Attractions
Acapulco is situated on the Pacific coastline of southwest Mexico and nestled around a swooping, palm-fringed central bay of golden-sand beaches, with the Sierra Madre Mountains serving as a backdrop. The city's main commercial drag is the Avenida Costera Miguel Alemán, or simply "la Costera," which traces the Acapulco Bay and is lined by shops, restaurants, and bars.
The heart of Acapulco is positioned around a four-mile stretch of sandy beach along the bay. Papagayo Park marks the middle of the stretch; to its west and extending onto the Peninsula de las Playas is "Old Acapulco" (also referred to as downtown). To the east of the park is the beachside strip known as the "Golden Zone" or "Hotel Zone." At the easternmost tip (and the end of Acapulco Bay) is the neighborhood of Las Brisas and the start of the new Diamante section of Acapulco. Southeast of Las Brisas is Puerto Marqués Bay.
Driving and parking hassles make renting a car in Acapulco impractical, but taxis and bus service are inexpensive and plentiful. Numerous independent tour guides and agencies can acquaint you with the area; we recommend Jorge Salcedo Cobos (744/429-6169; $20-$25 /hour per tour group, max 8 people) and Manuel Barrera Ramos (744/530-7013; $25-$35 /hour per tour group, max 13 people). Typical tours run in air-conditioned buses, include an English-speaking guide, and last about four hours. Choose historical sites, classic attractions, or visits to lagoons that neighbor Acapulco; the tours can also be customized. We particularly like the five-hour Tres Palos Lagoon excursion which includes a boat tour of the lagoon, a traditional lunch of red snapper at a beachside restaurant, and a visit to a sea turtle camp ($30-$45 /hour per group, operated by both agencies). Be sure to reserve outings at least one day in advance.
Contact the Acapulco Convention and Visitors Bureau (Costera M. Alemán 38-A, inside Convention Center; daily 8am-3pm; 744/484-8555; www.visitacapulco.com.mx) for assistance in booking hotels, arranging excursions, getting directions, and for general sightseeing advice. There is an additional outpost located on Hornitos Street (Mon-Sat 8am-3pm) in the downtown area, just next to the San Diego Fort. The Mexico Tourism Board (800/446-3942; www.visitmexico.com) is another handy resource for maps and information.
Beaches and Water Sports
Acapulco's palm-fringed shores magnetize, as do the sub-tropical climate, lush vegetation, and the calls of exotic birds. As per Mexican law, all beaches are accessible and free to the public, so stake out your sandy strip at whim. Beaches outside the bay areas face the Pacific and as such are prone to rough surf and strong currents – do exercise caution when swimming here.
Kids of all ages love playing in Acapulco's waters and there are plenty of ways to join in on the fun. Nearly every bay beach offers water sports concessions that typically include jet skis, water skis, banana boats, snorkeling equipment, and wind-surfing gear. Parasailing over the picturesque bay is also very popular, particularly from Playa Condesa. Scuba diving to area reefs and even a shipwreck can be arranged from several outfits, including Acapulco Scuba Center (Paseo del Pescador 13 and 14; 744/482-9474; $70+ with lunch and transportation; www.acapulcoscuba.com).
Most visitors head to the four miles of main bay beaches, with their bustling backdrop of high-rise hotels, beach bars, and restaurants. Starting at the Peninsula de las Playas on the western edge of the bay, the twin coves of Playa Caleta and Playa Caletilla, known for their cleanliness and calm, shallow waters, are prime sunspots for families. There are several beachside family-run restaurants and plenty of water sports concessions here. These beaches also serve as the embarkation point for boats leaving for Roqueta Island and are the site of Magico Mundo Marino (daily 9am-6pm; 744/483-9344; $3, $2 for children), or Magic Marine World, a kid-friendly park with water slides, rides, swimming pools, water sports rentals, an aquarium, and a popular sea lion show.
Moving north toward the zócalo, Playa Honda, Playa Manzanillo, and Playa Tlacopanocha unroll side by side. All three have gentle waves, access to several good seafood restaurants, and departure points for charter fishing trips.
