Are there any "authentic" sleepy Mexican beach towns left?
 

Hi all,
My family of 5 (twin 14 year old boys and a 10 year old girl) is looking for a Spring Break spot for this year, and I'm wondering if what we are looking for even exists anymore in Mexico. We've been to plenty of places in Asia that are like this, but not sure about Mexico!

Hoping to find a "sleepy" beach town that isn't crazy crowded with tourists. We'd like to find accommodations that are either beachfront or at least an easy walk to a beach. Also, we'd like to be able to find some decent (i.e. not fancy, but still sanitary!) seafood/Mexican restaurants/markets. Would like good beaches for snorkeling and maybe surfing. I don't need totally remote and NO tourists, but would like to avoid places like PV and Cabo - love those types of resorts sometimes, but hoping to have a different kind of trip this time. I have been to San Pancho north of PV and loved it - so that is kind of what I'm hoping for - and will end up there if I don't find another place like that.

I have enough Spanish to get us by, so I'm not concerned about that. Obviously a place that is still considered safe is key, but I'm not as worried about that as many. We have done enough traveling to know that the world isn't nearly as scary as many people think! :)

Thanks in advance for any recommendations!!
Emily

Look at Puerto Morelos about 25 min south of the Cancun airport. Matches your criteria, except no surfing. Definitely a small sleepy beach town, stunning Caribbean water, excellent snorkeling, some good casual one of a kind restaurants (a few with fresh seafood and toes in the sand dining on the beach), nice small market areas.

Also look at Akumal, further south.

Thanks emd3. Started looking it up and it looks great - maybe more condos than I was hoping for (still dreaming of a little beachy bungalow), but checks enough other boxes that I'm strongly considering it. Thanks so much!!

Hard to find good snorkeling and surfing in the same place. Isla Holbox, a couple of hours north of Cancun at the very tip of the Yucatan peninsula certainly fits the bill for a sleepy fishing village. For surfing, (and sleepy fishing villages) check out San Augustinillo, Oaxaca, or Caleta de Campos, Michoacan. Much of the Michoacan coast is pretty much void of tourists, with the exception of Semana Santa, and some hard core surfers.

I suggest the coast of Oaxaca as well. We were in Zipolite, Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido last year and they're all pretty unspoiled. Can't speak to the surfing or snorkeling--we were birding-- but this has some info:
http://allaboutoaxaca.com/about-oaxaca/beaches/

Barra de Potosi just South of Zihuatanejo. Except for Easter, Xmas & Summer break when there are lots of Mexican Nationals it is a 9 1/2 mile long empty beach with a gorgeous safe lagoon for kayaking.
About 12 beach cafes & about the same amount of small (10 rooms or less) hotels.
Safe swimming, surfing So So, but Dolphins & whales come by daily.

Puerto Morelos came to my mind, too. It's been a few years since I was there, though, so maybe it has changed.

Loreto in Baja on the Sea of Cortez.

Another vote for San Augustanillo on Oaxacan coast. have recenlty returned from there and enjoyed it a lot.

These are all so helpful! Thank you all! Loving San Agustanillo, although struggling to find a decent flight there - ugh! Twice the price of flying into PVR, CUN, or SJD from SFO. Will keep looking at the rest as well.
Thanks all!

What about someplace near Cabo, but up the coast a bit? I have been considering a trip down there, and I understand that once you leave the resort areas, it's just Mexico again.

Cabo is totally different. Be careful, much of the water there is not safe for swimming , snorkeling, wading, due to very strong currents.

Please let us know where you end up and how you like it!

There are many houses for rent along the northern coast of Yucatan. We and many other Canadians rent houses there on the beach for the Winters. Progreso is a town of about 50,000 with a few small hotels but just along the beach west is Chicxulub 5000 population sleepy fishing village with small market and no tourists or going east is Chelem also a fishing village with great beachfront bungalows to rent. There isnt a lot of snorkeling but the winds make for great kite surfing. Look up vrbo.com or other vacation rentals in the area.

Barra de Potsi. A real dirt road Mexican fishing village with about 6 small Inns & 6 beach cafes.
About 30 minutes from the Zihuatanejo Airport.
Lovely lagoon to kayak in. Very swimable ocean with more than 9 miles of mostly empty beach.

<I have been to San Pancho north of PV and loved it>

That's funny!

I was coming to suggest Ricon de Guayabitos or San Pancho (because I vacation in PV I know of them though I've yet to stay up north myself).

What about south of PV like Melanque/Barre de Navidad?

Sayulita isabsolutely wonderful and is 30 minutes north of PV!!!! My boys LOVE it there and it is very safe. Great town!!! Yelapa is south and remote but very cool town.

the trip was last Spring . . .

Sayulita is wonderful! Easy to get to (fly to Puerto Vallarta), but definitely not touristy.

Yelapa
Sayulita
Todos Santos
Tulum (southern part)
Isla Holbox
Troncones
Puerto Escondido