The Wayro route from Cárdenas to Bacalar is 386 miles (622 km), about 8 h 50 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 386 mi (622 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180 → MEX-186 → MEX-307 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Quintana Roo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
Driving Cárdenas to Bacalar: the shape of the trip
MEX-186 (343 mi) and MEX-180 (28 mi) carry about 96% of the 386 miles. It runs through 4 states: Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Quintana Roo. Of the 7 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Cárdenas to Bacalar
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 1–29 | 28 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 29–32 | 3 | Tabasco |
| MEX-186 | 32–375 | 343 | Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Quintana Roo |
| MEX-307 | 375–385 | 10 | Quintana Roo |
| local roads | 385–386 | 1 | Quintana Roo |
- Mile 79 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
- Mile 122 of this route: Chiapas → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 130 of this route: Tabasco → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 336 of this route: Campeche → Quintana Roo (state line)
What to see on the way from Cárdenas to Bacalar
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Musevi (mile 30), Museo de Historia de Tabasco Casa de los Azulejos (mile 32), Chicanná (mile 306), Becan (mile 308), Xpuhil (mile 311)
- Nature and outdoors: Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (mile 301)
- Museums and history: Musevi (mile 30), Museo de Historia de Tabasco Casa de los Azulejos (mile 32), Becan (mile 308), Xpuhil (mile 311)
Musevi
Built for Mexico's independence bicentennial, Musevi is a bridge by Las Ilusiones lagoon and Tomás Garrido Park in Villahermosa, with a museum of regional artists and a coffee shop on top.
Museo de Historia de Tabasco Casa de los Azulejos
The Museo de Historia de Tabasco, housed in the Casa de los Azulejos, is a history museum in the historic center of Villahermosa, Tabasco.
Balamku
Balamku is a small Maya archaeological site in Campeche, known for elaborate plaster facades from the Early Classic period.
Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
Bordering Guatemala's Petén department, the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve covers 7,231 square kilometers of southern Campeche, more than 14 percent of the state; it was established in 1989.
Chicanná
Chicanná is a Classic-period Maya city site named after Structure II, whose Maya name means "House of the Serpent Mouth."
Becan
Becan is a Maya archaeological site near the center of the Yucatán Peninsula in Campeche, about 150 km north of Tikal.
Xpuhil
Near the town of Xpujil in Campeche, Xpuhil is a Maya archaeological site along Federal Highway 186, in an area with other Maya sites such as Becan, Chicanná and Calakmul.
Arriving in Bacalar
San Felipe Fortress
San Felipe Fortress (Fuerte de San Felipe de Bacalar) was an 18th-century Spanish colonial garrison in Bacalar, Quintana Roo. Today it houses the Bacalar Piracy Museum.
More drives to Bacalar
- Escárcega to Bacalar
- Tizimín to Bacalar
- Mérida to Bacalar
- Calkiní to Bacalar
- Izamal to Bacalar
- Motul to Bacalar
From Cárdenas to other places in Mexico
- Cárdenas to Zacatelco
- Cárdenas to Chiautempan
- Cárdenas to Huejotzingo
- Cárdenas to Tlaxcala
- Cárdenas to Calpulalpan
- Cárdenas to Ocuituco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cárdenas to Bacalar?
About 8 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 386 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cárdenas to Bacalar?
About 386 miles (622 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Cárdenas to Bacalar?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Cárdenas to Bacalar?
The U.S. State Department rates Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Campeche Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Quintana Roo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cárdenas to Bacalar use?
In order: MEX-180, MEX-186 and MEX-307. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Cárdenas and Bacalar?
Closest to the road: Musevi (museum, mile 30, 0.3 mi from the route); Becan (archaeological site, mile 308, 0.4 mi from the route); Xpuhil (archaeological site, mile 311, 0.1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.