Where to Travel in Mexico 2025 Guide: Beach lovers

The beaches successful Mexico fertile precocious arsenic immoderate of the world’s best: from windswept strands with large swells to secluded coves wherever spearmint h2o laps up connected silky achromatic sand. The champion portion is there’s a formation for each benignant of traveler successful Mexico – whether you’re a household looking for safe, shallow waters, oregon a solo traveler seeking to get distant from it all, oregon a integer nomad seeking surf breaks successful betwixt meetings.

When I archetypal moved to Mexico with my family, it was the pristine beaches and outdoorsy manner that led america to take Playa del Carmen arsenic our location base. In the years we spent there, we discovered amazingly bare beaches and countless concealed strands lone locals knew of. I learned that nary substance however touristy immoderate parts of Mexico whitethorn be, you conscionable request to excavation deeper to uncover quiet, pristine corners. 

With that, I present you to the 3rd installment of Where to Travel successful Mexico 2025, a bid that explores the champion locations crossed Mexico for assorted groups of travelers: from integer nomads to outdoor adventurers and solo travelers. I’ve traveled extensively passim Mexico and person seen my just stock of the coastlines; present I’ve manus picked 5 locations with the champion beaches successful Mexico for you.

Riviera Maya: For outdoor adventurers

I mightiness beryllium biased, but having lived present for a fewer years, I judge the Riviera Maya has, hands down, the champion beaches successful Mexico. Running on the Caribbean, this agelong of coastline from southbound of Cancun to Tulum is lined with ivory soil beaches that beforehand past Maya ruins and vibrant formation towns. Yes, the Riviera Maya is touristy and the country gets engaged during highest season, but determination are inactive pockets of lesser-known areas waiting to beryllium discovered.

Just disconnected the enactment lies the Mesoamerican obstruction reef system, the 2nd longest successful the world, starting adjacent Cancun and continuing each the mode to Belize. There’s truthful overmuch to bash for underwater adventurers: from exploring the underwater depository MUSA to scuba diving with bull sharks disconnected the reef and snorkeling successful freshwater lagoons. Above water, adventure-seekers tin get their hole astatine the galore eco parks similar Xcaret and Río Secreto and past Maya ruins; don’t miss the Tulum, Ek Balam and Cobá archaeological sites. Let’s not hide the cenotes oregon earthy sinkholes that dot the Yucatan Peninsula: these beauteous caverns often spot wide cerulean freshwater cleanable for swimming and snorkeling.

The champion beaches successful Riviera Maya, frequented chiefly by locals, prevarication further southbound — from Xpu-Há to Caleta Tankah — with fine, sugary soil and crystal wide water. One of my idiosyncratic favorites, Akumal Beach, is simply a large country to spot turtles, which travel to provender connected the oversea writer that grows connected the sandy bottommost of the bay. Further southbound of Tulum sprawls the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, 1 of the largest protected areas successful Mexico, crisscrossed by freshwater canals and lagoons.

Los Cabos and La Paz: For scuba divers and snorkelers 

Baja California Sur is wherever the godforsaken meets the sea, wherever cacti-studded craggy mountains signifier the backdrop to immoderate of the astir unspoiled and melodramatic beaches successful Mexico. While the Pacific-facing beaches are chaotic and untamed, the shores on the Sea of Cortez thin to beryllium calmer, often dotted with distant hideaways inactive untouched by large-scale tourism. 

Los Cabos whitethorn beryllium a enactment municipality by night, but the array of outdoor activities it offers is impressive: from whale-watching to birdwatching successful the San José Estuary, sandboarding astatine Migriño Beach to hiking successful Cañon de la Zorra. A must-do successful Los Cabos is taking a vessel to spot El Arco, a people sculptured stone enactment astatine Land’s End, wherever the Pacific Ocean collides with the Sea of Cortez dramatically. Only erstwhile each 4 years, oversea levels dip debased capable to exposure a hidden formation beneath the arch.

Just a two-hour thrust from the buzz of Los Cabos, La Paz offers a refreshing contrast. The coastal metropolis is lively but unhurried, offering a much grounded Baja experience. It’s besides a gateway to the Sea of Cortez, famously dubbed the ”aquarium of the world” by oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Its affluent waters marque it 1 of the fewer places successful the satellite wherever you tin snorkel alongside oversea lions, glide past gentle whale sharks and spot elusive leatherback turtles successful their earthy habitat. 

Isla Holbox: For boho islanders

Lying disconnected the northeastern borderline of the Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Holbox remains 1 of Mexico’s astir laid-back, low-key destinations. This car-free island, fringed by turquoise shallows and powdery sandbanks, was my family’s favourite spot to flight to connected weekends portion surviving successful the Riviera Maya.

No traffic, nary paved roads, nary gangly buildings — lone miles of cerulean h2o and achromatic soil beach. It’s a paradise for minimalist travelers looking to get distant from it all. Once a quiescent sportfishing village, Holbox began attracting funny travelers astir a decennary ago. But contempt the emergence successful interest, section efforts person kept retired ample edifice chains and protected the island’s no-high-rise regularisation . You’ll lone find rustic beachfront palapas, sandy streets and a gait of beingness that invites you to unplug — virtually and figuratively, arsenic net entree is famously inconsistent.

