Overview
Bacalar, the largest lagoon in the Yucatan Peninsula, surprises in this region of extensive jungle that with its more than 60 km long and a bright white sand bottom and along with its crystalline lagoon offers opportunities for camping, swimming, kayaking and simply lazing around, in the middle of a color palette of shining blues, greens and whites that seems more typical of a digital creation than anything that real life can contain.Bacalar's name is believed to come from the Mayan word ``Bakhalal``, which means place of reeds. Colonized by the Spaniards in the 16th century, it lies just above the lagoon and is centered around a large main square, or zocalo, anchored in the Fort of San Felipe. Sleeping in the humidity of the jungle, the village remains small but compact and walkable; a coastal road runs along the southern shore of the lagoon and is easily accessible by car or bicycle.
