212 Best Sights in Mexico

The long, wide stretch of beach running in front of the hotels on the coast of San José del Cabo might be stunning, but the riptides and undertows make it deceivingly dangerous for swimmers. There are no public services on the beach, but you can always duck into one of the hotels for a snack, or head across the street to Plaza Del Pescador for a meal at one of the restaurants. This beach often has locals with horses to rent for a beachside ride. Due to the line of resorts, there are only a few access points to reach the sand. Amenities: free parking. Best for: walking; surfing; sunrise.

Stretching from the naval base to El Presidente Hotel, away from the famous strip, this beach is less populated than others on the Costera. The morning surf is especially calm. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Stone Island is where locals come on weekends, and it's a wonderful adventure for visitors—a short trip to a side of Mazatlán that seems worlds away. Stone Island is really a long peninsula and has 16 km (10 mi) of unspoiled sand fronting a coconut plantation and an adjacent village nestled in greenery. There's plenty of space for everyone, although most folks pack the northern end, where bands and boom boxes blare music, restaurants sell seafood, and outfitters rent water-sports gear. There's horseback riding, too. Tour operators sell party-boat trips for $35 and up, but inexpensive water taxis cross the same channel with departures nearly every 15 minutes from dawn to sunset (save your ticket for the return). You can catch them at two small piers: one near the Pacífico Brewery, the other at La Paz ferry terminal.

The most memorable way to get to Deer Island—one of three islands that form a channel off the Zona Dorada—is on an amphibious tank. The World War II relic departs regularly from El Cid hotel, in the Zona Dorada. It's a 20-minute ride. You can also get here on snorkeling and day cruises arranged through area tour operators. The beach is lovely and clean. For even better snorkeling, hike to small, secluded coves covered with shells.

On the west side of the Península de Santiago, between two rock outcroppings, Playa la Audiencia is small but inviting, with calm water (though be on the lookout for riptides and a steep drop-off) and shade umbrellas for hotel guests—the Tesoro Manzanillo sits here—and those who order drinks or snacks. Pacifico Water Sports rents Boogie boards, kayaks, and Jet Skis, and has equipment for waterskiing, snorkeling, and diving. Although many of Manzanillo's waters do not have good visibility, this is a good spot for snorkeling, and with its shallow depth and slow current it has several good dive spots as well. The cove got its name when indigenous people granted Spanish conquistadors an audience here. It can get extremely crowded on weekends and holidays. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming; walking.

Located east of Puerto Angel, this secluded, white-sand beach is best accessed by boat from Puerto Angel. All boats are privately run, so prices vary, but expect to pay MX$200 for the 20-minute ride. Shallow, clean waters make this one of the best beaches in the area. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; solitude.

A little corner of serenity at the far west end of Bahía de Santiago, this beach has basic and inexpensive amenities. Sit in the shade of a palm-frond palapa and order seafood or iced coconuts from the informal restaurants. You can rent water toys from vendors on the sand. The calm, waveless water is Manzanillo's safest for kids, perfect for swimming and snorkeling, and an offshore wreck is a good spot for diving. The beach in front of Club Santiago, once the favored hangout for locals, is now accessible only by walking north along the sands from the highway or through the club gates. There's no fee to enter; just stop and let the guard write down your car's license number if you're driving. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; swimming; walking.

La Cruz de Loreto is a little village located 6 km (4 miles) from the coast, where its namesake beach provides an amazing spectacle. The area is inside a nature reserve and home to an estuary, recognized by UNESCO as a birds’ paradise. The area is worth visiting, mostly for day-trips or camping, as there is no infrastructure at all. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.

This is a small, flat, dark-sand beach with a sprinkling of restaurants on the sand (which provide just about the only shade and facilities) and a few more hotels on or just above it. Bobbing boats and the green headlands make for stunning vistas. Waves are small or nonexistent, and as there's no drop-off it's a great place for the kiddies. Young locals always seem to be kicking a soccer ball around. Get here via a footpath cut into the rocks that separate it from Playa Principal, in downtown Zihua, or by car. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming.

Informal hotels and restaurants are interspersed among small businesses and modest houses along the town's main street. The bay is calm and beautiful. At the beach road's north end, gigantic, rubbery-looking crocodiles lie heaped together just out of harm's way in a mangrove swamp. The fishing here is excellent; boat owners on the beach can take you out for snapper and sea bass for $20 an hour. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

This local beach is wide, busy, entertaining, and worth visiting if you’re here for a while. It's particularly crowded on Sundays as locals flock here to enjoy the ocean and the snacks at various food stalls. There's a big parking lot right in front, and if you want a somewhat quieter place to relax, just walk south for a few dozen meters. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free). Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

Halfway between Rosarito and Ensenada, this wide strand of sand is a great place to escape the masses. Palapa umbrellas line the sand making it feel more private than other beaches (local families arrive on Sunday), but you’ll still find everything from food and drinks to restrooms and parking. The dark, soft sand is perfect for long walks, but a few rocky sections mean you’ll want to bring water shoes or snorkel gear if you venture into the water. Like Rosarito, you can gallop on the beach here, and horse rides will cost you about half the price you’ll find elsewhere. Take all your personal belongings with you since car break-ins (especially closest to the bridge) are a problem. Amenities: parking; food and drink; toilets. Best for: walking; sunsets

