The Wayro route from Coatzacoalcos to Bacalar is 461 miles (742 km), about 10 h 9 min of driving without stops.
| Distance by road | 461 mi (742 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-186 → MEX-307 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Quintana Roo |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Coatzacoalcos to Bacalar: the shape of the trip
MEX-186 (342 mi) and MEX-180 (68 mi) carry about 89% of the 461 miles. It runs through 5 states: Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Quintana Roo. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Coatzacoalcos to Bacalar
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | |
| MEX-180 | 2–30 | 28 | Veracruz, Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 30–63 | 33 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 63–103 | 40 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 103–107 | 4 | Tabasco |
| MEX-186 | 107–449 | 342 | Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Quintana Roo |
| MEX-307 | 449–460 | 11 | Quintana Roo |
| local roads | 460–461 | 1 | Quintana Roo |
- Mile 29 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 153 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
- Mile 196 of this route: Chiapas → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 204 of this route: Tabasco → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 409 of this route: Campeche → Quintana Roo (state line)
Places worth a stop between Coatzacoalcos and Bacalar
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Musevi (mile 104), Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara (mile 106), Chicanná (mile 380), Becan (mile 382), Xpuhil (mile 385)
- Nature and outdoors: Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (mile 375)
- Museums and history: La Venta (mile 31), Musevi (mile 104), Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara (mile 106), Becan (mile 382), Xpuhil (mile 385)
La Venta
La Venta was an important city of the Olmec civilization, in Tabasco near Huimanguillo. Its site museum displays more than 200 artifacts, including monumental sandstone sculptures found at the foot of the main pyramid.
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.
Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara
Poet Carlos Pellicer Cámara, a major voice of 20th-century Mexican poetry, was born in this house in Villahermosa's historic center, now a museum since 1985.
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.
When you get to 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 Coatzacoalcos to other places in Mexico
- Coatzacoalcos to Orizaba
- Coatzacoalcos to Cholula
- Coatzacoalcos to Zacatelco
- Coatzacoalcos to Huejotzingo
- Coatzacoalcos to Tlaxcala
- Coatzacoalcos to Atlixco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Coatzacoalcos to Bacalar?
About 10 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 461 miles.
How far is Bacalar from Coatzacoalcos by car?
About 461 miles (742 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 Coatzacoalcos 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 Coatzacoalcos to Bacalar?
The U.S. State Department rates Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; 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 Coatzacoalcos to Bacalar use?
In order: MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-186 and MEX-307. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Coatzacoalcos and Bacalar?
Closest to the road: Musevi (museum, mile 104, 0.3 mi from the route); Becan (archaeological site, mile 382, 0.2 mi from the route); Xpuhil (archaeological site, mile 385, 0.3 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.