The gorgeous Bacalar Lagoon – Laguna de los Siete Colores – just inland from Chetumal, has recently become something of a trendy escape from coastal Riviera Maya.
Previously the lagoon and the town that shares its name saw no more than a few budget backpackers for overnight stays.
Now though it has started to attract a wealthier, hippie chic vacation crowd, with boutique hotels & wellness resorts opening up to supply the demographic.
The Akalki Hotel y Centro Holístico was one of the first here, is still among the very best, and has Bacalar’s only overwater bungalows.
These are, by a large margin, the cheapest overwater bungalows in the country but on that understanding we have to forgo the OTT opulence of the three other resorts with overwater bungalows in Mexico for something far more in tune with nature.
Rustic Romance: Back-to-Nature Overwater Bungalows
Their 441 square feet overwaters, described as Superior King Rooms on the booking page are rustic and romantic.
They are simply but elegantly furnished with king size beds, a sofa bed, seating areas and nice bathrooms inside plus large furnished terraces overlooking the lagoon outside.
I think you’ll find them bright and airy and I particularly loved the giant thatched roofs and the much light and dark wood furniture and fittings.
The Akalki Hotel is all about back to nature so mod-cons wouldn’t be a strong point. It is though a luxury hotel and you may not have say a mini-bar but you have 350 thread count sheets, a choice of feather pillows, Wifi (though can be weak at times), water dispensers, yoga mats, and kayaks amongst other things at your disposal.
There is no air-con in the overwaters but they have fans and the building design utilizes the breezes from the lagoon to good effect.
In the on-land accommodation we do, as it happens, have air-con.
The accommodation here is very similar in style to the overwaters but slightly larger and can sleep up to four on two double beds.
They are set well back from the shore and nicely secluded with outdoor patios surrounded by tropical vegetation.
All guests have continental breakfast included, and free access to the hotel’s daily wellness activity programs.
Check Current Rates & Book Your Stay
Check out all the details at Booking.com here or at Expedia here.
Wellness, Healing, & Organic Dining at Akalki
People come to Akalki to tun-out and unwind. It has many wellness and other programs available to guests – meditation, yoga, dance, sound healing, cooking, sculpture, paddle boarding, excursions and more.
These are generally in three different spaces around the resort – the centerpiece Temple Madre Tierra, the overwater pavillion Shala on the Lagoon, and hidden away in the forest the Jungle Palapa.
Guests can enjoy massages and various treatments at the spa center which also has a steam room and sauna.
There are parties at Akalki – full moon parties being the best example but also regular live music and and DJ parties, though I think you’ll find the nightlife, if that’s the word, here pretty low-key.
The resort is small and there is but one restaurant – La Botika. It is open all day for main meals, snacks and drinks.
The food, which is Mexican & International, is freshly made, locally sourced as much as possible (much of it grown on site), and organic.
Many dishes are vegan too.
Explore the Lagoon of Seven Colors
Akalaki is along the shores of the Bacalar Lagoon, often referred to as the Lagoon of Seven Colors. It is inland from Chetumal which lies by the border with Belize.
It is a breathtaking natural wonder with strikingly clear waters that display a spectrum of blues – from deep sapphire to gentle aquamarine.
Most people come to Bacalar via the Chetumal daily bus services, or taxi, with the journey taking about forty minutes.
What Guests Are Saying About the Experience
“Best hotel in Bacalar no doubt. Akalki isn’t only a hotel but it’s Holistic Center where you can heal. Everyone there made us feel like a family. Thanks to Jaime, Tania, Héctor, Mireya and Jan for a wonderful experience for me and my wife
We will be back soon!…..”
“The Holistic atmosphere was amazing, the staff superb with their attentiveness to your comfort. The setting on the Laguna was also superb….”
See all the reviews right here
