Lagoon-Front Cabin, Bacalar

Bacalar is what Tulum was twenty years ago: a small town on a freshwater lagoon that shifts through seven shades of blue, about two hours south and still mostly jungle at the edges. This palapa-roofed cabin sits right on the water with its own dock — you roll out of the queen bed, grab one of the free kayaks, and paddle over stromatolites (living rock formations older than almost anything else alive) before breakfast, which is included and made with local ingredients. There's a proper coworking space on the property with dependable wifi, so a working week here is realistic, and pets are welcome. One bedroom, one bath, two guests. At $180–250 a night it's the priciest sleep in Bacalar's cabin class, but 114 reviews at 4.75 and the location explain why. Swim early, when the lagoon is glass.