Bacalar- 8.5 out of 10, best lagoon- October 28, 2021- November 2, 2021

Top Notch!! Best freshwater lagoon I've seen!

My wife and I stayed at Casa Del Arbol and my Bacalar experience was marvelous. Bacalar was breathtaking. I had a few videos reviewing its strengths and weaknesses but the videos take up too much space for this platform. The water and the beauty at some locations in the lagoon are 10 out of 10. But not at every location.

Bacalar is worth visiting whether you live in Australia, Idaho, Mali, or anywhere else you live on planet Earth. It is one of the most beautiful places I have seen and one of Mexico's most beautiful locations.

Strengths: 

The lagoon really is breathtaking: the diaphanous water- aqua and turquoise when shallow, cobalt and cyan as it gets deeper, and navy in the 300 meter deep cenotes- the great swimming, stromatolites, serene paddle boarding and kayaking, and its shallow, accessible waters more than 100 meters out make this the most beautiful fresh water location I have seen. 

                                           

 

I took those pictures from 10/28/2021- 11/2/2021. 

Weaknesses:

The seaweed at the entry, the sand that feels like quicksand, and ubiquity of boats on the lagoon prevent this location from being perfect. 

Sinking Sand

For me, Bacalar's only real weakness is the feeling of the sand at the entrance point. It felt like quicksand. I climbed down from the pier and as soon as my feet touched the sand, they kept sinking. It was very uncomfortable. Having never visited Bacalar, I didn't know what was up, but mama didn't raise no fool. I wasn't just going to sink so I hopped up and started swimming. I swam out a few meters until the water became too shallow. Once it got too shallow for me to keep swimming, I had to stand up and I found that the sand was regular and my feet did not sink.

I have been told that the sand near the dock was some type of calcium and it was only a few inches deep about; but I didn't like it. I never let my feet sink all the way and I swam directly to the dock.

Seaweed

At almost every entry into Bacalar, there is seaweed, lily pads, etc. Casa del Arbol gets around the seaweed in an ingenious fashion by building a pier and separate entry into water out beyond past the seaweed. But it does detract a little.

Boats everywhere

This is only an issue for people who like to swim and it is an issue everywhere. It adds to the danger however. If you go for a swim, then you have to take kayakers who are visible to the ship boat captains.

-          

      CRITERIA

-          Size of lagoon- 16.22 miles

o   Distance from water to sand: The entry into the beach comes from a walk from a pier and dock to the water. The builders very intelligently built the pier such that it juts out onto the reef past the lily pads and sea weed.

-         Sand type

T     A mix of creepy calcium that feels like quicksand, regular sand, stromatolites, and stones. 

-        Water Appearance

      Diaphanous out to 1000 meters: I know this because I swam it and used my Garmin watch to see how far I could swim. 

-        Cleanliness

      Completely clean. There are nightly boats ensuring that there is no trash, no food, and no crap in the water.

-       Water Temperature

       Warm. Not even that cold rush that hits whenever you first enter a beach.

-        Safety

       Safe. There are only two risks: (1) once the water gets deep, the current gets strong and it becomes hard to swim in a straight line, and (2) there are a number of boats of various sizes all over the lagoon and if you are swimming you could get hit and drown. Do not swim before sunrise and if you must, swim with buddies in kayaks that are visible from the deck of the boat or ship.

      There are almost no dangerous fish there because of the lack of nutrients in the lagoon!

-        Available Activities

o   Swimming distances, Free diving, Snorkeling, Scuba, Partying/ beautiful women congregating, tour boats, rapids, Cenote tours 

-        Level of Calm

o  Waves available but swimming available past waves- current weak

o   Swimming great- no surfing possible light waves

-         Animals

                     Almost none.

-         Plant Life/ Other

o   Seaweed/kelp in the entrance points. The houses have ingenious methods of bypassing the seaweed and lily pads.

-         Access

                   Private

-         Price

      You don't necessarily have to pay per se but it is a resort community. You are not getting here without renting a residence or hotel.

-         Land Pests

        Not even mosquitoes despite being a giant fresh water source.

