Village Othón P. Blanco, Quintana Roo Municipality of Othón P. Blanco Bacalar Lagoon
Village at the southern tip of Laguna Bacalar, with a fishermen's pier, stromatolites and a balneario, 15 minutes from Bacalar.
From Chetumal: about 20 min by road (~25 km) How to get there ↓
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Where to stay near Xul-Ha
Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Xul-Ha.
Tours to Xul-Ha
Day trips and guided outings from Bacalar often include Xul-Ha; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
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How to get to Xul-Ha
- From Chetumal: about 20 min by road (~25 km)
- Nearest airport: Chetumal (CTM), 31 min by car to Bacalar
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Popular tours to Xul-Ha
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About Xul-Ha
Xul-Ha means "end of the water" in Maya, and it is meant literally: the village sits at the southern tip of Laguna Bacalar, where the long chain of turquoise water ends. It belongs to Othón P. Blanco municipality, was founded in 1961 and had 2,037 residents at the 2010 census. People here live from cattle farming and, increasingly, from tourism, which is still far less crowded than in the town of Bacalar.
The lagoon is the reason to come. Fishermen at the pier take visitors out in boats or kayaks, and you can also paddle on your own. This end of the lagoon holds one of the largest clusters of stromatolite islets in the area: mineral structures built by cyanobacteria, often called living fossils. They are fragile, so look but do not stand on them. On the shore is Balneario Buenavista, with water slides, pools, loungers and restaurants, and several ecotourism centres on the Ruta Ha trail offer cabins, camping, bicycle rental and food, from meat and Mexican dishes to seafood and vegan plates.
For swimming, bring a swimsuit (ordinary clothes are not allowed in the water), biodegradable sunscreen, insect repellent and a bag to carry your rubbish out. Holy Week and long weekends bring more visitors; the rest of the year it is a quiet place to spend a day, close to Los Rápidos and the town of Bacalar.
How to get to Xul-Ha
From Chetumal take federal Highway 307 toward Cancún; you pass the turn-off to Belize and the one to Huay-Pix, then keep straight on to the community of Xul-Ha. It is 23 km and about 25 minutes by road. From Bacalar it is 16 km and about 15 minutes south on the same Highway 307. There is no bus terminal in the village: buses and colectivos between Chetumal and Bacalar use the 307, but sources disagree on whether any run directly to the lagoon, so the safe options are a car, a taxi or a tour from Bacalar. Ask locally before counting on a colectivo.
Directions to Xul-Ha on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Xul-Ha
- Chetumal · about 25 km by road, ~20 min
- Valladolid · about 310 km by road, ~4 h 35 min
- Campeche · about 340 km by road, ~5 h
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Xul-Ha: hours, prices and tips
- Best season
- Busier during Holy Week. Ruptura 360 · checked Oct 2026
- What to bring
- A swimsuit (ordinary clothes are not allowed in the water), biodegradable sunscreen, insect repellent and a bag to take your rubbish with you. Ruptura 360 · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Xul-Ha: what to see and do
The fishermen's pier and boat or kayak rides on the lagoon.
The stromatolite islets, the lagoon's "living fossils".
Balneario Buenavista, with slides, pools and restaurants.
The Ruta Ha centres: cabins, camping and bicycle rental.
The town of Bacalar and Los Rápidos, a few minutes up the road.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Xul-Ha
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Xul-Ha.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Bacalar often include Xul-Ha; 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 16 km more to Xul-Ha, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Chetumal (CTM), about 31 min by road from Bacalar, the base for Xul-Ha.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Bacalar: download a map of the way to Xul-Ha before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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When to go to Xul-Ha warm
Xul-Ha shares the climate of Bacalar, 16 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Bacalar
Weather in Xul-Ha 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 Xul-Ha, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Closest to Xul-Ha
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Los Rápidos · Lake · 5 km away
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Laguna Milagros · Lake · 7 km away
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Subteniente López · City · 10 km away
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Cenote Azul · Cenote · 12 km away
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Cocalitos · Cenote · 12 km away
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Isla de los Pájaros · Island · 14 km away
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Canal de los Piratas · Lagoon · 16 km away
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Centro Histórico de Chetumal · Landmark · 19 km away
Near Xul-Ha
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.