The Pacific Coast region is made up of the states of Colina, Guerrero, Jalisco, Nayarit, Oaxaca and Sinaloa. The most famous beach city in Mexico, Acapulco, is located here, but there are numerous other places worth checking out. Don’t spend all of your time on the coast while in the region: the colonial city of Oaxaca and the nearby ruins of Monte Albán should not be missed. Perhaps Mexico’s most famous beach resort city, Acapulco is located in the state of Guerrero about 325 kilometers from Mexico City. Nicknamed “the Pearl of the Pacific,” it is the most popular beach resort in Mexico. There are dozens of beaches in and around Acapulco, and they are generally clean and safe. More than simply beaches, Acapulco offers scuba diving, sport fishing, tennis, golf and good shopping. The lively night life is legendary and there are good restaurants and hotels.

The traveler who has had enough of the enormous, slick resorts in Acapulco can go a couple hundred kilometers to the south. The fishing village of Zihuatanejo is modern yet quaint, and also offers nice beaches and many of the same sorts of water sports as Acapulco. Visitors like to stroll down the cobblestone streets of the town center. Like Acapulco, Zihuatanejo has a lively night life. Nearby, the Ixtapa tourist complex offers some of the best sport fishing in the world as well as sailing, windsurfing, diving, and several golf courses. About 320 kilometers south of the city of Oaxaca is Puerto Escondido, a small fishing village that has since become known as a popular travel destination. The beautiful green water gives the area its “Emerald Coast” nickname. Puerto Escondido is known for surfing: there are a variety of good surfing spots, appropriate for any skill level. Expert surfers can ride the four meter high breakers off of Zicatela beach.
For a wonderful combination of colonial heritage and nice beaches, check out Mazatlan, the most important city in the state of Sinaloa. Situated on a small peninsula, the city boasts seventeen kilometers of coastline. It is known as one of the best sport fishing spots in Mexico: charters go out after prize marlin and sailfish, and annual tournaments attract fishing enthusiasts from around the world. The city has a reputation for lively nightlife as well. Come for the carnaval festivities, which have been compared to those in Rio de Janeiro or New Orleans. Architecture buffs should make a point of visiting the Angela Peralta theater, a neoclassic structure built during the Porfiriato and recently restored.
Nestled high in the western Sierra Madre range, the city of Oaxaca is a must-see for the visitor to Mexico’s pacific coastal region. The capital of Oaxaca state, it is an inland city and not located on the coast itself. What the city lacks in beaches, however, it more than makes up in culture and charm. The beautifully restored historical center was declared a world heritage site in 1987. The old town is full of charming cafes and restaurants, as well as a number of museums. Check out the Oaxaca culture museum, housed in a former monastery. On display are several relics unearthed from nearby Monte Albán’s famous “tomb 7.”
Barely ten kilometers outside of Oaxaca is the ancient city of Monte Albán. It was first built by the Olmecs around 600 B.C. Later cultures lived there as well, and the city reached the height of its power around 800 A.D. when the Zapotecs lived there. Later, the Zapotecs went into decline and the site was abandoned until the Mixtecs arrived in the twelfth or thirteenth century and used it as a burial ground for their nobility. It is a sprawling ruin on top of a hill with an excellent view. There are many temples and buildings, and some finely carved stone blocks, showing human figures that appear to be dancing. There have been several tombs discovered at Monte Albán: the most important one is “Tomb 7,” the contents of which are on display in Oaxaca.