Relaxing Mexico Beaches You Can Visit on Vacation

1. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cabo Pulmo National Park (Baja California)

Cabo Pulmo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and national marine park located approximately 62 miles north of Cabo San Lucas along Mexico's Baja California peninsula, stretching between Los Frailes Cape and Pulmo Point. The stunning national park, which was originally established in 1995, preserves the Pacific Ocean's northernmost coral reef formation, one of only three of its kind along North America's western coastline.

Can I snorkel at this Mexico beach? Park visitors can enjoy amazing diving and snorkeling experiences, observing marine life such as dolphins, sea turtles, humpback whales, and more than 220 species of fish that live within the reef area.

What is there to do on the beach? Sport fishing, kayaking, and windsurfing are also popular water sports at areas such as El Bajo, Los Cantiles, and Brazos del Arrecife.

Where to find it: Cabo Pulmo National Park, Centro, 23570 La Ribera, Baja California Sur, Mexico, Phone: 949-376-2252

2. Jump in for a Swim on Playa el Médano (Cabo San Lucas)

Playa el Médano, known as Medano Beach in English, is Cabo San Lucas' primary swimming beach, offering several miles of safe public swimming conditions between the city's harbor and Villa del Palmar. The lively beach serves as the city's main center of tourism, home to an array of luxurious high-rise resorts, al fresco-style restaurants, and hip bars and nightlife options. At Cabo's best spot for water sports rentals, beachgoers can rent kayaks, surfboards, stand-up paddleboards, and wave runners to enjoy the beach's gorgeous water conditions.

What's a good Mexico beach for parasailing? Parasailing and motorized hang-gliding tours are also available, giving participants a once-in-a-lifetime bird's-eye view of the Pacific Ocean.

Local travel tip: On land, pick-up volleyball games are common, while a plethora of vendors sell goods within the nearby town center.

Where to find it: Playa el Médano, Playa Santa María, Auroras, Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S

3. Have a Romantic Picnic at Playa del Amor (Cabo San Lucas)

Playa del Amor, known as Lover's Beach in English, is the beach many tourists think of when they think of the beauty and adventure of Cabo San Lucas, as the beach has been featured in a wide variety of tourism commercials and photo shoots. The beach, which is located on the Sea of Cortez area of Land's End, is one of Cabo's hidden treasures, only accessible via water taxi from the city's marina.

Is this a good beach for photos? Once on the beach, visitors can explore the gorgeous beach's smooth, towering rock formations, including the large and protruding Neptune's Finger formation.

Must know: Beachgoers should note that swimming and snorkeling are only permitted on the beach's Sea of Cortez side, as dangerous and powerful waves crash against its Divorce Beach side.

Local travel tip: Visitors can also reach the beach by renting kayaks from nearby Playa del Médano and rowing for approximately 40 minutes from the city's shoreline.

4. Chileno Beach (Cabo San Lucas)

Chileno Beach is a stunning Blue Flag-designated beach in Cabo San Lucas, located within the Baja California city's tourist corridor, connecting the city to nearby San José del Cabo. The lovely beach has become one of Cabo's most popular public beachfronts in recent years, known for its crystal-clear aquamarine waters and its superb swimming, diving, snorkeling, and kayaking conditions.

What is a good snorkeling beach in Mexico? Snorkeling tours are offered by several companies during the afternoon hours daily, providing opportunities to see sea turtles, tropical fish, sea sponges, and moray eels at Chileno Beach.

Can I rent beach umbrellas? Palapas are provided for relaxation in the shade, with private beach umbrellas available for visitor rental.

Does Chileno Beach have public restrooms? The beach is also the only Cabo beachfront offering public restrooms and amenities.

Pro tip: Beachgoers looking to avoid crowds should avoid weekend afternoons, when the beach is busiest with tourist activity.

What else can I do on vacation?

Where to find it: Chileno Beach, Tourist Corridor, Baja California, Mexicali, Mexico

5. Playa La Ropa (Costa Grande)

Playa la Ropa is one of the most beautiful beachfront along Mexico's Costa Grande de Guerrero, located on stunning Zihuatanejo Bay. The beach's name, which translates to "beach of clothes," is a reference to a colonial-era shipwreck which washed a gigantic haul of fine Chinese and Indian fabrics, silks, and shawls ashore along the beachfront. Today, the 1.5-kilometer beach is a popular spot for water sports enthusiasts, offering moderately high waves that make for great surfing, windsurfing, water skiing, and boogie boarding conditions.

What's a good snorkeling spot in Cabo? Playa La Ropa is one of the Cabo area's most popular snorkeling and diving sites, offering water and marine life experiences similar to popular dive sites in the Caribbean Sea.