-         Overall

       Simply breathtaking. One of the best places I have ever seen. If you live in Australia or Easter Island, it is still worth flying across the planet and coming to Mexico.

Running Hierarchy of Beaches I have visited as of November 19, 2021

The goal of this blog is to identify the world's most beautiful beach. One benefit of my search has been that I keep having to revise my scores as I discover more beautiful locations. I once ranked Antigua's Jolly Beach 10 out of 10, and then I experienced Grace Bay. This is, admittedly, a first world-problem as Antigua is still bucket-list worthy, but it's not as staggering as Turks and Caicos. Thus, I have invented subcategories and a new ranking system.

The sub-categories: (1) intimate beaches, (2) party beaches, (3) lagoons, (4) atolls, and (5) natural enclosures- places like "El Cielito" in Mexico and the Nylon Pool in Trinidad. These are not beaches but they are enclosed locations in the middle of the sea in which there is shallow, azure water, and they are usually accessible only by boat.

Every beach on this list is very likely the most beautiful beach some people have seen and all are worth taking a flight specifically to visit. However, there are beautiful beaches and then there is the most beautiful. Now the rankings:

1. S Class: Beamonesque! Worth Visiting At All Costs

 Grace Bay: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, located in the Caribbean currently a colony of the United Kingdom.

                Absolutely the most beautiful beach I have seen thus far. It will be hard to top but I look forward to finding one better. The water begins as electric blue, then becomes turquoise. As it gets deeper it transitions to sapphire, then navy, and finally as you leave the bay the water becomes royal blue. But at all times, this water is wholly diaphanous. I actually had to look at a blue color scheme to learn the difference between all these shades of blue. Add to that the dolphins, the ready access to seating, the fact that it is free, the ubiquity of food, drinks, bathrooms, and its cleanliness. It is a full 10 out of 10! I haven't been anywhere that comes close.

Long Bay: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

                The water in Long Bay is a mix of electric blue and mint green, but all the while the water is still wholly transparent. Swimmers may actually prefer Long Bay to Grace Bay because for at least 3.5 miles out, the water never gets deeper than 4 feet. The water's color ranges from electric blue, to Paris Green, to Emerald Green out to 3.5 miles!! I arrogantly tried swimming from the shore to a visible ship wreck. I'm swimming, admiring the fish below and enjoying the rhythm of my own breath, and then I check my watch. The watch says I have been swimming for 30 mins. I look toward the wreck and it looks just as far as it had when I began; I turn back. I can see the shore but not the hotel from which I began my swim. Out of curiosity, I decide to dive down. As I begin to descend, I find that I can still stand. It was surreal but awesome! Later on, some jet skiers tell me the wreck was 3.5 miles out but the water doesn't get deeper for 4 miles.

2. A Class: Worth Visiting Even If You Have to Pay with Credit and Have No Job

Antigua, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, "El Cielo," "El Cielito," and "The Nylon Pool"

            All of Antigua's beaches are beautiful. I wish I would have made an excursion to Barbuda back in 2017 but c'est la vie. I visited Grenada, St. Lucia, and Barbados prior to creating this blog so when I visit them again I'll write reviews and upload video. I remember visiting Barbados during crop-over and loving the beach; I spent a few weeks in Grenada when I was around 13 and my uncle was teaching a class there. I visited St. Lucia when I was about 15 and there I saw my first black Sand Beach. I visited the Nylon Pool in Tobago on numerous occasions during my childhood and teenage years and "El Cielito" last December. 

In all of these locations the water is blue or at least aquamarine and beautiful, but Turks and Caicos and possibly the Lucaya Archipelago of the Caribbean are just a cut above the rest of the beaches I have seen thus far.

"El Cielito" and The Nylon Pool are not beaches and can only be reached by boat. The water is beautiful but the water in the beaches of the other islands is equally as beautiful without the hassle.

3. B Class: Worth Visiting Even If you Have to Pay with Credit

Isla Mujeres, Jamaica, Tobago, Playa Palencar, Cozumel

The beaches on these islands are beautiful but they are just not quite A class. They are still very much worth the visit. If I could extract Playa Palencar from Cozumel, it would be in the higher category, but I cannot. 