Past the oceanfront pedestrian promenade known as the malecón, where cruise ships and fishing boats line up, is Playa Tamarindos, a popular beach for its fine sand, gentle waves, and palm trees; it marks the unofficial start of Acapulco's Golden Zone. Playa Hornos and Playa Hornitos follow with similar beach conditions and are good for families. The enormous Papagayo Park – complete with amusement rides and lagoon bumper boats – is just across the street. The swooping pelicans, casual thatched-roof beachside eateries, and local fisherman working their nets make for a lively atmosphere.
Playa Condesa, the scenester beach at the center of Acapulco Bay, is often crowded with young people who alternate dips in the water with dips into the swinging beachfront bars. The waves are a little rough here, making water sports a bit more adventurous; there's even beachside bungee jumping for real adrenaline junkies (AJ Hackett Bungy Paradise; Costera M. Alemán 101; 744/484-7529; $60).
At the east side of the bay is the golden-sand Playa Icacos, one of Acapulco's largest beaches and the perfect strand to visit before or after a stop at the popular CICI water park (Costera M. Alemán & Cristobol Colón; daily 10am-6pm; 744/484-1970; $10; www.cici.com.mx) across the street. Recently renovated, the impressive water park complex of swimming pools (including a wave pool), water rides, and dolphin and seal shows is a fun way to spend an afternoon. Make arrangements to go swimming with the park's dolphins ($90/half-hour; $130 /hour; reservations mandatory).
The secondary and smaller Puerto Marqués Bay is popular with vacationing Mexican nationals, giving it a more traditional, low-key Mexican vibe. Lined with colorful beachside restaurants, its waveless waters teem with water sports enthusiasts. The three main beaches here are Playa Pichilingue, Playa Majahua, and Playa Puerto Marqués – our favorite is Playa Pichilingue for its views of some of the city's most exclusive hillside properties.
East of Puerto Marqués Bay, the sand unwinds into the long and beautiful Playa Revolcadero, which faces the open Pacific. Beachcombers, surfers, and equestrians come to this wide, wave-beaten stretch to explore the "New Acapulco" Diamante zone. Note that the undertow is often quite strong in these waters – use caution when swimming, and don't expect water sports.
Secluded, pristine beaches also lie along the lagoon areas on both sides of Acapulco – Pie de la Cuesta and Barra Vieja (See Natural Attractions & Ecotourism below).
Boat Tours and Fishing Trips
For bay cruise tours, the Bonanza or Fiesta (744/482-2055; $22) yachts offer sunset (4.30-7pm), and moonlight (10.30pm-1am) cruises from the malecón docks across from the zócalo. You'll get a great perspective of the coastline, from its high-rise hotels and cliffside mansions to its towering mountain peaks; open bar and live music are included in the fee. Acarey (departs from the malecón; 744/482-3763; $22) offers similar bay tours with open bar and entertainment (4.30pm-7pm, 10.30pm-1am) and a daytime cruise (11.30am-3.30pm) that combines a stop for snorkeling at Roqueta Island and buffet lunch. Glass bottom boats ($3-$5) from Playa Caleta to Roqueta Island are popular, combining splendid bay views as well as the spectacle of colorful tropical fish passing beneath your feet.
Deep-sea fishing is a big draw in Acapulco thanks to abundant swordfish, dorado, red snapper, and marlin, among others. Reservations can be made at the malecón via the Sociedad Cooperativa Servicios Turisticos (744/482-1099), a local fishermen's alliance – charter boat rentals, complete with captain, equipment, and bait cost about $300 for six hours. Your hotel concierge can also help with arrangements, or try a reputable company like Fish-R-Us (Costera M. Alemán 100; 744/482-8282; from $380; www.fish-r-us.com), which features fully equipped charters with tackle, bait, and hotel transportation included in a five-hour tour.
