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But the vibe remains blissfully low-key. Kick back at Playa la Ropa, a calm beach fringed with lush trees, or Zihuatanejo Bay, and watch the fishermen haul in the day’s catch.
Then sign up for a private cooking class with Claudia , where you’ll learn the secrets to whipping up tasty Mexican dishes like chiles rellenos and tamales in Claudia’s own house.
At the southernmost tip of Baja, where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez, Los Cabos is a resort paradise full of Instagram-worthy spots.
Start with a naturalist-led boat tour of Magdalena Bay; you’ll stop at El Arco, an otherworldly rock formation that’s a favorite gathering place for sea lions, and look for humpback whales and bottlenose dolphins. Then make your way back to shore for a dinner at Flora Farm , 10 acres of organic farmland near the Sierra de la Laguna mountains we love the rabbit with lemon-cauliflower puree, and the wood oven-roasted pork chops in tomato chutney.
Go for late night drinks at Esperanza Resort’s Cocina del Mar, known for both its candlelit cliffside perch and on-point cocktails. It’s one of Mexico’s prettiest beach towns, thanks to a colorful cobblestone center built in and now fittingly called Zona Romantica and miles of powdery sand. While the main beaches get crowded, the quieter Destiladeras Beach is just a half-hour to the north and is dotted with thatch-roofed seafood shacks turning out simply grilled fish.
Another favorite stretch is in the volcanic Marietas Islands, where a private tour will take you through a cave that leads to an unspoiled shore so pristine it could be a scene from The Beach.
Back on the mainland, stop at the cliffside Ocean Grill for fried plantains and ceviche. Tulum needs almost no introduction, having made a name for itself around the world as the ultimate beach destination for the bohemian-chic set. Flip-flops and a stylish caftan are Tulum’s uniform of choice, whether at the village’s trendy little shops, the nearby Mayan ruins, or one of the many low-key beachfront hotels, where guests sip fruity cocktails and people-watch.
Go for at least one dinner at the sceney Hartwood restaurant the smoky wood-fired pork is a must-try , or opt for Italian classics at Posada Margherita, with its perennially packed, low-lit terrace. If you’re itching for action afterward, Curandero has killer live music and the finest mojitos in town.
Sign up for a 4-day surf camp with Viator — you’ll be riding the waves like a pro in no time. Our hotel of choice is Playa Escondida , where cozy bungalows front the beach and have private patios and hammocks for whiling away an afternoon. Or skip the hotel and rent a villa with Sayulita Life. For dinner, we love the boho-chic Mary’s , which serves some of the finest chilaquiles around. Things you buy may earn us a commission. Shop the look. Cover-up Skirt.
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Best small beach town in mexico. The Best Beach Towns in Mexico for Families and Expats
Mexico is blessed with miles of stunning coastline on both sides of the country, along the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. On one hand, there are those picture-perfect riviera towns in Quintana Roo, from the wild nightlife scene of Cancun to the chilled atmosphere in Tulum.
Then, there are those unspoiled beaches in Bahia de Banderas and plenty of amazing surf spots on the Pacific side, from Baja down to Oaxaca. But what is the top choice amongst the best beach towns in Mexico? This guide will try to help you decide.
It outlines the seven best places to visit for your next Mexican adventure. Tulum is one of the best beach towns in Mexico that has gained lots of popularity in recent years. It is located on the eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula on the famed Riviera Maya. It is blessed with soft white sands and turquoise, shallow waters. It has become a frequent destination for Instagram influencers, thanks to the beautiful scenery and the pre-Columbian Mayan Ruins that overlook the beach.
The town itself is a sleepy place with plenty of beach cabanas and bungalows rather than mega-hotels like in some parts of the country. There are also plenty of eco-friendly cafes, yoga retreats, and spas. Aside from visiting the Mayan ruins, there are lots of cenotes to see in the area.
