Mexico has 5,800 miles of coastline, so finding a beach is one of the easiest challenges to accept when traveling the country.
But often what you find comes with the hordes of other surfers, snorkelers and sun worshipers who are after the same thing, and suddenly, the tranquility you seek is no more.
If you want to get away from the popular spots, here are the best off-the-grid beaches in the country.
Xpu-Há
Quintana Roo
If you're driving south from Playa del Carmen, chances are you're headed toward Tulum. But tucked between Puerto Aventuras and Tulum is a jewel of a beach that the locals like to keep to themselves.
Xpu-Há sits at the end of a dirt road off of main Highway 307. Travelers are rewarded with a sweeping bay swathed in white sand and little else.
A far cry from the developed beaches to the south and north, this is a pristine, secluded spot with laid-back charm, local restaurants and plenty of palm tree shade for packing a picnic.
Plus, the waters are exceedingly calm so it's a prime spot for snorkeling, swimming and paddle boarding.
Playa del Caballo
Jalisco
You don't have to travel far from a tourist hub to find this beach, but you’ll feel as if you’ve discovered an unknown world all your own.
Playa del Caballo is the adjacent beach to Playa las Ánimas, a popular tourist beach getaway for the locals of Puerto Vallarta.
Take the water taxi from Boca de Tomatlán and hit the teeming shores of Playa las Ánimas, with row after row of beach chairs and crowded bars.
But a short walk to the north, on a path that winds behind a few small bungalows, opens up to Playa del Caballo