What's nearby? The beach's surrounding area is currently one of the Cabo area's hottest development areas, with many luxury hotels and restaurants opening in the area on a continual basis.

Where to find it: Playa La Ropa, Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico

6. Playa Norte (Isla Mujeres)

Playa Norte, referred to as North Beach in English, is one of Mexico's most stunning white sand beaches, located on the secluded five-mile-long Isla Mujeres off the northern coast of Cancún. The beach, which is the island's central public beach, spans 2,250 feet of gorgeous ocean coastline, home to pristine turquoise waters, crushed coral sands, and vibrant local culture.

Is Playa Norte a good beach for kids? Waters are safe for swimming for beachgoers of all ages and ability levels, only chest-deep even a decent distance from the shoreline.

Good to know: The island's lively community is home to a wide variety of artists and musicians and significant influence from its Mayan heritage, creating a diverse, unique local culture.

What's nearby? Other tourist attractions on the island for visitors to enjoy include the MUSA Underwater Museum, Garrafon Park, and the ruins of historic Hacienda Mundaca.

Where to find it: Rueda Medina 130, SM 001, Centro, 77506 Isla Mujeres, Q.R., Mexico

7. Yelapa Beach (Jalisco)

Yelapa Beach is the charming public beachfront of the town of Yelapa, located approximately 40 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta near the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range. The town, which is named for the Purepecha word for "the place where waters become a pond," is only accessible via boat or water taxi from nearby Los Muertos Beach or Boca de Tomatlan and has escaped much of the recent development of many of Mexico's hottest tourist beach areas.

Where to eat: Many refer to the beach as Mexico's last remaining authentic beach, home to only a few al fresco bars and vendors along its crescent-shaped stretch of sand. It is known throughout Mexico for its delicious fresh-baked beach pies, available in a variety of flavors, and its unique strong liquor raicilla, a variant of mezcal.

8. Balandra Beach (La Paz)

Balandra Beach is a tranquil golden sand beach near La Paz, located on the eastern side of Mexico's Baja California peninsula. The beach is one of the Baja's most stunning natural beaches, showcasing crystal-clear turquoise waters against a backdrop of impressive copper-colored mountains. The beach, which has been designated as an Area of Flora and Fauna Protection by the Mexican government since 2012, is located on Balandra Bay and is a fantastic spot for paddleboarding, surrounded by impressive rock formations such as the mushroom-shaped El Hongo, a popular photo opportunity spot.

Local travel tip: At low tide conditions, waters are shallow enough for beachgoers to walk across the bay to nearby beach sites such as Playa Tecolote and Playa Pichilingue.

Must know: Visitors should be advised that stingrays and jellyfish populate the beach's waters and should take precaution when entering the water.

Where to find it: Balandra Beach, Carretera a Pichilingue KM 7, HWY 11, Tecolote, 23010 La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico, Phone: +52-61-21-94-30-67

9. Playa del Amor (Marietas Islands)

Playa del Amor, commonly referred to in English as the Hidden Beach, is one of the Marieta Islands' top public beach spots, located approximately 22 miles off the coastline of Puerto Vallarta along the mouth of beautiful Banderas Bay. The uninhabited islands have long been used as military testing sites by the Mexican government, and many rock and cave formations on the island have been created as the result of bomb testing, including the terrain of Hidden Beach. Today, the beach creates a safe, sandy haven within the island's lush green topography, perfect for secluded romantic getaways along the crystal-clear waterfront, which is protected as part of the Islas Marietas National Park.

Where to find it: The beach is only accessible via a long water tunnel on the island, with many eco-tour opportunities offering boat excursions to the beachfront for visitors.

Must know: Beachgoers should note that beach access wristbands are restricted to a limited number of guests per day and must be reserved several days in advance of desired visit date.

Islas Marietas, Mexico

10. Zipolite Beach (Oaxaca)

Zipolite Beach is a lovely low-key beach in Oaxaca, located within Mexico's San Pedro Pochutla municipality. This must-visit 40-meter beach, which is named for the Zapotec word for "beach of the dead," is best known as Mexico's only legal public naturist beach, retaining much of its bohemian vibe from its original rise to international fame in the 1970s. It gained prominence in the early 21st century due to its use as a major filming site for the 2001 motion picture Y Tu Mamá También, known internationally today for hosting major events such as the annual Festival Nudista Zipolite naturist event each February.

What is a good surfing beach in Mexico? Strong waves make for excellent surfing conditions, though visitors should exercise caution when entering the water for swimming.

Good to know: Lifeguards are staffed on duty and employ a flag system to inform visitors about daily water conditions.

Oaxaca, Mexico