Acapulco, Mexico’s oldest beach resort, faces the broad Bay of Acapulco at the foot of the Sierra Madre in the state of Guerrero on the west coast of

Acapulco

Mexico. The Costera and main hotel areas are located 12 miles northwest of the airport.

Overlooking the beach and Acapulco Bay, the city and resort areas are sandwiched beneath the sierras with steep narrow roads twisting up hillsides to exclusive hotels and villas. Acapulco Diamante is just east of the airport, and the Las Brisas neighbourhood covers forested hillsides between the airport and the Costera. Old Acapulco sits at the northwest edge of the bay.

Because Acapulco is located on the Caribbean Sea, temperatures can soar from May through to September,with the hurricane season from June to November.

Acapulco was the place to be in the glamorous 1950s, when Hollywood stars and the European elite played in gorgeous villas around Las Brisas, the famed pink and white hotel overlooking the bay. These days the mid-range hotels along the Costera are packed with travellers looking for modest prices and rowdy beach bars, while the Las Brisas area still attracts a well-heeled clientele.

Acapulco’s main beaches along the Costera are packed with sunbathers most days. The surf can be strong along the Costera and the water’s not at its cleanest after summer and fall rain showers. Swimming is more pleasant in the waters off Isla Roqueta, a small island which is a short boat ride from Old Acapulco.

El Fuerte de San Diego

The traditional centre of the city is the zócalo (Plaza Alvarez) in Old Acapulco southwest of the Costera. El Fuerte de San Diego overlooks the bay from a slight hill. This star-shaped fort, originally constructed in 1616 and rebuilt after the 1776 earthquake, is home to an impressive historical and nautical museum.

Travellers wishing to view beautiful sunsets should head to Pie de la Cuesta, a small beach town about a 25 minute drive west of the city. The long beach here is lined with palapa (palm-thatch) seafood cafes and nearby Laguna Coyuca is a great spot for boating and waterskiing.

The hills above the bay in the Las Brisas neighborhood are lined with restaurants serving Italian, Mediterranean, and pan Asian cuisine. Along the Costera, several casual cafes serve regional pozole, a thick hominy stew, while beach bars specialise in international fare (burgers, barbecued meats). Seafood cafes line the sand in Old Acapulco.

clavadistas

The La Perla supper club at El Mirador Hotel is the best place to watch Acapulco’s famed clavadistas (cliff divers) who carrying blazing torches as they take a 130ft dive into the water. Acapulco’s discos and clubs are the most famous in the country.