Bacalar Lagoon hosts Paseo de las Almas to 2 November
Published on 10/31/2026 at 17:24 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSNight crossings and lagoon safeguards
- The port captain coordinated Paseo de las Almas for 30 October to 2 November 2026 on Bacalar Lagoon.
- More than 20 decorated boats will follow one route through Cenote de la Bruja and Canal de los Piratas.
- A 2022 study identifies Bacalar Lagoon as the largest freshwater body in the Yucatan Peninsula.
- Life jackets are mandatory, while swimming, alcohol, fire and pyrotechnics are prohibited during the crossings.
Bacalar Lagoon (Laguna Bacalar) is hosting Paseo de las Almas from 30 October to 2 November 2026 in Bacalar, Mexico. The four-night Día de Muertos crossing will move through named sites on the water, including Cenote de la Bruja and Canal de los Piratas.
Paseo de las Almas runs from 30 October
The event brings together more than 20 decorated boats for night-time journeys across the lagoon. The programme covers Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October, followed by Sunday 1 and Monday 2 November 2026.
The maritime arrangements were coordinated by Román Bustos Gómez, the port captain of Chetumal, with local nautical tourism operators. A single route will guide the group, while a large offering will be placed on the water at Canal de los Piratas. The route also includes Cenote de la Bruja, a named natural feature within the lagoon system. The event programme and route were reported after a planning meeting involving the port authority and regional operators.
Local boats wishing to join must register with the maritime authority. Participants have been invited to use flowers and traditional clothing associated with Día de Muertos. The organisers have not announced a public timetable for individual departures, so travellers should treat the dates as the confirmed event period rather than as a promise of a particular sailing time. A second report confirms the four-night crossing in 2026.
Bacalar Lagoon links the ceremony to a large freshwater system
The lagoon lies in southern Quintana Roo, between the municipalities of Bacalar and Othón P. Blanco. A scientific study describes it as the largest freshwater body in the Yucatan Peninsula and records the presence of the Neotropical otter, an aquatic mammal listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The study gives the lagoon an area of 9,572.74 hectares, with mangrove forest making up 49 percent of the mapped area. It measures 54 kilometres from south to north and reaches a maximum width of 2 kilometres. Its waters connect with the Río Hondo through the Chac stream and with other lagoons through shallow channels. Those physical connections help explain why the night route can link several named water features within one event. The research describes the lagoon ecosystem and dimensions.
The event rules also reflect the environmental sensitivity of the venue. A fixed route, compulsory life jackets and restrictions on swimming, alcohol, fire and pyrotechnics place the ceremony within the lagoon safeguards rather than treating the water as an unrestricted public space.
Visiting Bacalar Lagoon: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Paseo de las Almas takes place on Bacalar Lagoon from 30 October to 2 November 2026, with Cenote de la Bruja and Canal de los Piratas on the announced route.
- The crossing is organised around registered local boats. Life jackets are compulsory, and swimming is prohibited while the night-time event is under way.
- The event is in Bacalar, in southern Quintana Roo, Mexico. The lagoon lies between the municipalities of Bacalar and Othón P. Blanco.
- The venue is an extensive freshwater landscape measuring 54 km from south to north, with mangroves and shallow connecting channels.
- Spanish is the official language used for local administration and the national currency is the Mexican peso.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Bacalar Lagoon
When does Paseo de las Almas take place at Bacalar Lagoon?
The event runs from 30 October to 2 November 2026, across four nights.
What is Bacalar Lagoon?
It is a freshwater lagoon in southern Quintana Roo and the largest freshwater body in the Yucatan Peninsula, according to a scientific study.
Where is Bacalar Lagoon and how do you get there?
It is in the Bacalar area of Quintana Roo, between the municipalities of Bacalar and Othón P. Blanco. The event route is on the water and includes Cenote de la Bruja and Canal de los Piratas.
