Long stretches of light golden sand, waters as blue as the clear sky and soul warming sunshine. Everyone loves a day at the beach but with hundreds to choose from along Mexico’s vast coastline it can be difficult to know how to get the best from the experience. Luckily there are some tried and tested favorites that top rankings around the world as places to have an enjoyable day in a clean, relaxing environment.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta in the state of Jalisco is situated by Mexico’s largest natural bay. Banderas Bay is sixty miles of coast line stretching from Punta Mita to Cabo Corrientes. The bay spans the states of Jalisco and Nayarit. Walk the Malecon (seaside promenade) to view sculptures and see street performers, eat at a fine dining restaurant, visit the Isla Marietas for bird watching, scuba diving, snorkeling or kayaking. A short walk brings you to the popular and lively Los Muertos Beach.
Cancún
If crowds are a plus rather than a problem then the famous white sand beaches of Cancún in Quintana Roo could be a good candidate for your Mexico vacation. Cancun is one of the most well known and most visited resorts of Mexico. Beautiful beaches, a coral reef, amenities, nightlife and water sports make this the highlight of the Mayan Riviera. Cruise ships dock in Cozumel and visitors take a short ferry ride to reach Cancun. Elsewhere along the Riviera beach parties and good diving sites can be found at Playa del Carmen. For snorkeling and kayaking head to Half Moon Bay. Punta Bete is a good option for those wishing for a quieter time.
Near to Cancun are the Mayan ruins named Tulum. The ruins are situated on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Hike the jungle and climb the ruins of temples before taking a cooling dip in the turquoise blue waters. This unique beach is not a well kept secret when it comes to Mexico travel so to avoid large crowds it is best visited early in the day.
Los Cabos
Los Cabos is a popular tourist resort located in Baja California Sur which has experienced a surge in touristic popularity over the last thirty years. The two towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo and the area between them are known as the “corridor” or “tourist corridor”. The beaches along the twenty mile corridor are a major draw for visitors. From Land’s End in Cabo San Lucas up through the corridor to San Jose and the East Cape tourists are spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches. Medano beach or Playa el Medano is popular for safe swimming but is busier than many other places, Bahia Chileno is known for snorkeling and diving opportunities.
Oaxaca
The Huatulco Bays in Oaxaca is an area made up of nine bays and thirty six pristine beaches. The coastline is surrounded by a lowland jungle backdrop which attracts nature lovers drawn by the biodiversity and everyone else for the sheer beauty of the landscape. The combination of landscape with beaches and amenities makes this resort a popular choice and keeps the cruise port of Santa Cruz busy. The beaches are generally mild with blue-green waters and light colored sands. There are some beaches such as Playa Chahue which are recommended for experienced swimmers only unlike the mild waves of Playa Tangolunda. With so many interconnected areas to explore finding something to suit is a pleasure and not a chore. Dine on Mexican seafood and Oaxacan cuisine, enjoy a swim, boat tour or snorkeling session.
Some areas can cater to Mexico tours with contrasting requirements; Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca has the family friendly beaches of Bahia Principal and Puerto Angelito as well as Zicatela Beach a.k.a the Mexican Pipeline which draws experienced surfers who want to test their skills.
Acapulco
Acapulco in Guerrero has been a famous beach destination for years. Recent efforts have been made to improve the area which is famous for the La Quebrada cliff divers who stun onlookers with their death defying dives, only taking the plunge after praying at the shrine of the Virgin Guadalupe. Acapulco is known for sunbathing and nightlife and attracts a large amount of visitors every year.
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
7 hours ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
22 hours ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
5 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
6 days ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.