These are natural underground pools surrounded by rock formations. Dos Ojos cenote is an underwater cave system with picturesque, crystal-clear pools. Another one that is much closer to Tulum is Cenote Naharon, which also attracts fewer crowds. Another top-place spot on this list of the best beach towns in Mexico is reserved for Cabo San Lucas. This well-known resort is set on the southern tip of the gorgeous Baja California Peninsula.
From golden sands and wild waves of the Pacific Ocean to picturesque clifftops and rock formations, there is no shortage of beautiful beaches here.
While most of them are perfect for sunbathing, not all of them are safe for swimming. For tranquility and pristine waters, head to Santa Maria Beach, where there are coral reefs right by the shore. Located less than five miles away from the more popular Sayulita, San Pancho is a tranquil little beach town.
Otherwise known as San Francisco, this lovely little place is framed by a beautiful, long beach that stretches for almost a mile along the Pacific Ocean. The main street here is dotted with cafes and restaurants that serve delicious Mexican treats , not to mention a clutch of small, locally owned surf shops.
At sunset, head to the beach and have a margarita at one of the sandy bars. Go to Tacos con Amor for the best tacos and try tasty craft beers at Cerveceria Artesenal. This off-the-beaten-track location is ideal for those longing for more authenticity away from the hustles and bustles of Puerto Vallarta. You can even trek to the town from Sayulita through a lush jungle overlooking a couple of hidden beaches. Be sure to bring plenty of water as there are no shops along the way!
In town, there is a mix of locals and ex-pats from all over the world. You will find smaller hotels and guesthouses, along with plenty of cafes and restaurants dotted around the narrow streets. Another one of the best beach towns in Mexico is the popular resort of Playa del Carmen.
It is located on the Yucatan Peninsula around 45 miles south of Cancun on the pristine Caribbean Coast in the heart of the Riviera Maya. With soft sugar sands and calm, turquoise waters, this is a great place for a peaceful holiday. It offers a more relaxing atmosphere than its northern neighbor, with plenty of boutique hotels and cafes dominating the scene.
The beaches here are some of the best in the country, with palm-lined, soft sands and colorful coral reefs. From here you can easily get to Cozumel Island, which is known for beautiful sandy bays and amazing diving spots. You can also take a trip to one of the adventure parks in the area: Xcaret or Xplore. Behind the beach, there are high mountains covered by a thick jungle. The only access to this beautiful beach town is either by boat from Boca de Tomatlan and other beaches in the area, or, for the more adventurous ones, by hiking from Chacala, a village high in the mountains.
With gurgling waterfalls nestled in a tropical jungle, picturesque beaches, and beautiful ocean-facing houses, Yelapa is one of the most iconic locations on the southern part of the Bay of Banderas. The obvious base for getting to Yelapa is Puerto Vallarta, a lively resort town known for its vibrant nightlife scene.
Whether you walk around the cobbled, colorful streets of Zona Romantica, stay in an all-inclusive, luxury hotel, or enjoy one of the many bars and clubs, there is plenty to do in the big city, too.
And, although Yelapa is undoubtedly the most picturesque cove in the bay, there are plenty of pristine hidden beaches south of Puerto Vallarta that you can also pick from. For those who are after crazy nightlife coupled with paradise beaches, Cancun would be the top choice out of the best beach towns in Mexico. Stunning turquoise seas and long stretches of white sands backed by huge resorts are what is on offer here, all helping to make Cancun one of the most visited places in Mexico.
That means Cancun is also a gateway to popular resorts on the Riviera Maya stretch. During the spring break, the town is flooded by party-hungry youngsters seeking all-night raves. They mainly stick around the Punta Cancun area to hit legendary bars like Coco Bongo. You will find plenty of international restaurants with English-speaking staff, along with all-inclusive hotels and condos that welcome over 15 million tourists every year!
