I'm going to Acapulco in January with friends. I have been reading an online Mexican paper regarding the recent violence that has been occurring right in the city. It seems to be directed at govt officials and has to do with drugs.

This is concerning me a bit. Are there things we can or should do to ensure our safety? Thanks.

Have you ever been to Acapulco before? It is a very large polluted city and the water isn't clean enough to swim in.
If you are looking for a relaxing beach vacation, I would recommend Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan or the Yucatan.
In Acapulco, if you stay in the tourist areas and take cabs at night I wouldn't worry about safety.

RBCal, Thanks for the reply. I think you have reconfirmed some of my other concerns. I have been to Puerto Vallarta but not Acapulco. We are one of four couples going. One of the other couples picked Acapulco as the destination. I'm bummed out that the water is so bad. It sounds like we won't be doing much snorkeling!

All kidding aside, we have already booked and paid for the trip so we are pretty much committed to going. I have it in my mind to make the best of the trip. I'm even trying to learn Spanish through some cd's I ordered.

Where are you staying in Acapulco?

Percy

Percy,
The first night we are staying at the Hyatt and the remainder of the week we will be at the Grand Mayan.

Anita

The Hyatt is downtown and one fo the first hotels you will see as you are coming down the hill from the Airport descending into the downtown area.

There is a "must see" tree right in front of the Hyatt, you will no doubt take a picture of it.!!

Do not know about the Grand Mayan unless it is the Vidafel Mayan Palace which is near the airport and not downtown.

I heard the same stories that you are hearing about Acapulco and when I got there is was a simply superb place.

The temperature was in the mid 90 F and the people were all terrific.

I heard of no violence and I saw no violence and I walked up and down the main "Acapulco Strip" in total safety.

You should take the Acapulco City Tour as this will get you orientated and you will see some nice places including the World Famous Cliff Divers.

I walked all along the strip toward downtown and toured ,on my own , Fort San Diego ( it is right on the way.

Then I took a bus, right along the strip and went to Roquetta Island, about a $3.00 boat ride, once you get off the bus.(bus is 60 cents now)

Then this is what I did and you should do also:

Hire a private Tour Guide and tell him

"Show me the Real Acapulco, not the one the tourists see but the places tourist do not go to ."

Boy did I ever have an enjoyable day with him.
He even took me along the Pacific Coast and we watched this undescribeable sunset.

Then he took me to where the Rambo movie was filmed, then he took me to old Acapulco and I saw poverty like you have not seen, up in those Acapulco hills.

I met a tour guide there his name is Celso.

We exchange e-mails about 4-5 times a year.

He just gave me his cell number a few months ago.

The number for you to call him from the USA would be:

011-52-(998) 1259053

Now you call him from your home ,tell him you talked to Percy from Edmonton Alberta Canada and he will help you for sure.

Let me just add one more thing(because I could talk about Acapulco for hours !!!)
I have been to every major place in Mexico at least twice, yes I have been to Huatulco and Manzanillo ,Ixtapa,Zihuatanejo,Puerto Vallarta ,Mazatlan ,Los Cabos, Mayan Riveria , Cancun, etc.

Which place did I enjoy most and had the most fun as a typical tourist...you got it !! it was Acapulco, the place everyone says is dirty and infiltrated with crime . hmmm !

And I was there over Christmas and New Years.

Have fun

Percy

My own reaction to some of what’s been said thus far:

The comments of RBCal aren’t worth dignifying. Ignore them as “off the wall.”

As for the rest of the conversation:

The Hyatt isn’t “Downtown.” It’s at the SE end of the bay – not even close to the Zocalo or Centro areas of ACA. It’s in the tourist zone, though . . . and within easy reach by bus, taxi or on foot from many things. The Gran Mayan gets good reviews, except for the attempts to interest you in buying a time-share. If you’re not interested, just say no thank you. The Mayan Palace complex is away from the heart of the city, but closest to the “new Acapulco.” You’ll need to take a taxi to/from the hotel and the fare is likely to be the peso equivalent of US$12 each way – to the Zocalo (about 20 minutes away if you don’t get stuck in heavy holiday traffic along the Costera Miguel Aleman). Percy gives a lot of good advice about what to see/do.

