Bacalar

Known as the Lake of Seven Colors, Bacalar is a long freshwater lagoon near the Belize border where shallow sandbars and varying depths produce distinct bands of turquoise, aquamarine, and deep blue. A colonial-era Spanish fort overlooks the lagoon from the town's edge. The calm waters and forested shoreline attract kayakers, paddleboarders, and photographers drawn to the extraordinary color gradients best seen from the air or from wooden docks at midday.