Other Recreational Activities
Acapulco has five golf courses to keep golfers occupied off the bay: four 18-hole courses in the Diamante section of town and the quickie nine-hole municipal Acapulco Golf Club (Costera M. Alemán, next to Convention Center; 744/484-0781; $50). Our top picks are the championship courses operated by Fairmont Acapulco Princess Hotel (744/469-1000; $125 for guests, $140 for non-guests; www.fairmont.com/Acapulco), its narrow fairways dotted with coconut palms and water hazards, and the recently renovated (to the tune of 3 million dollars) Fairmont Pierre Marqués (744/466-1000; $135 for guest, $150 for non-guests; www.fairmont.com/pierremarques) – reservations for both are highly recommended.
Horseback riding along the beach is arranged through independent operators on site, particularly along Playa Revolcadero in the Diamante section of Acapulco. The going rate is about $20 to $30 per hour; reservations can't be made in advance, so you'll need to go to the beach to make arrangements.
Old Acapulco
Old Acapulco, or downtown, is the most historic and traditional part of the city, as evidenced by the presence of a Spanish colonial fort dating back some 400 years and the charming zócalo, where you'll more likely be in the company of Acapulqueños than fellow tourists. Peninsula de las Playas, which juts out from the mainland as an extension of Old Acapulco, is where the town's original tourism infrastructure was located and where the first wave of hip and happening Hollywood types vacationed.
Start your tour with a stroll through the shaded, laid-back zócalo, where daily markets attract locals and tourists who haggle over everything from produce to artisanal crafts. The large square is overlooked by the distinctive 1930s-era Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (daily 8am-9pm), whose unusual architectural blend of Byzantine towers, mosque-like dome, and Moorish and Art Deco elements are an interesting visual juxtaposition.
Exit the zócalo, and cross the busy Costera to reach the malecón. Moseying around the docks here, where everything from large cruise ships to "booze" cruise ships to fishing boats line up, helps recall Acapulco's heritage as a lively port. For more area history, head to the pentagon-shaped Fuerte de San Diego (Calle Hornitos & Calle Morelos; Tue-Sun 9.30am-6.30pm; 744/482-3828; $3, free Sun; www.fuertedesandiego.inah.gob.mx), a fort originally built to protect the once lucrative bay harbor in 1616 and a testament to Spanish colonial influence (its current incarnation dates back to a reconstruction that followed a 1776 earthquake). Today it houses the Museo Histórico de Acapulco, a history museum with a collection including everything from religious objects to maps to old traded objects.
About a block from the fort, the La Casa de la Máscara (Calle Hornitos & Calle Morelos; Tue-Sun 10.30am-4pm; 744/485-3944; free) is worth a stop; its vast collection of colorful, locally created masks speak to the area's religion and culture.
A short taxi ride away is Acapulco's most iconic attraction: La Quebrada's cliff divers (Av. López Mateos & Plazoleta La Quebrada; daily performances at 1pm, 7.30pm, 8.30pm, 9.30pm & 10.30pm; 744/483-1400) wow onlookers with their daredevil stunts; the young performers hurl themselves off posts on a 115-foot cliff into a narrow cove of water below. The spectacle, an evolution of machismo competition that began with local fishermen, has incurred surprisingly few mishaps. The feat can be observed from either a public viewing platform ($3.50, including one drink) or from the outdoor patio at the Hotel El Mirador's La Perla Restaurant (Plazoleta la Quebrada 74, Peninsula de las Playas; 744/483-1155; $19.50 with two drinks or $30 with dinner).
Nearby, the Diego Rivera Mural (Inalámbrica #6 on the Cerro de la Pinzona) covers the walls outside the home of Dolores Olmedo, a long-time friend of Rivera. The Mexican artist, whose colorful, large-scale murals inspired a renewed interest in fresco painting throughout Latin America in the early half of the 20th century, here depicts Aztec gods through mosaics. Hire a cab to get here, as its hilly location, and the Acapulco heat, make for an unfriendly combination.