A flurry of activities are disposable for those, similar me, who can’t beryllium still: swimming alongside whale sharks, kayaking done mangroves and seeing the bioluminescence astatine night. Holbox’s main appeal, though, lies successful the dilatory gait of beingness and tranquility. Spend the time chilling connected the sandbank, person thoroughfare tacos for luncheon and drawback sunset connected the main beach: Holbox invites you to bask the small things that matter.

Puerto Escondido: For surfers

(Arturo Pérez Alfonso/Cuartoscuro)

Far much untamed than the Riviera Maya, Oaxaca’s Pacific coastline offers a rugged alternate for travelers seeking a wilder formation experience. The scenery present is striking: aureate sands edged by cliffs and rocky outcrops, with the roar of Pacific swells echoing done the coves. 

At the bosom of it each is Puerto Escondido, a coastal municipality agelong embraced by surfers and escaped spirits drawn to its laid-back bushed and bohemian energy. Known arsenic one of Mexico’s premier surf destinations, Puerto Escondido has built a estimation astir the almighty breaks of Playa Zicatela, often referred to arsenic the Mexican Pipeline. Anyone looking to trial the waters tin publication surf lessons tailored to their accomplishment level.

My favourite formation successful Puerto Escondido is tucked into a rocky cove beneath the cliffs: Playa Carrizalillo rewards those consenting to instrumentality connected the 167-step descent and the heart-pumping ascent backmost up with jade waters and rolling waves cleanable for beginner surfers. A abbreviated region away, astatine the windswept agelong of Playa Bacocho,  the non-profit turtle sanctuary Vive Mar runs a turtle merchandise program. Every time astatine 5 p.m., you tin articulation them successful guiding tiny hatchlings toward the waves — a moving acquisition for some adults and kids alike. 

Take a roadworthy travel down the seashore to acquisition Oaxaca’s galore formation towns. Nearby San Agustinillo has beauteous bungalows studded connected the cliff’s edge, portion Mazunte offers a much budget-friendly alternate wherever you tin sojourn the Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga turtle probe center. Zipolite, meanwhile, is simply a laidback bohemian municipality well known for its nudist beach. 

Riviera Nayarit: For the offbeat traveler 

(Palladium Hotel Group)

Tucked betwixt the Sierra Madre Occidental and the immense Pacific Ocean, Riviera Nayarit is 1 of Mexico’s slightest populated regions, but it has immoderate of the champion beaches successful the country. Having remained comparatively nether the radar, this agelong of coastline appeals to those seeking much authentic experiences successful low-key enclaves alternatively than enactment towns. But get determination soon – with the announcements of new nonstop US-Nayarit flights starting successful July, Nayarit volition astir apt commencement seeing changes. 

Surfers gravitate toward Sayulita and San Pancho, 2 bohemian formation towns that buzz with laid-back charm and dependable waves. Luxury travelers are drawn much to Punta Mita, with its upscale resorts and polished beaches. Meanwhile, the historical larboard municipality of San Blas invites quality lovers to spot migrating humpback whales from December to March and research its lush mangroves. 

One of the astir unsocial places successful Riviera Nayarit lies offshore: the Marietas Islands are location to a hidden formation nestled wrong a crater-like formation. Accessible lone by swimming, this tiny cove has go 1 of the coast’s astir photogenic destinations.

Nayarit besides boasts much Pueblos Mágicos than immoderate different authorities successful Mexico. New additions similar Ahuacatlán, Amatlán de Cañas and Ixtlán del Río adhd humanities and taste extent with their cobblestone streets, thermal springs and archaeological ruins. 

What’s close for each benignant of traveler?

We’ve enactment unneurotic a array summarizing which destination would suit travelers based connected their acquisition successful Mexico.

Beginner travelers are those with constricted planetary experience; possibly this is their archetypal travel to Mexico. Ideal for first-timers who similar margaritas with grooming wheels. These travelers instrumentality to well-trodden paths, mastering “¿Dónde está el baño?” portion clutching a phrasebook. They thrive successful destinations wherever guacamole arrives with optional spice and the edifice unit talk Google Translate.

Intermediate travelers are those with immoderate planetary acquisition who tin grip mean connection barriers and taste differences. Ready to commercialized resorts for real-deal experiences, these travelers navigate cobblestone streets without face-planting. They’ve graduated to ordering “tres tacos al pastor” without pointing and tin haggle for a sombrero successful Oaxaca’s markets… but inactive overpay by 20%.

Advanced travelers are those with extended acquisition navigating analyzable destinations independently. These wanderers dainty Mexico similar a choose-your-own-adventure caller written successful Spanglish. They’ve adopted a thoroughfare canine named Churro, statement the merits of antithetic artisanal mezcals and cognize which mercado stall has the champion tamales oaxaqueños.

​​Nellie Huang is simply a nonrecreational question writer and writer based successful San Miguel de Allende with her family. She has contributed to BBC Travel, CNN, International Business Times and National Geographic and co-authored Lonely Planet’s 2025 Mexico guide. Read astir her adventures worldwide connected wildjunket.com and travel her updates connected Instagram @wildjunket.