Laguna Bacalar

Not a sea beach but a vast freshwater lagoon in southern Quintana Roo, about 40 km north of the Belize border, Laguna Bacalar is famous as the Lagoon of Seven Colors: a white limestone bottom and varying depths turn the clear water through bands of turquoise, teal and deep indigo.

Fed by cenotes and underground rivers, it is calm and current-free, lined with docks and swim clubs rather than sand, and home to rare living stromatolites.

It is also known for the Pirate Channel and the colonial Fort San Felipe in the town.