By road, Ocosingo and Bacalar are about 374 miles (602 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 47 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 374 mi (602 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-199 → MEX-186 → MEX-307 |
| Mexican states on the route | Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Quintana Roo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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.
On the road from Ocosingo to Bacalar
MEX-186 (273 mi) and MEX-199 (88 mi) carry about 97% of the 374 miles. It runs through 4 states: Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Quintana Roo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Ocosingo and Bacalar
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Chiapas |
| MEX-199 | 1–89 | 88 | Chiapas |
| MEX-186 | 89–362 | 273 | Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Quintana Roo |
| MEX-307 | 362–373 | 11 | Quintana Roo |
| local roads | 373–374 | 1 | Quintana Roo |
- Mile 109 of this route: Chiapas → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 117 of this route: Tabasco → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 323 of this route: Campeche → Quintana Roo (state line)
Stops between Ocosingo and Bacalar
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Misol Há (mile 62), Chicanná (mile 294), Becan (mile 295), Xpuhil (mile 299)
- Nature and outdoors: Agua Azul (mile 36), Misol Há (mile 62), Palenque National Park (mile 73), Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (mile 288)
- Museums and history: Becan (mile 295), Xpuhil (mile 299)
Agua Azul
The Agua Azul cascades are a series of waterfalls on the Xanil River in Chiapas, in Tumbalá municipality about 69 km from Palenque, near Federal Highway 199.
Misol Há
About 20 km from Palenque on the road to San Cristóbal de las Casas, Misol-Há is a single 35-meter waterfall dropping into a nearly round pool amid tropical vegetation.
Temple of the Inscriptions
At the Maya site of Palenque, the Temple of the Inscriptions is a stepped pyramid built as the funerary monument of Kʼinich Janaabʼ Pakal, who ruled the city in the 7th century.
Palenque National Park
Palenque National Park protects about 1,772 hectares around the Palenque archaeological zone in Chiapas. It was established by presidential decree in July 1981.
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 Ocosingo to other places in Mexico
- Ocosingo to Ocozocoautla de Espinosa
- Ocosingo to Copainalá
- Ocosingo to Tlacotalpan
- Ocosingo to Xico
- Ocosingo to Naolinco
- Ocosingo to Ixtenco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ocosingo to Bacalar?
About 8 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 374 miles.
How far is Bacalar from Ocosingo by car?
About 374 miles (602 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 Ocosingo 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 Ocosingo to Bacalar?
The U.S. State Department rates Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; 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.
Which highways go from Ocosingo to Bacalar?
In order: MEX-199, MEX-186 and MEX-307. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ocosingo and Bacalar?
Closest to the road: Chicanná (maya site, mile 294, 0.5 mi from the route); Becan (archaeological site, mile 295, 0.3 mi from the route); Xpuhil (archaeological site, mile 299, 0.2 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.