14 of the best beaches in Mexico

With its thousands of miles of coastline ringing the the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, Mexico doesn’t make choosing a beach an easy task.

From the excellent surfing at Puerto Escondido to the gentle crescent of beaches in Puerto Vallarta, the wild and wonderful Pacific coast has a range of famous resort spots and small beachfront towns beloved by locals. Meanwhile, the Caribbean coast has both famous party towns and ancient Maya sites wedged against sugar-soft sand. In the far west, beautiful Baja California has many treasures, such as the chance to lie back as the occasional gray whale passes by.

Feeling overwhelmed yet? We’ve taken care of the hard part with our list of the best beaches all over Mexico.

1. Bahía Concepción, Baja California Sur

Best beach for sustainable stays

This stretch of hidden coves south of Mulegé in Baja California Sur is one of the most beautiful stretches of coast in Baja – if not all of Mexico. Bahía Concepción is a popular stop for outdoorsy road trippers, who often stay for weeks. The milky, blue-green water, funky rock formations and marine wildlife also make it a top stop for kayakers. And the protection of the coves makes for great swimming. There are a number of budget-friendly, waterfront camping areas throughout the coves if you’re planning to stay a while.

Looking for a truly remote stay but need lodging? Check out Todos Santos Eco Adventures (TOSEA), with its three glamping options so tucked away you may forget the rest of the world even exists. Their few luxury glamping tents come with an amazing chef and all the swimming, kayaking, snorkeling and paddle boarding you can handle. Or take the chance to swim with sea lions – an unforgettable adventure – as you learn about the island’s ecology from a certified naturalist and guide.

2. Playa Paraíso, Quintana Roo

Best beach for Maya culture

Many visitors to Tulum bike or walk the 4km paved path from downtown to reach the beautiful stretches of sand – among them Playa Paraíso, one of Tulum’s best. Sugary sands, cobalt water and balmy breezes are the order of the day here – and where else will you find such a dramatically situated Maya site?

Staying near the beach brings heftier prices, but there are budget-friendly hotels near the old town; we like the eco-oriented La Posada del Sol. Head to Taquería Honorio for classic cochinita pibil, a Yucatecan roasted pork dish in a succulent marinade.

3. Yelapa, Jalisco

Best beach for LGBTQ+ travelers

Enticing Puerto Vallarta stretches around the sparkling blue Bahía de Banderas, backed by lush mountains. PV is known by Mexicans and international visitors for its thriving nightlife and numerous LGBTQ+-friendly options. Indeed, it has become the gay beach capital of Mexico.

The best beach near central Puerto Vallarta is Yelapa to the south, tucked into a secluded and beloved bay. It’s home to a small community that frequently fishes off the pier. Though it can get busy with day-trippers, Yelapa empties out in the afternoon and has several comfortable places to stay if you prefer quiet evenings.

4. Playa Las Islitas, Nayarit

Best beach for sleepy days on the sand

The Riviera Nayarit is all the rage with families these days. The charming surf towns of Punta Mita and Sayulita have beaches with aquamarine water and white sand – along with great food options and wildlife excursions into the forested mountains just inland. Yet we recommend heading to the peaceful, drowsy backwater of San Blas for a dose of laid-back charm.

The beaches here – Playa Los Cocos, Playa Miramar and Playa Las Islitas (our favorite) – are popular for surfing and have palapas under which you can lounge and drink fresh coconut water. Playa Las Islitas is wonderfully swimmable, with gentle surf perfect for beginners.

If you’re searching for waves, head to Troncones, where the world-class surfing has been attracting aficionados for a few years now. There’s also good mountain biking in the hills, plus day trips to a nearby cave to check out petroglyphs, or to a local hot spring to soak sore surfer muscles.

5. El Cielo, Cozumel

Best beach for snorkeling

Cozumel remains Mexico’s number-one spot for diving and snorkeling, with an impressive variety of marine life visible year-round. Under the surface, you might see spotted eagle rays, moray eels, groupers, barracudas, turtles, sharks, brain coral and huge sponges.

Living up to its heavenly name, the beach at El Cielo has shallow turquoise waters ideal for snorkeling and swimming among starfish, stingrays and small, bright fish. The sandbar is only reachable by boat; numerous tour operators are readily available for the half-mile journey, such as Aldora Divers. September and October offer the best weather conditions for diving.

6. Playa Mujeres, Quintana Roo

Best beach for couples

Cancún visitors have lately discovered the previously little-known Playa Mujeres, to the north of the Zona Hotelera. Home to several adults-only resorts and the Playa Mujeres Golf Club, this beach appeals to a mature, well-heeled crowd looking to unwind. Despite its proximity to Cancún’s resorts, it remains relatively quiet and unvisited. You won’t find thumping beach clubs or imposing mega-resorts here – just elegant boutique hotels and miles of pristine sand.

7. Laguna Bacalar, Quintana Roo

Best beach for doing absolutely nothing

More than 60km long with a bottom of sparkling white sand, the crystal-clear Laguna Bacalar offers opportunities for camping, swimming, kayaking and simply lazing around amid a color palette of blues, greens and shimmering whites. The tableau is a picture-perfect fantasy.

To live out your cabana-over-turquoise-water dreams, head to Rancho Encantado. A day at this striking hotel consists of waking up, having breakfast on the lagoon, kayaking or swimming in calm, translucent waters and then unwinding in the Jacuzzi.