About the water – it’s just fine, no need to worry about going into the water near the Hyatt or Mayan Palace properties. The beach at the Mayan Palace is better than the one at the Hyatt, because it’s directly on the Pacific Ocean. The beach by the Hyatt gets a good water exchange from Bahia Santa Lucia. The beaches at Caleta – the oldest section of ACA – aren’t good to swim in after a heavy rain. The Mayan Palace and Hyatt have good pools. If you want to snorkel, find your way to Playa La Langosta – near La Quebrada and the cliffdivers. It’s very clean, has lots of fish in the small bay, not many people and wonderfully clear water.

For a better idea of what you’ll see in ACA, have a look at some of the photos in online albums I maintain:

http://community.webshots.com/user/billmasterson

I am happy that gomexico filled you in on the Mayan Palace.

To me the Hyatt Regency is "downtown" because I walked all the way from there , along the "strip , and up to the Fort San Diego.

It is a nice long walk, but tiresome if the heat is excessive, which it usually is.


gomexico is correct it is on the Southwest edge of the so called Acapulco strip.
This is my name for the long curve main avenue along all the hotels that line the beach.!!

I guess if there is a Las Vegas Strip, then why not an "Acapulco Strip!!!"

The real name of the strip is as gomexico has said , it is Costera Miguel Aleman.

But called Costera for short.

If you try to walk from the Hyatt to the main plaza in downtown Acapulco( called the Zocalo ) then maybe it is just too far for you, just becaause I did it doea not mean it is not far.!

About the Cliff Divers, you can see them on your own or on a Tour.

You can even see the Cliff Divers during a night show when they dive with fire torches in their hands...quite spectacular.

Next to the Costa Club ( this hotel in almost dead central in the Acapulco tourist hotel zone) , there is a very nice Mall,it is a two level Mall and they are many nice stores to just wonder about in the evening.

I know what you could be saying, " I do not want to go to a Mall when I come to Mexico."!

Believe me , I used this Mall as a cooling off spot.
When the temperature is pushing 100F, you will welcome a coool place to just duck into, besides, all ladies love to shop a little.!

I am just trying toadd a little to what gomexico stated so greatly

Take Care
Percy

Percy and Go Mexico, Thanks for the info. I would really like to see the real Acapulco so hiring a guide sounds like the way to go. I looked at the webshot website. ACA looks like a larger version of Honolulu/Waikiki Beach which I absolutely love.

It's past my bedtime so I'll reread these posts tomorrow. I know I'll have more questions!

Since there doesn't seem like a lot of current info on ACA I won't start another thread just yet! After rereading the above posts I have a few questions.

Does Celso the tour guide speak english? As I stated before my Spanish is pretty nonexistent. If I learn some basic Spanish will I be okay?

Are you familiar with any resturants within walking distance of the Hyatt?

How far is Playa La Longosta from the Hyatt? I'm thinking we should do our snorkeling the second day if it is close since we will be in the area.

What type of clothes should we pack for days and evenings? Is it a beach town or more of a city atmosphere?

Do you suggest using the ATM as our main source for money?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

I will answer whatI can and leave the rest for perhaps gomexico!

Yes,Celso speaks good English.

The tour guide/driver that Celsogot for me spoke very good English and was so knowledgeable he should have been a Mexican History Professor.

About clothes, I wore short all the times except when I went out to dine in some of the finer restaurants (did this 3 times).

I willgive you the name of a few good dinning places:

1. Los Rancheros...good Mexican food and lovely views of the Bay.

2. Casanova.. very nice , good Italian dinning and again spectacular views, elegant.
Near the Fiesta American Hotel on the strip..about 2-3 block N.


