72. Blue Lakes in Bacalar

On my last morning in Tulum, I woke up feeling quite hungover. Although I wasn’t planning on going out the night before, I was coaxed into it by some of my new hostel friends and was now regretting the free tequila shots at the bar. I ate breakfast then went back to sleep for a few hours before managing to shower, pack my things and depart at the 11:00 am checkout time. I made my way over to the bus station and purchased a ticket to Bacalar, a town about 4 hours south of Tulum and highly recommended by a friend. I wasn’t feeling any better by the end of the bus ride and was thankful my new hostel was a short walk from the station.

Upon entering through the large gate, I was surprised at the beautiful layout of the hostel and dorm rooms. The entire complex seemed to be constructed out of concrete and the upper-level dorm beds are hung from the ceiling by ropes, giving a modern minimalist vibe. I unpacked my things and went down to the pool to meet my new hostel mates. I instantly connected with Zlatko, a guy in his early 30s from Denmark, but whose family had fled Bosnia as refugees in the early 90s. He had been traveling with a girl named Faye, a photographer from Switzerland, who had purchased an old, bright red VW bug and was planning to drive through all of Central America. We walked the town and got dinner before settling in for an early night.

The following morning, I still didn’t feel well and began getting nervous that my hangover could be something more serious. I had plans to go with Zlatko and Faye to the local cenotes, and since Faye had a car, it would be much easier to go with them then try to walk there myself the next day. We arrived before the cenotes were opened, so Faye flew her drone and checked out the area from above and later sent me some of the stunning photos. This made me envious that I hadn’t packed my own drone. We spent a couple hours swimming and sitting on the swings in the clear, turquoise water and watching as the Instagram girls posed for pictures on the hammocks.

We headed back to the hostel before lunch and I spent the rest of the day in bed, suffering from some kind of gastrointestinal distress and possible fever. I kicked myself for going out to a crowded bar those two nights in Tulum, jeopardizing my entire trip. I was due to meet Eitan and his family in a few days followed by a diving trip to Belize and would need to pass a COVID test to enter the country. Not to mention that if I did have COVID, I would need to give up my cheap hostel lodging and shell out much more for an expensive hotel or Airbnb accommodations. That night, Faye brought me a smoothie to get a little nutrition in my stomach and I tried to get as much rest as I could in between the night sweats and bathroom trips.

The following day, I woke up feeling a little better and asked the hostel reception for the location of a health clinic. Luckily, there was one close by and I paid a small fee for a nurse consultation. She took my vitals and I tried to explain my symptoms with hand gestures and broken Spanish. She thought my symptoms were closer to the stomach flu, or some bad food, and wrote me a prescription for a pain reliever and something to alleviate the stomach cramping. I also picked up a cheap thermometer which I struggled to read, it being in Celsius and not Fahrenheit.

With the new medications, I began to feel better and cautiously explored the town by foot. The town itself felt like a mini-Tulum with a lot of hip shops and places to eat. Bacalar is known for its Lagoon of Seven Colors, which gives it the nickname of the Maldives of Mexico. The lagoon is also connected to some cenotes which are shown as deep, dark blue circles along its borders. Unfortunately, unless you are staying at a property on the lagoon, access to the water is limited. I debated renting a kayak or paddle board, but given the amount of wind and my physical condition, I played it safe and just admired the lake from the public dock.

Although I didn’t get a chance to see much of Bacalar or explore the lagoon, I felt like it was time to move on to the next town. So, once again I headed to the bus station and boarded the next bus to Valladolid!