Acapulco in 3 days

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.

Day 1, Get oriented

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

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.

Eat: Pescado a la talla, butterflied grilled fish with chilli adobo

Day 2, Go deeper

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

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.

Eat: Ceviche acapulqueno served with saltine crackers

Day 3, Hidden side

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

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.

Eat: Pozole verde, the Guerrero version, traditionally eaten on Thursdays

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.

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.

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