4. The Peloton: Worth Saving for a Vacation but not worth paying for that trip with a credit card. Definitely Worth Visiting

Caberete, Dominican Republic- Varadero, Cuba- North Coast, Trinidad, Cancun, Mexico

There are countless reasons to visit the D.R., Cuba, and Trinidad, but these beaches are at the bottom of the Top Tier. These beaches make the list only because of the partying. I have heard that there are beautiful beaches in the D.R. that I missed. To be fair, in 2018, my cousins and I rented an AirBnB abutting a beach in Cabarete in the D.R. The beach was a short walk from the house but it was underwhelming. But for the partying, this beach would not make this list. 

I will not review barely passable beaches such as beaches in: Playa Del Carmen, Isla Contoy, South Beach, Miami, Cozumel's other beaches, Koh Larn, Thailand, etc. These beaches are not worth taking a plane to visit. If you are already there and want to hit a beach, then cool, but don't go out of your way just to visit these places.

1. Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

2. El Cielito, coast of Cozumel, Mexico 

3. Long Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

4. Jolly Beach, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda

5. Playa Palencar, Cozumel, Mexico

6. Playa Norte/ Playa Centro, Isla Mujeres, Mexico

7. Bacalar Lagoon- Mexico

8. Pigeon Point, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

9. Englishman's Bay, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

10. Pirate's Bay, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

Overrated beaches not worth the visit.

Most of these beaches are ok but not beautiful enough to serve as justification for a visit to these places. Others of these beaches suck and I have no idea why they have all this fame. If you are already in some of these places, then visiting these beaches is better than nothing. One of these beaches is good but getting to it requires a day trip from a location with better beaches. If you are on vacation seeking beauty and you have limited time, don't waste it visiting these places.

Continental United States

Ok but not enough to justify a trip

South Beach, Miami:

This was the most disappointing. The beach suffers because it has this reputation as being so beautiful. The water is warm but not transparent. The tides are rough and there is risk of shark and jellyfish attack. If you are already partying in Miami, then visit. However, the beauty of South Beach does not justify a trip. 

Virginia Beach:

This is actually nicer than most of the Floridian beaches but it suffers because the seasons. Clean but the sand and water are not transparent. Ok but not that good. You can only visit over the summer.

Jones and Lido Beach, Long Island NY:

These beaches are ok but only in the summer. If you are already near Lido beach, then they are worth it. The water is not transparent and is cool. The waves are ok but these beaches are free. These beaches are not as good as Virginia because you cannot visit at all in the winter.

Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Southern California

These are the lowest level beaches that barely make the grade. If you surf, you may have a different opinion. But if you enjoy white sand, black sand, and blue water, then you won't like these beaches. The water is too cold all year round. Even surfers have to wear body suits in this water. In the summer after a good sweat, getting into this water can be refreshing, but these beaches suffer from cold water all year long, opaque water, and brown sand.

Terrible

Northern California, Zuma Beach, LA, Rhode Island, Venice Beach, LA, Santa Monica, Jersey Shore, and special overrated, terrible status for The Hamptons. 

Don't even bother with any of these beaches. All of the beaches in Northern California suck. The water is cold, the sand is dark brown, and there are dangerous riptides. I went in because I love beaches, but all of the beaches near San Francisco are just horrible.

Zuma Beach is cold, full of seaweed, and the water is completely opaque. It's somehow worse than Manhattan Beach, Hermosa, and Malibu. I couldn't even stay in the water because it was just too cold.

Venice Beach and Third Street Promenade are cold and dirty.

Jersey Shore. I like Jersey and I have lived there for 20 years. These beaches suck. You can only visit over the summer. The water is polluted. The sand is nasty and the water is cold all but two months a year. Also the Jersey Shore is full of dangerous riptides. Somehow the Jersey Shore is worse than Long Island with one notable exception.

