Bacalar’s Pirate Souls Festival Launches Nightly Boat Tours

Bacalar, Quintana Roo — Thirty boats operated by about 20 private companies have been running nightly tours on the Bacalar lagoon as part of the first Pirate Souls Festival, a pilot project organizers hope will become a regular fixture on the destination’s calendar.

Jesús Velásquez coordinated the initiative. The tours departed each night from 8:30 p.m. with authorization from maritime authorities.

The route began at the Carmelitas Lagoon Club dock and passed in front of the Aserradero swimming area and the Cenote Negro before finishing at the Canal de los Piratas, where a fire circus show closed out the evening.

Organizers described the festival as a test run aimed at generating audiovisual material to promote Bacalar and paving the way for future editions. Still in an exploratory phase, the project also contemplates tours on full-moon nights.

The private sector, the municipal government and the Mexican Navy are collaborating on the effort, which aims to diversify the local economy and extend the length of visitors’ stays in the area.

The idea grew out of the traditional Desfile de las Ánimas, whose third edition was held this year. That parade takes place free of charge in the early hours of Nov. 2 in Bacalar, one of Mexico’s designated Pueblo Mágico towns.