Bacalar is about 40 minutes north of Chetumal by bus, colectivo, taxi, or rental car. ADO buses also connect Bacalar with Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cancún, and other towns along the Caribbean corridor, though journey times grow quickly.
Chetumal has the nearest airport and border connections with Belize. If you are travelling overland between Mexico and Belize, Bacalar makes a better overnight stop than rushing straight through.