The Hamptons:

Southampton, Northampton, whatever: these beaches are the worst. The water is cold and opaque; and all but two months a year it's too cold to even visit the beach. But even worse than the Jersey Shore, there is not even sand. The sand is just rocks. You have to wear shoes on the beach to avoid cuts from the damn rocks! Who knows if there are needles in the water, it's completely opaque. Even worse, is the Hampton's unfathomable reputation as a place where the beaches are good! I don't know who started that rumor but these beaches suck!!

Mexico

The only Mexican locations worthy of mention as part of the best in the world are: Isla Mujeres, Cozumel, Holbox. These aforementioned locations are worthy of listed alongside Antigua, Grenada, and some of the second best in the Caribbean. 

OK but not enough to justify a trip

Isla Contoy: 

This beach is ok but when compared to Isla Mujeres was disappointing. It is probably better than most beaches in the continental US but it was not as good as Isla Mujeres or even Cozumel or Tulum. Not terrible and there are other reasons to visit Isla Contoy. My issue was that getting there required a day trip and so I spent an entire day waiting for this beach when the beaches on Isla Mujeres were so much more beautiful. Nevertheless, it might have been worth it. I thought that a secluded island in the Caribbean might just be where I could find the world's best beach and in this case, I was wrong. Don't make that mistake.

Playa del Carmen: 

None of the beaches here is sufficient justification for a visit: water is not transparent, rough, full of seaweed, and expensive. Just go to Cozumel. If you are there for Spring Break or some other reason these beaches will do, but if you are looking to find beautiful beaches avoid this place.

Beaches that Suck

All of the beaches on the Pacific. Baja California, Ensenada, Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Vallarta. None of these beaches is any good. The water is cold, not transparent, and rocky. Really from the San Juan Islands up in Washington State down to Cabo all of the beaches suck. The water is freezing cold with dark brown sand, dangerous riptides, and dangerous rocks. These beaches are good for surfing. Might be great for surf but if you enjoy swimming, lazing around, etc., they suck.

Playa Palencar- Cozumel, Mexico- December 30, 2020- 9 out of 10!!

 

Playa Palencar is Cozumel's best beach and is probably the best I have seen in Mexico. Let's begin with the beach: the waters are blue, the sand is white, there is ready seating, bathrooms, and food and drinks abound. Jellyfish plagued the beaches of Cozumel for my entire stay Playa Palencar, El Cielo, and El Cielito had the fewest jellyfish. There were still some, but far fewer than any of the other beaches. Just the presence of these medusas reduces the enjoyment, taking it down to maximum 9. But then, wild peacocks approached my wife and me trying to eat our nachos. The sheer beauty of these peacocks, pelicans, and cotimundi randomly wandering around this beach raises its level.

A statement about Cozumel versus Isla Mujeres: up until I visited el Cielito, I found Cozumel's beaches disappointing. Part of this has to do with where I stayed; all of the beaches near the main port are full of rocks and the one beach that was not, was full of stinging medusas. Up until the day I visited el Cielo, el Cielito, and Playa Palencar, I would have excluded Cozumel from this blog just as I excluded every beach in Florida that I visited. 

Our experience:

My wife and I came straight to this beach by boat from El Cielito. Rather than driving to the beach, we gave the captain of the boat an extra five bucks to drop us off at the best beach on the island. So we actually reached the beach by boat. It's really the same water as in el cielito with a few more medusas, but a shoreline, wild peacocks and cotimundi. I would definitely return. These jellyfish didn't sting or bother me while I was swimming.

In every beach, I take a long swim, I lounge around for a few hours, and admire the scenery. Here, I could do everything I wanted. Seating costs money and you are strongly encouraged to order food and drinks, but that is everywhere in Mexico. All in all, it was my favorite Mexican beach. If it were closer to where I stayed, I would have gone every day.