Costera Golden Zone and Diamante Zone
La Costera is the main artery of Acapulco, with a huge array of bayside hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightspots. Most points of interest are nestled in the Golden Zone of the strip, typically defined as stretching from Papagayo Park to the Las Brisas neighborhood. Volkswagen Beetle taxis, marauding vacationers in search of souvenirs, food, and libations, and even horse-drawn carriage rides – often adorned with balloons, lights, or flowers – add to the animated energy of the wide beachside boulevard, especially after dusk.
Culture vultures should check out the Casa de la Cultura (Costera M. Alemán 4834; daily 10am-6pm; free), a small archaeological museum with a handful of exhibits culled from local excavations, as well as an art gallery and crafts display.
La Costera's name changes to Carretera Escénica – or Scenic Highway – as it winds east from the swanky Las Brisas neighborhood, signaling the start of the new Diamante section of Acapulco. The key tourist attraction here, aside from the upper-crust environs, is the Capilla de la Paz (Calle de Vientos Cardinales s/n; daily 10am-1pm & 4-6pm; 744/446-5458; free), an open-air peace chapel marked by a 128-foot cross that presides over Acapulco from a Las Brisas hilltop; the bay views from here are spectacular.
Natural Attractions and Ecotourism
Acapulco's subtropical vegetation manages to peek through the abundance of high-rise hotels and shopping centers, offering plenty of opportunities to take in some natural wonders, whether a nearby island escape, a series of lagoons teeming with wildlife, or a pleasant botanical garden on the fringes of the main resort area.
The popular and easily accessible Roqueta Island is reached via a scenic 10-minute glass-bottom boat ride ($3) from Playa Caleta; for a few dollars more, some operators offer extended excursions to see bayside villas and the submerged shrine to the Virgin of Guadeloupe, the patron saint of Mexico, before dropping you on the isle. Snorkelers and sun bums love the hilly island's beach, while more adventurous types enjoy trekking through the trails of the interior's forested terrain; you can grab lunch at one of the few thatched-roof restaurants.
Puerto Marqués Lagoon, just east of Punta Diamante, is an ecological preserve known for its waterfowl viewing. It's also the one local lagoon where you may spot crocodiles, though they're a rare sighting. Grab a seat on the Shotover Jet (744/484-1154; $45 with hotel drop-off/pick-up; www.shotoverjet.com.mx) and go exploring via a wild 30-minute boat ride, replete with 360-degree turns, that zips through the murky canals, past local flora and fauna.
About 10 miles east of the Golden Zone, the Laguna de Tres Palos is an impressive lagoon with an adjacent stretch of sand called the Barra Vieja – perfect for horseback riding, glorious sunsets, and leisurely lancha (small motorboat) tours that glide past aquatic birds like pelicans, storks, iguanas, and armadillos (as well as a floating garden of lotus-like flowers, in dry season). Stop for a traditional lunch of pescado à la talla (red snapper grilled over hot coals) at one of the dozens of beachside restaurants. (See Where to Eat).
In the opposite direction, six miles west of the Golden Zone, is the low-key beach resort of Pie de la Cuesta, a quiet hideaway popular for its horseback riding, coconut groves, and rustic thatched-roofed seaside eateries. The quiet, palm-fringed beaches encourage relaxation and hammock lounging, while the adjacent freshwater Laguna Coyuca is perfect for waterskiing, fishing, and boat rides.
Four miles north of Old Acapulco, the Sitio Arqueológica Palma Sola (daily 9am-5pm; 744/484-1514; free) combines a visit to the El Veladero ecological reserve with an archaeological zone where you can ogle 2,000-year-old petroglyphs dating from the Yope Indians who once inhabited the mountains surrounding the resort.
Finally, the 15-acre Jardín Botánico (at Loyola University, Av. Heróico Colegio Militar, Fracc. Cumbres de Llano Largo, north Las Brisas area; daily dawn-dusk; 744/446-5252; $3, free Sun; www.acapulcobotanico.org), a botanical garden of indigenous and introduced plant species including palms, ferns, and fruit trees, was started in 2002 by a cooperative of 35 local women seeking to educate the public on the ecology of the Acapulco area &mdash and the need protect it.
