843 Best Sights in Mexico

Just over 2 km (1 mile) from Mayto, Tehuamixtle is a sheltered cove with a few basic rooms to rent. The area is known for its oysters, which you can sample fresh from the sea at an open-air restaurant facing the fishing fleet. The surf here is very gentle and lacks currents, making it popular with local children. The pristine beach invites snorkeling and diving (bring your own equipment). Fishing boats bob at one end, below the restaurant; from here, the beach curves along in a sandy brown arch to a large green headland at the other end of the cove. Tehua, as locals call it, is about the same size as Mayto: 100 people. This fishing village has only had electricity since the turn of the 21st century. There's a beach road that connects Tehua with Cruz de Loreto, about 1½ hours to the south; otherwise go out through El Tuito. Facilities: Fishing; food concessions. Best for: swimming; surfing.

On the nine-hour Tequila Express train ride, blue agave fields zip by as you sip tequila and listen to roving mariachis. After a distillery tour, there's lunch, folk dancing, and charro (cowboy) demonstrations. Make reservations up to a month ahead; from outside Mexico you'll need to use Ticketmaster, which adds an 8% surcharge.

Four kilometers (2½ mi) beyond Tehuamixtle, Villa del Mar is a beautiful virgin beach on a broad sweep of bay. Several miles long, flat and sandy, it's great for long walks; turtles nest here in late summer and fall. At the south end of the beach, a huge estuary surrounded by coconut palms invites kayaking. The sandy streets in and around town and the beach are great for mountain biking, and local people will rent horses for a ride on the beach or into the countryside. Facilities: Horseback riding.