-          Size of beach

o   Length of shoreline- 1 mile

o   Distance from water to sand- at least a quarter mile

-          Sand type: White

-          Water Appearance: Blue

-          Cleanliness: Very Clean

o   Is there trash in the water: NO

o   Are trash cans available: YES

o   Are trash cans emptied regularly: YES

-          Water Temperature: warm

-          Shade availability

o   Seating- Yes

o   Resting- Yes

o   Coconut trees are they full of coconuts that can fall on people’s heads: NO

-          Safety: Safe but Jellyfish

-          Available Activities: Swimming distances, Free diving, Snorkeling, Scuba

-          Level of Calm- reasonably calm

-          Animals: Peacocks, pelicans, fish, small jellyfish, raccoons, cotimundi

-          Plant Life/ Other- no seaweed

-          Access: Difficult- Private beach, you can drive there, you can take a boat

-          Price- Free, but you have to buy drinks

-          Land Pests- none

-   

-          

El Cielito- Cozumel, Mexico- December 30, 2020- 9.5 out of 10

 

El Cielito: WOW!!!

This has to be one of the most beautiful locations in the world. They named this location, "El Cielito" correctly. This is not a beach; this is a region of the waters just off of Cozumel. But I just had to include it because it is just so beautiful! I have a thesaurus but the only word that comes to mind is beautiful. 

The only way to get here is by boat from Cozumel and it costs between $50 to $100 per person. There is an actual shoreline visible from el cielito but deep, kelp forests ring el cielito on all sides making it very difficult to reach without a boat. 

I began with snorkeling. First, I snorkeled in a place with extremely deep water. My group and I saw what appeared to be a 6 foot barracuda, tons of reef fish of different colors, and tons of jellyfish. Then, we went to a location called "El Cielo." "El Cielo" deserves a post of its own because it is equally as beautiful as "El Cielito" but it is around 10 feet deep. The water is diaphanous, cerulean, and staggeringly beautiful. And there are dozens of giant starfish and a few stingrays.

Then, I arrived at "El Cielito." Honestly, this has to be one of the most stunning locations I have seen. Simply dumbfounding. The water is completely translucent. Salsa music is playing on all the boats in the area, the current is weak, and the beautiful people by whom you are surrounded make your experience feel like heaven. The captain of the boat gave free drinks and food but I didn't eat too much.

Small Issues:

You have to either charter a boat to get out here or take a tour from Cozumel. So it is not easy to access. Also, it is not a beach, so you can't just laze around. Eventually, you will have to leave with your boat. However, these are issues inherent in "El Cielito's" location in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. 

The only real problem was that small jellyfish or medusas were all over Cozumel. They were everywhere in the regular beaches and deep sea snorkeling. I got stung a few times as well. "El Cielito" had the fewest medusas by far but there were still one or two. Interestingly, I saw a few fish eating the jellyfish, which was its own entertainment. 

Overall:

My wife and I were in Mexico for around 10 days. Five in Isla Mujeres and five in Cozumel. Isla Mujeres was by far better for beaches but this trip to "El Cielito" made everything equal. This region of the sea was among the most staggeringly beautiful I have ever seen. It is a once in a lifetime location and of all the places I have ever been, only Turks and Caicos has better water. The only reasons I cannot give this place a 10 out of 10 are: (1) there is no sand and you have to take a boat to get out there, which means you are at the mercy of the captain, (2) there were a few jellyfish here though far fewer than in anywhere else in Cozumel. 

I highly recommend this place. Second most beautiful water ever!! As of January 2021.

-          CRITERIA

-          Size of beach

o   Length of shoreline- N/A

o   Distance from water to sand- N/A

-          Sand type: White

-          Water Appearance: Sky Blue

-          Cleanliness: Very Clean

-          Water Temperature; Warm

-          Shade availability: None

-          Safety: Moderately dangerous

-          Available Activities: Swimming, drinking, and snacking. Lots of beautiful people.

-          Level of Calm:   Swimming great- no surfing possible light waves

-          Animals: Loads of fish, stingrays, a few jellyfish

-          Plant Life/ Other: Kelp forest

-          Access: You have to take a boat there

-          Price: $100 USD

-     

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Playa Centro/ Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres- Mexico's Caribbean islands- 8.5

 

Overall Beach Vibe

8.5. 