Near the north end of Playa Tenacatita, this pretty stretch of sand has a coral reef close to the beach, making it an excellent place to snorkel. Local fishermen take interested parties out on their boats, either fishing for tuna, dorado, or bonito or searching for wildlife such as dolphins and turtles. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

White sand lines this quiet public beach in La Ribera, a sleepy town just north of Cabo Pulmo National Park. The beach feels almost untouched, with calm water that's great for sportfishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming, and snorkeling. Costa Palmas is just down the beach. Amenities: toilets. Best for: solitude; snorkeling; swimming.

On the western side of the island, this stretch between Laguna Makax and Garrafón Natural Reef Park is a popular spot with an open-air restaurant where locals gather to eat freshly grilled tikin xic (whole fish marinated with adobo de achiote and sour oranges, then wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked over an open flame). Playa Lancheros has grittier sand than Playa Norte but more palm trees. Calm water makes it good for children, but keep them close to shore as the bottom drops off steeply. Souvenir stands here are fairly low-key, and most bars and restaurants will give you access to their beach facilities provided you order a drink. The closest hotel is Isla Mujeres Palace, an all-inclusive resort open to hotel guests only. There's a small pen with tame tiburones gatos (nurse sharks). You can swim with them or just get your picture taken for an MX$20 tip.Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

Small, placid Lobster Beach has safe waters and gentle waves that make it a popular swimming spot for families and spring breakers alike. On weekends, you'll be lucky if you can find a space on the sand. There's an entrance to the beach at Boulevard Kukulcán's Km 5. A dock juts out in the middle of the water, but swimming areas are marked off with ropes and buoys. Next to the beach is a small building with a restaurant, an ice-cream shop, and an ATM. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: swimming.

There's lots to do besides sunbathe at this beach and town 15 minutes south of Boca de Tomatlán. The brown-sand beach is named "The Souls" because pirate graves were reportedly located here many years ago. Because of its very shallow waters, Las Ánimas is a favorite of families with kids. They come by water taxi or as part of bay cruises. Some seafood eateries line the sand. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Long, wide, and often empty, this is a wonderful place to stroll. Swimming is more problematic: although the waves are not generally big, they tend to crash right on the beach. At the south end are most of the modest hotels that make up Manzanillo's Zona Hotelera. An artificial rock jetty divides Playa las Brisas from the boat harbor and creates a place to snorkel, although the water tends to be murky this close to the harbor and the waves that surge against the rocks can surprise. Although this is basically one 6-km-long (4-mile-long) stretch of brown sand, it technically becomes Playa Azul and then Playa Salahua at the bay's west end, just before the Barceló Karmina Palace. Amenities: food and drink; parking. Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.

Legend has it that director John Huston discovered this secluded beach and lived here for years. The beach is a bit rocky, but its waters are crystal clear. It's hard to find a more beautiful place. The only problem is that it's private and exclusive: to visit Las Caletas you'll need to buy a tour, which takes away some of the magic.

Hugely popular with locals, Playa Las Casitas has several large palapa-style restaurant-bars, small palapas and palm trees for shade, calm waters, and a long stretch of beach. Swim out 150 yards from the north end to enjoy the fish-filled artificial reefs. Windsurfers and stand-up paddleboards are also available for rent. The beach is fairly deserted on weekdays but completely packed on Sunday, the traditional day for family outings. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunsets; swimming.

Seagull Beach, Mazatlán's most popular, parallels the Zona Dorada hotel loop. Streams of vendors sell pottery, lace tablecloths, silver jewelry—even songs. Concessionaires rent boats, Boogie boards, and Windsurfers, and tout parasail rides. Food and drink are abundant, either at one of many beachfront hotel restaurants or from more of those vendors, who bear cups of freshly cut fruit, chilled coconuts, and even the odd pastry. If you're looking for relaxation, look elsewhere—between the constant solicitations from vendors and the endless renditions of "YMCA" blasting from the bars, you won't find a moment's peace here.

Playa Las Gemelas are actually two mirrored beaches separated by a wall of rocks, which makes a lot of sense as "gemelas" means twins in Spanish. Las Gemelas is a couple of wide but short golden-sand beaches with clear green water and small waves. Although it has close to no amenities, locals love to come here during the weekends, when it can get a bit crowded. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: sunset; swimming. 

