Acapulco, or Acapulco de Juarez, is not the main, but the most famous resort in Mexico in Russia. The city arose in the middle of the 16th century - since that time the fortress of San Diego has been preserved in it, and from the 17th-19th centuries - the colonial buildings of the city center.
The main thing that brought Acapulco a world celebrity: famous Hollywood stars and politicians fell in love here in the middle of the 20th century. Baron Rothschild and Elizabeth Taylor, Julio Iglesias and Frank Sinatra came here. Many people still remember the famous 1963 musical with Elvis Presley - "Fun in Acapulco".
Then expensive luxury hotels, casinos and nightclubs were built here. The tastes of the world's elite have changed since then, and Acapulco has remained quite a democratic and popular resort, where you can find accommodation and entertainment for every taste.
The climate in Mexico is even tropical: you can swim in Acapulco even in January-February. It can get quite hot here during the summer months, and the rainy season comes in early autumn. So the best time to relax here is from November to April. The air temperature in the high season is about 28-30 degrees Celsius, and the water warms up to 25-26. Acapulco grew up around a large bay on the Pacific coast: the water is warmer here than in other Pacific resorts, and strong waves only occur on those beaches that are located outside the bay. This location, however, has disadvantages: the water in the bay near the port and the multi-million dollar city may not be perfectly transparent and clean. However, there is still no heavy industry in the city; in recent years, sewage treatment plants have been updated - the Acapulco administration is investing heavily in the development of tourism and the purity of water and beaches.
With very few exceptions, the beaches in the city are municipal and free of charge. They are not snow-white, but are covered with the most common yellow sand with pebbles and shells, algae are quite rare here, but you can meet with jellyfish far from the coast.
Districts of Acapulco
Acapulco is a resort town, its beaches stretch along the entire bay and on both sides of it. There are usually three large areas for tourists:
- Traditional Acapulco, Acapulco Tradical is the city center, where the central beach and all the main historical sights are located.
- Golden Acapulco, Acapulco Dorado is the most popular part of the city with tourists, where all the major hotels and entertainment centers are concentrated.
- Acapulco Diamant, Diamond Acapulco is the most expensive part of the city.
Each part has its own beaches and its own characteristics.
Traditional Acapulco
This area includes the historic city center and the central beach of the Acapulco lagoon - Hornos. From the west, the beach is bounded by the city port and the terminal for ocean liners, in the east it flows into the next city beach - La Condesa. The main city attraction rises above the port: the picturesque port of San Diego, which now houses the expositions of the historical museum, they occupy 12 rooms. Nearby is the most original museum of Acapulco - the Museum of Masks, which houses a collection of ritual masks from the Mayan Indians to modern ones. A little in the back of the block there is a very beautiful and original Acapulco Cathedral Nuestra Senora de la Soledad. Hornos Beach stretches along the city park - this is the busiest beach in the city, there are always a lot of tourists and local people, and especially a lot of sellers. Cleanliness is monitored here, but this is not always possible during the high season.
This part of the city has very diverse housing. On the first line there are multi-storey hotels with a small territory. Their upper floors offer breathtaking views of the bay and city, especially in the evenings. In the depths of the quarters, you can rent inexpensive apartments. Food and souvenirs can be bought at the city market (Mercado Municipal) - it is also located here. There are many restaurants: more expensive on the embankment, cheaper a little further from the sea. In general, it is inexpensive, noisy and interesting - this is the best area to immerse yourself in the real Mexico with all its originality.
Las Playa
Another great area is the peninsula that borders Acapulco Bay from the west. As a rule, it is referred to as Traditional Acapulco, but it is worth talking about it separately - in fact, Las Playa is away from the center. There are hotels here both from the inner side of the bay and from the outside. The most famous beach in this area is Caletilla: it is quiet, calm, although it is not in Acapulco Bay, it has sections without waves, but there are some suitable for surfers. This beach is considered the best for families.
On the side facing the ocean coast is the famous La Quebrada rock. It hosts daily shows: daredevils jump from a height of 35 meters into a narrow crevice under the rock - this is a must-see. For this, an observation deck has been set up, and the show is visible from many restaurants located in the neighborhood. It is especially beautiful in the evening, when divers are holding torches in their hands. The depth here is only three and a half meters, so they actually risk their lives for the amusement of the crowd.
This area is home to the largest diving center in Acapulco - Acapulco Scuba Center. From it you can take an excursion to the nearest reefs - most often they sail to the La Roqueta Islands, where they are.
The beaches in this area are very different, so you should choose the nearest beach and hotel: the area itself is an ordinary urban area, the advantage is the proximity to attractions and relative silence.
Golden Acapulco
The eastern part of the bay with the beaches of La Condesa and Icacos. Acapulco's main entertainment centers are located here. In the daytime - this is Papagayo Park, aka Ignacio Manuel Altamirano Park, a large green area. There are artificial ponds with waterfowl, a botanical garden, an amusement park and - most importantly! - a water park with a dolphinarium. So, being in Acapulco, it is simply impossible not to look here. In this area there is the main shopping and souvenir point of the city - Mercado des Artesanias, the "craft market". Here you can buy any souvenirs from Mexico, both expensive handicrafts and Chinese counterfeits, but in any case, the place is colorful, and prices are lower than in the city center.
The area is very noisy in the evenings. Here, next to the Icacos beach, is one of the most famous nightclubs - El Alebrije. It has swimming pools, a dance floor for 1200 people, and a strict dress code at the entrance - no entry in casual clothes. However, this club is not the only one - there are discos, night bars and clubs throughout the city: on the beach at every hotel, and on a hill with views of the whole of Acapulco. One Dollar Club is the most popular place on La Candesa beach.
Lovers of silence can be uncomfortable here: the bay has excellent acoustics, and music is heard over the water until late at night, even if your windows overlook the sea and not the city, the noise cannot be avoided. The road leading along the embankment is filled with cars in the evenings, and there are not so many crossings and traffic lights, this can also become a problem.
During the day, the beach is as noisy and cheerful as Hornos, except perhaps further from the port. Strong waves are very rare, the water usually warms up perfectly.
Diamond Acapulco
This is the most expensive and prestigious area, occupying the southeast coast of the city and the Punta Diamantes peninsula. It is also considered the safest: in other areas in the evenings it is quite possible to encounter local crime, but here it is much quieter. In Diamond Acapulco there are luxury hotels and private villas: everything is very clean, decent and expensive, in full accordance with the name.
The main thing worth noting is that the beaches of this area are located outside the bay, on the very coast of the Pacific Ocean. This is both a plus and a minus. The noise of the city does not spread over the water for many kilometers, it is much cleaner here than on the city beach. But the water is colder, and most importantly, unlike the lagoon, there can be strong waves and currents. Lifeguards are on duty on the beaches, their recommendations are worth paying attention to, and when swimming with children, you need to be extremely careful. There are days when the sea is very calm here, and there are days when the red flag is flown.
The most famous beach in this area is Revolcadero: a very beautiful beach to the east of the city. But he is also half-wild - for the entire rather long section by the sea there is one toilet and one shower stall, they come here for privacy, not for service. But there are no merchants here who do not allow you to rest in peace in the bay itself.
Shopping can be done at La Isla Acapulco Shopping Village. This is a huge modern shopping center with a very beautiful interior design (there are fountains, canals and its own "little Venice"), a cinema, a food court, an amusement center and a huge number of various shops.
The Palladium nightclub is located in the same area. It is not on the shore, but on a hill, from its dance floors overlooking the entire night city.
