Acapulco, Mexico travel guide

Pacific bay of cliff divers, mid-century glamour and Mexico's loudest beach nightlife.

Best time to visit: November-April
Average daily budget: $70 to $180 USD
Ideal trip length: 3 to 4 days

Acapulco was Mexico's original jet-set resort, the bay where Hollywood came to swim in the 1950s, and its horseshoe of high-rises still makes one of the most dramatic city-and-sea skylines in the Americas. The La Quebrada divers have been throwing themselves off a 35m cliff since 1934, the old town keeps a fort and a scruffy, likeable zocalo, and Zona Diamante at the southern end holds the newer resorts and calmer sand. It has had hard years, including Hurricane Otis in 2023, and much of the bay has been rebuilt since.

Acapulco itinerary

Day 1, Get oriented

Morning: La Quebrada cliff divers. Divers plunge 35m into a narrow inlet, timed to the swell; the 7.30pm torch dive is the one to see.

Afternoon: Explore Zona Dorada (Costera), The classic strip along the bay: 1970s hotels, beach clubs, restaurants and nightlife.

Evening: Sunset at Pie de la Cuesta. Wide surf beach and lagoon boat trips 20 minutes out, with the best sunsets on the coast.

Day 2, Go deeper

Morning: Swim Playa Caleta and Caletilla. The bay's calmest, shallowest beaches, popular with Mexican families and good for kids.

Afternoon: Explore Zona Diamante, Newer resorts, golf and the calmer open-ocean beaches at the southern end of the bay.

Evening: Fuerte de San Diego. A star-shaped 17th-century fort holding the city's Manila galleon trade history.

Day 3, Hidden side

Morning: Boat trip across the bay. Glass-bottom or catamaran cruises to Roqueta Island and the submerged Virgin statue.

Afternoon: Explore Acapulco Tradicional, The old town with the zocalo, cathedral, San Diego fort and La Quebrada cliff.

Evening: Casa Dolores Olmedo in the old town, with a Diego Rivera mosaic mural on its facade.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Best neighbourhoods

Zona Dorada (Costera): The classic strip along the bay: 1970s hotels, beach clubs, restaurants and nightlife.
Zona Diamante: Newer resorts, golf and the calmer open-ocean beaches at the southern end of the bay.
Acapulco Tradicional: The old town with the zocalo, cathedral, San Diego fort and La Quebrada cliff.
Pie de la Cuesta: Long surf beach and lagoon 20 minutes northwest, famous for sunsets and horse rides.

Must-do experiences

La Quebrada cliff divers: Divers plunge 35m into a narrow inlet, timed to the swell; the 7.30pm torch dive is the one to see.
Swim Playa Caleta and Caletilla: The bay's calmest, shallowest beaches, popular with Mexican families and good for kids.
Fuerte de San Diego: A star-shaped 17th-century fort holding the city's Manila galleon trade history.
Sunset at Pie de la Cuesta: Wide surf beach and lagoon boat trips 20 minutes out, with the best sunsets on the coast.
Boat trip across the bay: Glass-bottom or catamaran cruises to Roqueta Island and the submerged Virgin statue.

Hidden gems

Casa Dolores Olmedo in the old town, with a Diego Rivera mosaic mural on its facade.
Sinfonia del Mar, a small clifftop amphitheatre for sunsets without the diver crowds.
Barra Vieja beach, 30km southeast, for pescado a la talla under palapas.
The mercado central for tropical fruit and cheap comida corrida away from the Costera.

Daily budget

$70 to $180 USD per day.

What to eat

Pescado a la talla, butterflied grilled fish with chilli adobo
Ceviche acapulqueno served with saltine crackers
Pozole verde, the Guerrero version, traditionally eaten on Thursdays
Coco frio straight from the shell on the beach

Getting around

The Costera bus lines run the length of the bay constantly for about $0.60 and are the local way to move; taxis are plentiful but agree the fare before getting in, as most have no meter. Zones are far apart, so expect 30 to 40 minutes from the old town to Diamante. The airport is 30 minutes southeast of the bay, and Mexico City is about four hours by comfortable ADO bus on the toll road, the route most Mexicans use.

Safety

Acapulco has significant cartel-related violence and several governments including the US and UK advise reconsidering travel to Guerrero state. That violence is overwhelmingly targeted and concentrated in outer neighbourhoods, and tourist zones along the Costera, Diamante and the old town centre see a heavy police presence. Practical rules: stay in the main tourist corridors, do not travel outside the city by road at night, use hotel-booked or app-based taxis, and skip isolated beaches. Also note strong rip currents on open-ocean beaches, and that recovery from Hurricane Otis is uneven, so confirm your hotel is fully operational.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Acapulco?

Three to four. One for the old town, the fort and La Quebrada divers, one or two on the bay's beaches and a boat trip, and one for Pie de la Cuesta or Barra Vieja. Many Mexican visitors come for a long weekend from Mexico City.

When is the best time to visit Acapulco?

November to April is dry with 30-32C days and warm sea temperatures. December, Easter and July are packed with domestic holidaymakers and prices spike. June to October is the rainy season and the Pacific hurricane window, with September the highest risk.

Is Acapulco safe for tourists?

It requires care. Guerrero state carries elevated travel advisories due to cartel violence, though incidents are concentrated in outer neighbourhoods rather than tourist zones. Stay along the Costera, Diamante or the old town, avoid road travel at night, use hotel or app taxis, and skip isolated beaches.

Is Acapulco expensive?

It is one of Mexico's better-value beach cities at $70 to $180 a day. Hotels run $50 to $150, a seafood lunch on the beach $10 to $18, Costera buses under a dollar and the cliff-diver show around $6. Diamante resorts push costs considerably higher.

Has Acapulco recovered from Hurricane Otis?

Largely, but unevenly. The category 5 hurricane hit in October 2023 and most major hotels, restaurants and attractions have reopened since, while some properties remain closed or partly rebuilt. Confirm directly with your hotel that it is fully operational before booking.

What are the best beaches in Acapulco?

Caleta and Caletilla are the calmest and best for families, Icacos and Condesa line the busy Costera with beach clubs, Revolcadero in Diamante is wide with big surf and strong currents, and Pie de la Cuesta northwest is the sunset and lagoon beach.

What is Acapulco known for?

The La Quebrada cliff divers, its dramatic horseshoe bay skyline, mid-century Hollywood glamour, all-night beachfront clubs, pescado a la talla, and being Mexico City's traditional weekend beach escape.

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