This secluded, nearly private man-made beach is just a tiny crescent of sand on the opposite side of Península de Santiago from the Playa la Audiencia. Framed at both ends by rocks, it's a good snorkeling spot. Expensive restaurants at both Las Hadas and the nearby Barceló Karmina Palace serve drinks, snacks, and full meals. Although located on Playa la Audiencia, Pacifico Water Sports rents Jet Skis and kayaks here as well; it also arranges dive and snorkel trips. Nonguests of the hotels pay MX$375 per person for use of their pools and facilities; this fee is credited toward consumption of food or drink at the snack bar or restaurants, which makes it slightly more palatable. You can see the beach from the top of the cobblestone road that leads to the resort's main entrance; take a look to make sure it's your idea of paradise before shelling out the fee. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; swimming; walking.

About 6 km (4 miles) south of Playa Borrego, at the northern edge of Bahía de Matanchén, Playa Las Islitas used to be legendary among surfers for its long wave, but this has diminished in recent years. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: surfing; swimming; walking

Pearl Beach is the first heading east from El Centro along Boulevard Kukulcán. Located at Km 2.5, between the Cancún mainland and the bridge, this Blue Flag Beach is a relatively small beach on the protected waters of the Bahía de Mujeres, and is popular with locals. There are several restaurants lining the sand, but most of the water-sports activities are only available to those staying at the nearby lodgings like the Imperial las Perlas. There's a small store beside that resort where you can buy sandwiches and drinks if you want to have a beach picnic. Parking is limited.Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: swimming.

Just west of Santa María Bay, this small public beach is often referred to as Twin Dolphin Beach after the Twin Dolphin Hotel, a longtime landmark that was demolished in mid-2007 to make room for Chileno Bay Club. The reef makes it a great place for snorkeling (bring your own gear), but it is open to the ocean and all the inherent dangers that entails, so swimming is not recommended. Low tides reveal great tidal pools filled with anemone, starfish, and other sea creatures (please leave these creatures in the sea). Rock outcroppings create private areas and natural tabletops in the sand for beach picnics. The waters are also popular for kayaking and paddleboarding. Amenities: toilets; showers; free parking. Best for: snorkeling; walking; sunrise.

At Km 4 on Boulevard Kukulcán, Pretty Beach is where the ocean meets the freshwater of Laguna Nichupté to create the Nichupté Channel. Restaurants and changing rooms are available near the launching dock. Playa Linda is situated between the Barceló Costa Cancún and Sotavento Hotel. There's lots of boat activity along the channel, and the ferry to Isla Mujeres leaves from the adjoining Embarcadero marina, so the area isn't safe for swimming. It is, however, a great place to people-watch, with a 300-foot rotating scenic tower nearby that offers a 360-degree view. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: walking.

Thatch-roof restaurants dispense beer, soda, and the catch of the day just north of the Qualton Inn, in the Zona Hotelera II. Mexican families favor this long, coconut-palm-lined beach, which has marvelous views. It's perfect for walking and is bordered at one end by an estuary with birds, iguanas, and gators. A warren of identical stalls sells souvenirs and cheap plastic beach toys, and concessions arrange banana-boat rides and rent Jet Skis and Boogie boards. Water taxis depart here for Isla Ixtapa, and land taxis wait in the free parking lot for fares. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: walking; sunset; surfing.

Playa Los Barriles runs the entire length of town, curving gently toward Bahía de las Palmas. Amazingly, it is almost completely free of people, except from November to March, when wind-sports companies offer rentals during the gusty season and it becomes a jumping-off point for activities including kiteboarding, kitesurfing, windsurfing, and foilboarding. Those seeking sun and sea views recline on chaise lounges at beachfront resorts, and those seeking a congenial atmosphere hang out at restaurants or beach bars set just off the main shoreline. You can drive your ATV or truck onto the beach, and many locals do. Beware of jellyfish in the water. Amenities: none. Best for: walking; swimming; fishing; wind sports.

This long, expansive beach on the Pacific Ocean, about 64 km (40 miles) north of Cabo San Lucas and on the way to the town of Todos Santos, is famous among surfers for its wonderful breaking waves in winter. Great for beginners, the waves here are consistent, accessible, and not overly powerful. Boards and lessons are available via multiple surf shops right on shore. This beach works best on northwest swells. Even if you don't ride the waves, you can watch them crash along the shore. The sandy beach is wide, flat, and ideal for wading and swimming close to shore. Swimming farther out is not recommended because of the strong currents.

There are a small but lively number of beach bars and restaurants, including Barracuda Cantina, which was featured on Netflix's Taco Chronicles, plus a couple of modest beachfront hotels. Several condo and hotel developments are in progress, with locals predicting that Cerritos will be the "next Médano" (the mega-popular beach in Cabo San Lucas) in a decade or so. You can still camp or stay in RVs near the beach, although there are no organized campsites or RV parks in the area. The beach is quite dog-friendly, and you'll no doubt cross paths with a few four-legged friends (and their owners) on any given day. It's also a nice place to get an affordable massage, with a number of massage beds set up right in the sand.

Access to the beach is marked on Highway 19 (which connects Cabo San Lucas and Todos Santos) by a sign for Playa Los Cerritos at Km 64 (13 km [8 miles] south of Todos Santos). The graded dirt road to the beach is 2½ km (1½ miles) from Highway 19. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); showers (for restaurant patrons); toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.