Pirates in the Caribbeans?
March 07, 2020Mark Twain
BACALAR
Bacalar is a town in southeastern Mexico near the Belize border. It’s on Lake Bacalar, also called the Lagoon of Seven Colors, due to its blue and turquoise hues.
In addition to its unique natural beauty, it is also home to other unusual treasures. It houses some of the oldest organisms on the planet that could help decipher the origin of life and the secrets left by pirates who hid there in the 17th and 18th centuries.
When we first arrived, we thought it was the Carribean sea but learned fast that this is a lake and the most incredible place to swim and snorkel.
Even Harry, our terrier, could not get enough. We stayed at the Balneario Ejidal Buenavista. A public beach, pool and bar and had a fantastic time relaxing.
The best part about Bacalar was you felt like you swam in the ocean, but when you came out of the water, you felt clean and salt-free!
Tulum
Tulum is a town on the Caribbean coastline of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. It’s known for its beaches and well-preserved ruins of an ancient Mayan port city. The main building is a large stone structure called El Castillo (castle), perched on a rocky cliff above the white sand beach and turquoise sea. Near the ruins is the Parque Nacional Tulum, a coastal area with mangroves and cenotes (natural limestone sinkholes).
For us, it was way too touristy, and we were quite surprised how little the ruins were.
A lizard is praying to the ruins
The setting, however, was spectacular and represented a true picture of the perfect Caribbean sea.
We went early in the morning to see the ruins to beat the crowds and also Tulum ruins does not allow dogs, so we wanted to go before the sun beats down on our furry friends. As we got channelled to the ruins we were forced to hit every little souvenir stand. All in all, it was a pretty sight with a way to many people. We are glad we came and saw, but there are better, more secluded sites out there. The little backpacker town of Tulum turned into a mass tourist attraction with very high prices.
But for many, it is one of the best sites to see.
After our battle with the masses, we found Selva El Jabali a cute little campground about 10 miles inland.
The owner collected birds and had quite an assortment. We enjoyed our night here before heading back south.
El Castillo
Paradise Beach
The start of the Souvenier Market
One of the structures
A fancy Dove
Chetumal
Early morning coffee
Kids building sandcastles while the parents enjoy dinner
Chetumal “Place of the Red Wood” is a city on the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. It is the capital of the state of Quintana Roo and the municipal seat of the Municipality of Othón P. Blanco. This city was a surprise to us. The place had everything you needed, but it felt small enough that it still had its coastal charm. A few miles out of the city, there is a military checkpoint as this area is so close to the Belizean border. Next to the checkpoint, the street vendors sell Pozole, a traditional drink made in its basic form of corn and cacao. I loved it, but Cliff not so much.
We stayed 10km north by the coast at the campground Yax Ha Resort. We thought we gone stay for a day and ended up staying for a week.
Surrounded by coconuts, cannons and the Caribbean sea with some music in the background, we were in a peaceful place. The pool was refreshing, and the restaurants were close by, and there was even a laundry service on-site. We met some interesting fellow travellers from all around the world. Chetumal was a great place to charge up our batteries and getting ready for Belize.
