Attractions

The Fort of San Felipe is over 270 years old and provides visitors a rich view into the history of Bacalar and the surrounding region, from early pre-hispanic times through the Caste Wars. Located on the eastern edge of Bacalar’s town square, this beautiful stone Fort is surrounded by a deep “moat” and includes not only canons and ramparts, but a wonderful museum with historic artifacts, murals depicting Bacalar’s history, and interactive computer exhibits on the Caste Wars and pirates and their lives. Don’t miss this historical Costa Maya museum

Pirate skeleton wall surrounds the fort and, from the ramparts, you can look across Laguna Bacalar toward the “pirate’s channel” which enabled boats to enter the lake from the Caribbean and the Bay of Chetumal. Museum exhibits include quite a few very well preserved items from Bacalar’s past such as muskets, sabers, canon balls, canons, ancient navigational instruments, models of boats from the 17th century, and a pirate’s skeleton, discovered during excavations at the Fort.