8. Playa Salchi, Oaxaca

Best beach for diving and sea life

Oaxaca’s beautiful Pacific coast is home to several varied, relaxed beach destinations and a long shoreline strung with long golden sands and lagoons full of wildlife. Playa Salchi, halfway between the western edge of Parque Nacional Huatulco and Puerto Ángel, is one of the most precious destinations in Oaxaca. While the water can be somewhat rough on the main beach, there are several swimmable beaches nearby.

The nearby town of Huatulco was developed in the late 1980s with a more ecological bent than some of the bigger resorts in Mexico. More than 100 dive sites and 111 acres of coral reefs in the surrounding waters make this the ideal low-key destination for all things below the surface. Dolphins, turtles and humpback whales all cruise by this coastline.

For the best tours, head to Huatulco Salvaje, a group of certified local tour guides. Many of them are from families that were displaced after the creation of Parque Nacional Huatulco in the 1990s – and they truly know their stuff when it comes to the local ecosystem.

9. Playa Los Algodones, Sonora

Best beach for dramatic backdrops

Near the under-the-radar beach retreat of San Carlos, in the state of Sonora, Playa Los Algodones might be the most beautiful beach in northern Mexico. The sand is fine and white, the water blue and calm, and the view of mountains dramatic.

Low-key San Carlos is presided over by the majestic twin peaks of Cerro Tetakawi, which glow an impressive red-earthed hue as the sun descends. Other than beach lounging, kayaking is the main activity near the sand; in the desert, you can set out on hikes and horseback rides.

Northern Mexico isn’t often traveled by foreign visitors, but it can get packed with weekend warriors from nearby Hermosillo. Even so, Sonora sees far fewer travelers, especially foreigners, than its myriad attractions and drop-dead beauty would suggest.

10. Playa Zipolite, Oaxaca

Best beach for ditching your swimwear

The beach at Zipolite is huge, stretching for a good 1.5km and dispatching massive waves. It’s perhaps most famous for nudity, which means you’ll see people randomly swimming, sunbathing or happily walking across the wet sand minus their clothes at any time of day. Birthday suits are more common at a couple of coves at the western end of the beach, and in the small bay called Playa del Amor.

The town of Zipolite is a chilled-out strip of palapas, beach shacks and intentionally rustic boutique hotels. It's the largest of the three beach towns that decorate the coast west of Puerto Ángel; it’s well known for surfing, an unashamed "do nothing" vibe and a touch of bohemian magic.

The essence and glory of Zipolite is that organized activity is minimal. This is a place for hanging out and doing as little as you like. Yet since you will need to eat, head to the outstanding La Providencia, a contemporary Mexican spot.

11. Playa del Caballo, Jalisco

Best beach for privacy

Playa del Caballo is adjacent to Playa las Ánimas, a popular tourist beach getaway for Puerto Vallarta locals, who reach it by water taxi.

The teeming shores of Playa las Ánimas are lined with rows of beach chairs and crowded bars. But a short walk to the north, on a path that winds behind a few small bungalows, brings you to Playa del Caballo. With electric blue water and towering palm trees, this beach is like your own private discovery, with the bevy of crabs that scuttle up to shore making up most of your fellow beachgoers.

12. Playa Delfines, Quintana Roo

Best beach for families with kids

Ask any local about the best beach in Cancún, and you’re sure to hear about Playa Delfines. Running south of the Zona Hotelera and across the street from the city’s most important ancient archaeological site, El Rey, Playa Delfines is one of the few beaches in Cancún not dominated by an imposing resort.

You won’t be alone here as it’s hugely popular, but there’s plenty of powdery sand for everyone to spread out. This sweeping beach is one of the rare surfing spots in Cancún, so bring your board or simply play in the waves.

Plenty of parking, public restrooms, lifeguards, rows of thatch-roofed, free-to-use palapas and even a playground make this an ideal spot for families. Enjoy the churros and mango-on-a-stick sold by the vendors.

13. Melaque, Jalisco

Best beach for a laid-back, local feel

Melaque in Jalisco is a classic Mexican beach town where front doors are kept open for the breeze, and mom-and-pop stores overflow with tropical fruits, glass bottle sodas and portable coolers filled with freshly made tortillas.

Just steps from the cobblestone streets is an 8km-long bay dotted with whitewashed buildings and palm trees. The surf attracts boogie boarders and the sand is gloriously empty most of the year. It’s a popular spot for nesting sea turtles; snorkeling and fishing are popular nearby.

For beachfront eats, a clutch of thatched-roof restaurants on the north side of the bay serve freshly caught fish by the kilo, whole and fried.

14. Playa Zicatela and Playa Carrizalillo, Oaxaca

Best beaches for surfing

Puerto Escondido’s Playa Zicatela – 3.5km of golden sand and crashing waves – makes many wave-rider’s top 10 for good reason. The heart of the action is the Mexico Pipeline at the northern end.

If you’re just starting out, head to Playa Carrizalillo. This small, beautiful sheltered cove west of the center is a gorgeous place to hang out, swim and live vicariously as a surfer dude. Book a lesson, then head for the mellow line of palapa beach bars when you finish.

Around town, you’ll find that the Rinconada Quarter is emerging as a culinary hot spot, while the beach bars in Zicatela host spirited dance parties for late-night mischief.