The Pirates’ Bay of Bacalar – Lagoon of Seven Colours


Lagune von Bacalar mit Sandbänken und türkisfarbenem Wasser aus der Luft

A trip to the Pirates’ Bay of Bacalar took me to the Mexican Caribbean, to a lagoon with crystal-clear water and shores whose shapes you only truly see from above. From a bird’s-eye view a whole world of its own opened up.

First impressions

Right on arrival it was clear why they call it the “Laguna de los Siete Colores”, the lagoon of seven colours: the water shimmers in shades of turquoise and blue, together with the green of the shores. From the beach my gaze wandered upwards, and the vastness and clarity of the water completely captivated me.

The Pirates’ Bay

The Pirates’ Bay gets its name because pirates once sought refuge here. From above, the shapes of the lagoon stand out: deep blue next to the bright white of the sandbanks and limestone formations, and in between mangroves rising like green islands from the turquoise water.

A highlight of the trip

Bacalar was more than an excursion. The colours of the lagoon, seen from above, made the day a highlight of my trip to Mexico. If you get the chance, take your time over this place and walk along the shore too.

Pale shore with mangrove and a boat in the turquoise water of Bacalar, from the air
A pale shore with mangroves and a boat in the turquoise water of Bacalar.
Several boats and swimmers in the very pale water of the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
Boats and swimmers in the almost white water of the Pirates' Channel.
Narrow turquoise channel between brown shores in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A narrow turquoise channel between brown banks.
Turquoise strip of water between islands of bush in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A turquoise strip of water between small islands of scrub.
Straight turquoise channel between two brown shores in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A straight channel between two brown banks – pirates once sought refuge here.
Two shots: turquoise channel and a round pool in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A turquoise channel and a round basin.
Mangrove arms and pale sandbanks in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
Arms of mangrove and pale sandbanks.
Curved sandbank around a turquoise cove in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A curved sandbank around a turquoise bay.
Green island, channels and turquoise pools in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A green island, channels and turquoise basins – the Lagoon of Seven Colours.
Long vegetated spit between sand and water in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A long overgrown spit between sand and water.
Dark pool, pale sand slabs and turquoise water in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A dark basin, pale sand flats and turquoise water.
Round dark shore with a small green island in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A round dark shore with a small green island.
Brown cracked shore next to a turquoise strip in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A brown, cracked shore beside a turquoise strip.
White sandbank, a boat and the deep turquoise bed in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
A white sandbank, a boat and deep turquoise water.
Oval sandbank with dark patches in the turquoise water in the Bacalar lagoon, from the air
An oval sandbank with dark patches in the turquoise water.

Related posts