By road, San Andrés Tuxtla and Bacalar are about 546 miles (879 km) apart, or roughly 12 h 11 min of driving.
| Total distance | 546 mi (879 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180 → MEX-185 → MEX-180D → MEX-186 → MEX-307 |
| Mexican states on the route | Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Quintana Roo |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-145D, MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.9 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.
The San Andrés Tuxtla–Bacalar drive in a few lines
MEX-186 (342 mi) and MEX-180 (87 mi) carry about 79% of the 546 miles. It runs through 5 states: Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Quintana Roo. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-145D and MEX-180D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
San Andrés Tuxtla to Bacalar: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–27 | 27 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 27–55 | 28 | Veracruz |
| MEX-185 | 55–76 | 21 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180D | 76–96 | 20 | Veracruz |
| MEX-180 | 96–116 | 20 | Veracruz, Tabasco |
| MEX-180D | 116–149 | 33 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 149–188 | 39 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 188–192 | 4 | Tabasco |
| MEX-186 | 192–534 | 342 | Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Quintana Roo |
| MEX-307 | 534–545 | 11 | Quintana Roo |
| local roads | 545–546 | 1 | Quintana Roo |
- Mile 114 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 239 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
- Mile 281 of this route: Chiapas → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 290 of this route: Tabasco → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 495 of this route: Campeche → Quintana Roo (state line)
Places worth a stop between San Andrés Tuxtla and Bacalar
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Historia Natural José Narciso Rovirosa (mile 191), Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara (mile 191), Chicanná (mile 465), Becan (mile 467), Xpuhil (mile 471)
- Nature and outdoors: Museo de Historia Natural José Narciso Rovirosa (mile 191), Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (mile 460)
- Museums and history: La Venta (mile 116), Museo de Historia Natural José Narciso Rovirosa (mile 191), Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara (mile 191), Becan (mile 467), Xpuhil (mile 471)
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.
Museo de Historia Natural José Narciso Rovirosa
Opened in Villahermosa in 1988, this natural history museum honors José Narciso Rovirosa, the Tabasco naturalist, botanist and mapmaker who explored Tabasco and Chiapas documenting plants, climate and wildlife.
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.
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 San Andrés Tuxtla to other places in Mexico
- San Andrés Tuxtla to Zacatelco
- San Andrés Tuxtla to Chiautempan
- San Andrés Tuxtla to Huejotzingo
- San Andrés Tuxtla to Tlaxco
- San Andrés Tuxtla to Calpulalpan
- San Andrés Tuxtla to Ocuituco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from San Andrés Tuxtla to Bacalar?
About 12 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 546 miles.
What is the driving distance from San Andrés Tuxtla to Bacalar?
About 546 miles (879 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 San Andrés Tuxtla 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 San Andrés Tuxtla 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 San Andrés Tuxtla to Bacalar use?
In order: MEX-180, MEX-185, MEX-180D, MEX-186 and MEX-307. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from San Andrés Tuxtla to Bacalar?
Closest to the road: Chicanná (maya site, mile 465, 0.6 mi from the route); Becan (archaeological site, mile 467, 0.4 mi from the route); Xpuhil (archaeological site, mile 471, 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.