7 Ancient Ruins Tours in Bacalar That Repay the Booking

1.One Day Tour to Chacchoben Mayan City and Bacalar Lagoon with a Certified Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 372 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $119Our pick

Travel from Costa Maya to Chacchoben with guides such as Erick, Yoshi, Joel, or Diego, then cool off at Bacalar Lagoon. Expect Mayan temples, jungle wildlife, a fajita lunch with aguas frescas, kayaks, and about two hours on the road each way. Bring water shoes and allow extra time for the cruise-port return.

“Erick was so knowledgeable and the entire team was so nice! Great excursion visiting the Mayan Ruins and Bacalar.”

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2.Chacchoben & Bacalar Combo Excursion Costa Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 338 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $160Top rated

Travel from Costa Maya to Chacchoben with guides such as Juan, Leo, or Carol, then continue to Bacalar Lagoon for a pontoon ride, swimming, fresh fruit, and lunch at a local restaurant. Small groups, air-conditioned transport, drinks, and round-trip port transfers make this a full but rewarding seven-hour day.

“Leo was excellent and the food was great. Baccalar lagoon was very beautiful. Would recommend this company for your tour”

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3.Calakmul Ruins Expedition & Jungle Trek

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 144 reviews · 12 hours · from $163

Travel from Bacalar, Chetumal, or Xul-Ha to remote Calakmul with a local English or Spanish-speaking guide. Expect a long but comfortable day, a jungle walk, wildlife spotting, Mayan temples, and a climb up Structure II. Guides such as Armando, Gerardo, and Argeo add local insight that makes the reserve and ruins easier to understand.

“The tour was absolutely incredible! We were picked up from our hostel right on time at 6 a.m. and began the journey to Calakmul. Upon arriving in the park, we immediately spotted some wildlife, and the visit to the archaeological site was thorough, thanks to the guide’s explanations and the stunning beauty of the place. We were lucky enough to see several groups of spider monkeys and a few endemic ocellated turkeys. It’s truly a magical place, and I highly recommend visiting it with an expert, as they make the experience even more enjoyable.”

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4.Chacchoben Ruins and Bacalar Lagoon Boat Excursion from Costa Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 117 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $169

Travel from Costa Maya to Chacchoben for a guided walk among Maya temples, then cruise Bacalar Lagoon, swim in its seven shades of blue, and enjoy fruit, tacos, beer, tequila, and soft drinks. Guides such as Jhoana, Ivan, Charlie, and Octavio have earned praise, though meeting-point directions can be unclear.

“Guide was great; very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend. The ruins were great and great for teenagrrs”

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5.Mahahual: Chacchoben Mayan Ruins and Seven Color Lagoon Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 100 reviews · 7 hours · from $94Best value

From Costa Maya, ride with an English or Spanish-speaking guide to Chacchoben for a 70-minute Maya site tour, then continue to Bacalar for two hours by the Seven Color Lagoon. Expect air-conditioned transport, lunch, drinks, kayaks, swimming, and a long day with about three hours on the road.

“We had a great, almost private tour of the ruins. The Seven Colour Lagoon was a bit disappointing though as it was a small plot of land on an in-land lake. They did the best they could by having a pier, kayaks, blown up floats, and food/bar.”

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6.Chacchoben Mayan Ruins and Bacalar Lagoon Combo Tour from Costa Maya

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 88 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $129

Travel from Costa Maya to Chacchoben, where a certified guide explains Mayan temples and jungle life, then cool off at Bacalar Lagoon with fajitas, aguas frescas, swimming, and kayaking. Guides such as Eliot, Rosy, Edder, and David have helped make this outing both informative and easy to manage, though the road ride is long.

“Native tours made this a memorable trip. My parents are 87 and 90. They were not able to climb the stairs, but Edder made sure they had a great time and all the information was very interesting.”

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7.Bacalar Lagoon & Chacchoben Mayan Ruins from Costa Maya

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 55 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $129

Travel from Costa Maya to Chacchoben’s jungle temples, then relax beside Bacalar’s seven-color lagoon with tacos, aguas frescas, swimming, and kayaks. Guides such as Rosie, Lorenzo, and Yoshi are praised for clear Mayan history, while air-conditioned vans keep the long drive comfortable. Plan carefully around your ship’s return time.

“Great service. Loved Lorenzo! He was informative and polite. Everything ran smoothly. The lagoon after the ruins was beautiful and I left with a full a stomach and heart!”

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