car (36 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Plan your visit to Cocalitos
Where to stay near Cocalitos
Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Cocalitos.
Tours to Cocalitos
Day trips and guided outings from Bacalar often include Cocalitos; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Bacalar Lagoon & Cenotes Boat Tour with Open Bar and Snacks
★ 4.9 (1,175) · From US$53
How to get to Cocalitos
- From Chetumal: about 35 min by road (~36 km)
- Nearest airport: Chetumal (CTM), 31 min by car to Bacalar
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Popular tours to Cocalitos
Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.
About Cocalitos
Cocalitos is a simple balneario on the western shore of Laguna de Bacalar, about two and a half kilometres south of the town centre and a few hundred metres from Cenote Azul. It takes its name from the private land you cross to reach it, and it sits beside one of the cenotes that open inside the lagoon and feed it with spring water, so the shallow turquoise near the shore gives way quickly to deep blue.
What makes it special is the stromatolites. Along the shore are low, pale, rounded mounds that look like ordinary rocks but are living structures built very slowly by microbial mats, one of the oldest forms of life on Earth, and Cocalitos is known locally as a stromatolite sanctuary. Ropes and signs mark them off: you enter the water only in the marked areas and must not touch or stand on them, and you are asked to swim without sunscreen, repellent or lotion.
The place itself is low-key: grass, a few palapas, swings and hammocks hung over the water, restrooms, showers and a small bar or restaurant; some sources mention camping too. It is not a large beach club, which is part of the appeal. Pontoon tours from town also stop offshore for a look at the stromatolites.
How to get to Cocalitos
Drive from Chetumal: 35 min, 36 km
Cocalitos is about 2.5 km south of Bacalar's centre off the Boulevard Costero, the lakeside road that also passes Cenote Azul; a taxi takes about 10 minutes, and it is wise to arrange the ride back in advance. It can also be reached by boat on lagoon tours. Bacalar is on Highway 307, about 40 km north of Chetumal.
Directions to Cocalitos on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Cocalitos
- Chetumal · 36 km by road, 35 min
- Playa del Carmen · 283 km by road, 3 h 45 min
- Valladolid · 269 km by road, 3 h 55 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Cocalitos: hours, prices and tips
- Hours
- Usually open daily 10:00–17:00. Cestee (2026) · checked Oct 2026
- Entry
- Entry about 100 pesos per adult, cash only. Cestee (2026) · checked Oct 2026
- What to bring
- Cash for the entry fee; facilities are restrooms, showers and a small bar. Cestee (2026) · checked Oct 2026
- Rules
- Enter the water only in the marked areas, do not cross the ropes, and do not touch or step on the stromatolites; no sunscreen, insect repellent or body lotion in the water. Cestee (2026) · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Cocalitos: what to see and do
The stromatolites along the shore, seen from the marked swimming areas
The swings and hammocks hung over the shallow turquoise water
A swim or snorkel where the shallows drop off into the cenote
The view up the lagoon toward Bacalar town
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Cocalitos
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Cocalitos.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Bacalar often include Cocalitos; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at CTM (Chetumal): about 31 min by road to Bacalar, then 3 km more to Cocalitos, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Chetumal (CTM), about 31 min by road from Bacalar, the base for Cocalitos.
Travel insurance
If you plan on swimming or snorkeling at Cocalitos, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Bacalar: download a map of the way to Cocalitos before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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Photos
When to go to Cocalitos warm
Cocalitos shares the climate of Bacalar, 3 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
Underground water keeps much the same temperature all year, so Cocalitos is good in any month and coolest to visit in the hottest ones (April, May, and June).
See the month-by-month climate of Bacalar
Weather in Cocalitos now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Bacalar
Bacalar is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Cocalitos, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Closest to Cocalitos
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Cenote Azul · Cenote · 0 km away
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Isla de los Pájaros · Island · 2 km away
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Canal de los Piratas · Lagoon · 4 km away
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Los Rápidos · Lake · 7 km away
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Laguna de Bacalar · Lagoon · 15 km away
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Laguna Milagros · Lake · 16 km away
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Oxtankah · Archaeological site · 19 km away
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Calderitas · Village · 20 km away
Near Cocalitos
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Lists with Cocalitos
Cenotes in Quintana Roo · 10Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.