These beaches are awesome. The sand and beach are beautiful. I give the entire experience an 8.5/9 out of 10. The beach is a 10 minute walk from most hotels and airbnbs on the island. If you are staying on the South side of the island, then it is 20 mins by golf cart. Playa Centro and Playa Norte are really the same beach and they are 5 mins walk from each other. The sand is white, the water is calm, there are no dangerous currents within the buoys and as you can see from the video, this beach is beautiful. If you and your family want an intimate beach, then this one fits the bill.

Small Issues:

There are multiple vendors walking past you on the beach selling all manner of things. None are pushy, which is different than other places, but after a while it detracts from the calm. You have to rent benches rather than having them provided for free. 

Pluses:

Your things are safe and Isla Mujeres is almost Japan-level safe. There are always people approaching you offering drinks and food and if you stay there all day, that is a plus. There are bathrooms very close and- notable for Mexico- use of the bathrooms is free. You don't have to buy anything; you don't have to speak Spanish but it helps; and you can still enjoy this beach. The buoys really are helpful especially if you are traveling with kids. If you want to swim laps, you can simply parallel the buoys. 

Final Verdict:

Playa Centro and Playa Norte are worth the flight. These beaches are fully fledged Caribbean beaches with all of the attendant beauty you would expect. The beauty of the sand and surf is on par with that of Antigua, Barbados, and Grenada. I am a Trini and I love Trinidad but the transparency of the water is far and away above anything in Trinidad, Tobago, or "down the islands." There is something of a "wow factor" missing from this beach that is present in Antigua and definitely Providenciales and compared those islands, Isla Mujeres as a whole is just beneath. However, these two beaches are the Fourth best I have seen in Mexico and top tier in the world. If I had not visited Antigua, Grenada, or Turks, I would have given this beach a 9.5. However.... Nonetheless, these beaches are beautiful and well worth the trip to Isla Mujeres. 8.5.

 If you enjoy beaches in general, Isla Mujeres provides a better experience than Cozumel. It is a very small island so unless you stay on the South end of the island, you are never more than 10 minutes from a 

Size of beach: Approximately 1 mile of shoreline. 200 meters from the sand to the water. Hotels and restaurants have set up chairs, tables, and benches on which visitors can rest.

Sand Type: White

Water Appearance: Aquamarine/ blue

Cleanliness: Very clean. Although restaurants are selling food and drinks, staff is always patrolling the beach cleaning it

Shade Availability: The restaurants provide large parasols under which you can sit but you have to rent them. About $5 or $100 pesos for 3 hours. 

Safety: Very safe. Lifeguards around. There are two levels of precautions for swimmers. Around 20 yards into the water there are buoys roped together warning swimmers to go past at their own risk. Then around 50 yards further into the ocean, there is a large, floating buoy warning swimmers not to pass at all.

Activities: Relaxing only. No jet skis, etc. This is a calm beach without surf. People are selling alcohol and food regularly. No one is playing sports on the sand but there is ample opportunity to do so.

Level of Calm: It depends. If Playa Norte is rough, Playa Centro will be calm as it would be on the leeward side of the island and vice-versa.

Animals: Pelicans diving for fish and seagulls. NO pests. 

Plant Life: The hotels or the government itself have roped off the beginning of where seaweed begins. For the first 20 yards, there is no seaweed growing at all and the water is a beautiful aquamarine/ sky blue. Then the water becomes darker: reflecting what looks to be a mini-kelp forest extending into the deeper sea. It is actually fun to swim through the kelp forest because there are numerous fish hanging out and eating the growing seaweed.

Access availability: Extremely easy. Getting to Isla Mujeres from Cancun requires taking the ferry; however, if you stay anywhere near the ferry, all of the most beautiful beaches are a 10 minute walk from your hotel.

Price: Free. Isla Mujeres does this correctly. The beach is free but the restaurants and hotels set up chairs and benches for you to rent and you should do so. The first reason is that it makes your experience way more comfortable and gives you the option of lazing around. The second, is that the hotels are paying to maintain the beach and it only costs $5 to have benches and a parasol all day.