Beaches
Every coast is a different country: Pacific swell, Caribbean calm, Gulf solitude. We say which beach fits which traveler — and which ones the brochures oversell.
Pacific Coast
Acapulco
Faded golden-age resort city -- cliff divers, a huge bay and real problems
Skip unless…BeachBarra de Navidad
Sandy-street lagoon town on the Costalegre, big on seafood and slow days
Worth itBeachChacala
A one-cove fishing village turned quiet-beach hideout north of Sayulita
Worth itBeachIxtapa
Planned resort strip of high-rise hotels -- convenient, generic, five minutes from the
If nearbyBeachManzanillo
Mexico's busiest cargo port that moonlights as a sportfishing and beach town
If nearbyCityPuerto Vallarta
Old-town charm, a lively malecon and the gateway to Banderas Bay
Worth itBeachSan Pancho (San Francisco)
Sayulita's quieter neighbor -- one main street, a big beach, a strong shorebreak
Worth itBeachSayulita
Nayarit's beginner-surf party town -- charming and crowded in equal measure
Worth itBeachZihuatanejo
A working fishing town that kept its soul next door to the resort zone
Worth itYucatán Peninsula
Cancún
Mexico's biggest beach airport, wrapped in an all-inclusive resort strip.
Skip unless…IslandCozumel
Cruise-ship island by day, world-class wall diving just offshore.
Worth itIslandHolbox
Car-free sandbar island, whale sharks in summer, sand streets and no ATMs.
Worth itIslandIsla Mujeres
A golf-cart island 20 minutes off Cancún, calmest at Playa Norte.
Worth itCityPlaya del Carmen
Ferry hub to Cozumel with a walkable, very touristy main drag.
If nearbyBeachTulum
Maya ruins over the Caribbean, and a beach-club scene that priced out the beach.
Skip unless…Baja
Isla Espíritu Santo
A protected desert island off La Paz with sea lions and empty coves
Must-seeCityLa Paz
An unhurried state capital that's the launch pad for the Sea of Cortez
Must-seeBeachLos Cabos
The resort corridor from San José to Cabo San Lucas, for better and worse
If nearbyBeachPlaya Balandra
A shallow, glass-flat turquoise bay near La Paz with daily visitor caps
Worth it