Pacific Coast (Mexico)
Pacific Coast (Mexico)
The Pacific Coast is the southwestern rim of Mexico.
Part of this coast, roughly from Puerto Vallarta in the north to Acapulco in the south, is highly developed. It has the country's largest concentration of beach resorts, is promoted as the Mexican Riviera, and gets millions of visitors a year. However, much of the beach traffic has moved on to the Yucatán Peninsula.
States
Beaches, archeological sites, sport fishing, historic towns, and haciendas.
A mountainous and rugged states with tourism focused on Acapulco.
The origin of many of the characteristic traits of Mexican culture, such as mariachi, ranchera music, birria, tequila, and jaripeo.
Home to the winter gathering of 100 million Monarch butterflies, its diversity is unmatched in Mexico.
The beaches of San Blas and the so-called "Riviera Nayarit" are popular with tourists.
Well known for its cuisine, and its indigenous peoples and cultures.
Cities
- Acapulco — the original Mexican resort town remains a major tourist destination, especially for U.S. college students
- Guadalajara — the second-largest city in the country, it's Centro Histórico is filled with colonial-era buildings
- Ixtapa — a planned resort town set amongst rolling mountains and sparkling beaches
- Morelia — one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico, and a UNESCO World Heritage site for its colonial architecture
- Oaxaca — many colonial-era structures, significant archeological sites, elements of the continuing native Zapotec and Mixtec cultures, and the most vibrant Mexican cuisine scene
- Playa Troncones — a small coastal town popular for surfing and snorkeling
- Puerto Vallarta — modern resort town with beautiful beaches, lush jungles, and sparkling waterfalls
- Uruapan — the center of Mexico's avocado growing region, its center has colonial architecture
- Taxco — a beautiful silver-mining city built on a hill, with narrow winding streets and hundreds of silver shops
Other destinations
- Monte Alban – Monte Alban (a UNESCO World Heritage site) is the most significant archaeological site in Mexico's Pacific Coast region. It was established in the 6th century B.C. and inhabited by Olmec, Zapotec, and Mixtec populations for over 1,500 years. The site is located just outside the city of Oaxaca.
- Islas Marietas National Park - A group of small, uninhabited islands in the Bahia Banderas, lying 8km southwest of Punta Mita. Due to excessive tourism and its damage to the fragile ecosystem, the islands and their beaches have been closed to public access since 2016.
- Monarch Butterfly Reserves - Each year, millions of monarch butterflies migrate to the hills of Michoacan to breed. Trees in the area become bright orange with the color of the monarchs. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Understand
Get in
The Wikivoyage article on Mexico has general information on getting into the country. It is also possible to get to the Coast by car or bus from Mexico City. Bus service is also available between major cities throughout the region.
There are international airports in Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Oaxaca City, Morelia, Huatulco, and Acapulco.
Get around
See
The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve on the eastern border of Michoacan is home to approximately 100 million Monarch butterflies from the Canada and the United States from November until March.
Archeological sites
La Organera-Xochipala is the best known of Guerrero's archeological sites because of its monumental architecture. Teopantecuanitlan stands out as an early example of a planned city which extends from the intersection two main roads.
Monte Albán is a 2,500-year-old Zapotec city built atop a mountain outside Oaxaca City
The archeological site of Tzintzuntzán in Michoacan was the ceremonial center of the pre-Columbian Tarascan state capital. Five reconstructed yácata pyramids line up looking out over Lake Pátzcuaro.
Colonial cities
Guadalajara, Morelia, and Oaxaca have beautiful historic centers with colonial palaces and churches.
Pueblos Magicos
A number of small towns in the Pacific Coast region are designated by the Mexican Tourism Ministry (SECTUR) as Pueblos Magicos for their romantic charm and cultural attractions. These towns include Taxco, Tequila, Patzcuaro, and Mazunte, among many others. These are excellent destinations for travelers who prefer getting off the beaten path, away from popular resort areas.
Do
Sample the huge variety of tequilas available in — where else? — Tequila (Jalisco).
Sports
Guerrero offers extreme sports in the Acapulco area including high-speed water jets, kayaking, canoeing, river rafting, rock climbing, spelunking, paintball, mountain climbing, and parasailing. Activities in other parts of the state include rafting on the Papagayo River, kayaking and canoeing in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, rock-climbing in Chilpancingo and Taxco, mountain climbing in Ixcateopan, rappelling in Zihuatanejo and bungee jumping and parasailing in Iguala.
Colima is popular with sports fishermen.
Beaches
The beaches of Manzanillo are popular among those in western Mexico.
Acapulco in Guerreo is one of Mexico's oldest and most well-known beach resorts.
Puerto Vallarta is a busy resort city with beautiful beaches.
The beaches of San Blas and the Riviera Nayarit offer a quieter beach vacation.
In Oaxaca, surfers will head for the beaches near Puerto Escondido, while resort-goers will head to the bays of Huatulco.
Stay safe
Go next
- Yucatán Peninsula – popular tourist destination in the southern part of Mexico
- Baja California – northern Pacific coastal region of Mexico