3. For a very nice elegant dinning with a view, go to Coyuca 22 .

The New York Times once called this "The most beautiful restaurant in the world."
So for an evening to remember go here !!!
Take a taxi here,taxi's are cheap.

Now there are places like:

Hard Rock Cafe
Senoir Frogs
Tony Romas
Jimmy's ( English Pub style dinning, live music)
Carlos and Charlie's.

I think I will stop here and let others give their more valueable input.

When I was there over Chrsitmas and New Years, there was not one day under 90F !!
So I think sandals and short are the order of the day.

Percy

Definitely use ATMs as your main source of money. Unlike some tourist places in Mexico where you can pay in either US dollars or pesos, Acapulco operates almost completely in pesos.

Regarding clothing -- casual for when you are at the resorts, it will be hot and quite humid in January. Mexican ladies would never ever be seen outside the resort walls in shorts, but I have worn them to town in the daytime. At night Acapulco is on the dressy side but more festive rather than formal - pants, skirts or dresses and high heels. A nice shirt and pants for the men, but no tie or jacket. Many restaurants, even the fancy ones, are open air, so don't dress too warmly.

Do not bring any fancy jewelry, not even any moderate jewelry, and tell the men to leave their expensive watches at home. No tennis bracelets, no diamonds of any type! In public, Mexican ladies wear a modest wedding band and costume jewelry or maybe something silver. When at the resort or in a restaurant, you will be able to pick out some of the other visitors based on their bling. You just don't want to stand out that much.

If you want to stock up on snacks and drinks, there is a Costco close to the Mayan Palace (they will accept your US or Canadian Costco card) and there are big grocery stores on Percy's strip.

The beach at the Mayan Palace is spectacular, but often the waves are too big for my swimming skills, so you play in the waves but swim in the pool.

I'll see if I can find my restaurant notes.

I love Acapulco as much as Percy does, I know you'll have a great time.

PERCY, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU ON THE COSTA RICA TALK FOR ALONG TIME, YOU WERE A WEALTH OF INFO FOR MY FAMILY'S TRIP THERE LAST MAY. FOR THOSE WHO SEE HIS/HER NAME - I WOULD FEEL FREE TO SAY THAT PERCY'S TIPS ARE GREAT. WAS INVITED TO MAZATLAN IN JANUARY, BUT SOUTH DAKOTA HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY TAKES PRECEDENCE. NEXT YR. MY HUBBY AND I WILL BE FREE AS BIRDS TO TRAVEL BACK TO CR AND MAYBE TO MEXICO - WHERE A LARGE NUMBER OF SOUTH DAKOTANS GO - WELL - MAYBE, DO LOVE THAT COSTA RICA!!

Dyer

Well Thank You for the kind words ,I am blusing!!!!

Actually I am leaving October 3rd for Egypt,soI have been busy doing all my home work aboutthe Pyramids, The Nile ,The Sphinx , and King Tut etc.
I will be cruising the Nile and will be there 16 days.

Hope I do not fall off a camel!!

I also am planning to go back to Costa Rica before the end of the year, but this year flights from my City to Liberia Costa Rica do not begin until December 21st ..what a bummer.

They started last year in early November, but I guess all airlines are in trouble and have cut back on some flights.

Anita , sorry to hi jack your posting.

I wish you a terrific time in Acapulco ,wish I was going again.

Percy

Regarding gomexico's comments as "off the wall"

Please see the virtual tourist reviews from Mexicans that actually live there, not those who are travel agents.

"Acapulco is the preferred weekend break destination for all wealthy inhabitants of Mexico City - yet you won't see any of them even toe dipping in the sea. The reason is easy to understand: pollution!"

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/184a7/eb3d5/

I swam in the bay and came out with toilet paper on me.

RBCal, Thanks for the tip on virtualtourist. I've never heard of that one. I'm sure glad the Grand Mayan has a nice pool!