Alternatively, say on the Pacific side if you want to flex your muscles on a surfboard. Or head to Puerto Escondido and enjoy one of the most iconic surf locations in the world, Playa Zicatela. All Algeria Ethiopia Kenya Morocco. Is Alexandria Worth Visiting?
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The 7 Best Beach Towns in Mexico You Must Visit.10 Best Small Beach Towns in Mexico – Skip Tulum and go here!
Facebook Twitter Email. CNN — Vibrant facades, cobblestone streets, multicolored lakes and mountainous backdrops are just a few things that make Mexico’s small towns spectacularly photogenic.
The diversity of landscape across Mexico means that different regions offer distinctive delights, from desert ghost towns and quaint colonial pueblos seeped in history to laid-back beach towns popping with color. The options are endless, but here are 10 of our favorite small-town destinations to inspire your next trip. Bacalar Quintana Roo. This small town, about four hours from Cancun and close to the border with Belize, is home to a huge lake often referred to as the Lake of Seven Colors.
The hues of the water go from crystalline to deep turquoise, due to underwater cenotes sinkholes and limestone lakebed. Surrounded by lush mangroves and with areas of the lake so vast you can’t see where it ends, Bacalar boasts the most spectacular views. Lay back in a hammock swinging over the water and take it all in. Cobblestone streets, colorful facades and the backdrop of one of the world’s tallest monoliths, San Sebastian Bernal is a truly picturesque small town.
Founded in the s by a number of Spanish families, this town in central Mexico boasts many buildings that date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Campeche Campeche. Officially a city and the capital of the southwest Mexican state of the same name, Campeche, has the feel of a quaint small town. All of the facades in the historic center are painted in pastel hues and the main pedestrian street, Calle 59, has rotating art displays.
Despite the street being relatively short, visitors often take a long time to walk down it as you stop to take photographs every few feet. Malinalco Mexico State. A town rich with legends and steeped in mystery and magic, Malinalco, roughly two hours southwest of Mexico City, was an important place for the Mexica, or Aztecs, who built a complex there for their military elite.
A town set among mountains and surrounded by lush forest, it attracts visitors for its flora and fauna as well as its historical and spiritual offerings. This whole town, which centers around a 16th-century Franciscan monastery built on top of a Mesoamerican temple, is painted in a cheerful canary yellow. Set against a backdrop of bright blue skies that commonly bless the Yucatan Peninsula, the golden facades almost glimmer.
A pilgrimage site for the indigenous Huichol people and Catholics alike, it has a spiritual feel that attracts visitors. And the fact that to get to the town you have to enter through a tunnel makes it even more enchanting. Cuetzalan Puebla. Cobblestone streets and rustic, red-tile-roofed buildings are part of the charm of this small town that sits in the mountains outside of Puebla roughly 4 hours from Mexico City. Surrounded by lush forest, replete with waterfalls and caves and a nearby archeological site, Cuetzalan is a great place for those who like outdoor adventure.
Visitors can discover local handicrafts and learn about Mexico’s rich indigenous history while wandering the pretty streets of the town. Taxco Guerrero. A small town in the mountains of Guerrero, two and a half hours southwest of Mexico City, Taxco is known as “the silver town” due to all the mines located there.
The winding streets snake around the hill front and center upon a pretty town square with an intricately detailed baroque church. For an extra beautiful view, grab a VW bug taxi and have it take you up to the look out point El Mirador , where you get a birds-eye view of the city and the surrounding mountains.
Todos Santos Baja California Sur. If you were asked to imagine a quintessential Mexican town, you will probably think of something close to Todos Santos. Colorful facades reflect off the blue skies and are complimented by multicolored Mexican flag decorations and proud cacti that line many of the streets. Located on Mexico’s Pacific Coast and popular with artists and surfers, the town has a very laid-back, easygoing vibe. A year of the world’s Best Beaches There’s a perfect beach for every week of the year.
Join us on a month journey to see them all Go to the best beaches.