I lived in Mexico for four years with my family and have visited many, many times since then. One of the perks of living in Mexico is the chance to explore the country far and wide. We were based in the mountains (in the town of San Miguel de Allende), so beaches were a particular draw when we were on vacation.

Our home was in the central part of the country, so we drove to many locations–from the pink sands of Vera Cruz to the more-visited shores in Puerto Vallarta. Through all our sampling, we developed favorites–based on sheer beauty, price, accessibility, and the “secret” factor, meaning how under-the-radar it is.

The best beaches in Mexico are not only some of the most beautiful in the world, but they also offer an impressive variety—there’s a little something for everyone.

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The 3 Beach Regions of Mexico

Mexico has approximately 7,000 miles of beaches, which is a lot to cover. I didn’t get to every beach, but I certainly saw enough to know that there are three main regions worth considering when talking about the best beaches. All offer the picture-perfect vistas, with swaying palms and clear water (meaning very little seaweed). I’ve broken down the list accordingly.

Through all our sampling, we developed favorites–based on sheer beauty, price, accessibility, and the “secret” factor, meaning how under-the-radar it is.

The Pacific Ocean. This region ranges from the state of Nayarit all the way down the west coast to Chiapas. It includes internationally known Puerto Vallarta and the once-great resort of Acapulco (now laid low by drug traffickers), but I’m not interested in those. Many of the beaches here have stupendous surfing, but the size of  the waves can make it difficult for those who don’t like the rough stuff. Of course, there are plenty of coves and bays that are quieter.

Baja California. This slim, ballet slipper of a peninsula has spectacular beaches along the crystalline Sea of Cortez, but down near the popular Cabos (Cabo San Lucas and San Jose de Cabo), the water is extremely turbulent, and make sure to ask if a beach is safe for swimming before heading in.

The Yucatan Peninsula. The state of Quintana Roo has been blessed by the beach gods. It has some of the most magnificent coastline in the world right smack on the Caribbean Sea. That means calm waters in mesmerizing shades of blue, bending palms, soft breezes. The whole package. But one of the downsides of all that beauty is that the beaches tend to be built up, such as in Cancun or Playa del Carmen, which are known as tourist hot spots. Still, a few beaches have escaped the hordes.

Though there is a stretch of coastline in Northern Mexico, along the Gulf of Mexico, I did not include any options here. They simply do not measure up on the best beaches in Mexico scale. The states of Vera Cruz and Tamaulipas have plenty of treasures, just not their beaches.

Best Beaches on the Pacific Coast

Troncones, Guerrero

I fell in love with Troncones—a town of some 600 people pushed up against the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains on the Pacific Coast of Mexico—from the first time I visited 15 years ago with my then-husband and two sons. The rawness and drowsy authenticity even won over my husband—an avowed “non-beach guy.”

With its drowsy authenticity, this is a dream Mexican beach town.

Troncones is so under the radar that for the longest time there was no ATM in town (currently there is one!) You’ll see a chicken running on the dirt road in front of dusty tienditas and hand-painted hotel and restaurant signs. There is no trace of the dreaded stalls selling T-shirts and seashell fridge magnets or parasails pulled by boats crisscrossing the sky. Unlike the town’s neighbors—Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa—20 or so miles south.

The rub is that along the three-miles of isolated beach are true gems of sophistication–restaurants where you can organic farm (or sea)-to-table meals and hotels designed by top architects from Mexico City. Plus, there’s a well-organized release program for sea turtles. For me, it is a dream Mexican beach town, which is why I bring groups of women here every year for a week of relaxing at the best hotel on the beach.

Best Beaches in Baja California

Playa del Amor, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

I’ll never forget the excitement of landing in a water taxi on the beach at Playa del Amor (Love Beach), just around the bay from the main–and very crowded–beach in Cabo San Lucas. My mother, two sons and I were in an open-top, motorized fishing vessel and the driver had to time his approach perfectly with the roll of the waves. The phrase “coming in hot” perfectly describes our entrance.

The phrase “coming in hot” perfectly describes our entrance to this beach.

That adrenaline rush disappeared quickly, replaced by awe as we walked around the beach, which is adjacent to the famous El Arco rock formation, one of Mexico’s most iconic backdrops. Playa del Amor is a small cove, but through a small passageway in the rock, we made our way to a wider, wilder beach. Swimming is not advised on this other side, which some wag has dubbed “divorce beach.” Stick to swimming in the lovelier “Love” waters.

Playa Los Cerritos, Baja California Sur

Playa Los Cerritos, roughly 45 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas, is one of the few swimmable beaches on the Pacific side of the tip of Baja. Surfers love it, but at least for now it’s not been discovered by the masses. Cerritos means “little hills,” and that’s what surround this arc of sand, adding a bit of rich texture to the topography. There’s one beach restaurant (at this writing), which gives you an idea of its state of seclusion.

About 20 minutes up the road is Todos Santos, which has been named a Mexican “Pueblo Mágico” for its charming, palm-tree-and-bougainvillea town center. Artist and art galleries abound here, and one hotel stands out–Hotel San Cristobal, opened by my friend Liz Lambert.

Playa Balandra, Baja California Sur

The water is so clear at Playa Balandra, on the Sea of Cortez, that skimming across it on a paddle board can feel like floating on air. The sand is a stark white, like a crescent of sugar, and is set off by the red-rock mountains beyond it. There are very few people on the beach, since it’s located in a nature preserve. In all, it’s an other-worldly place just north of the state capital of La Paz.

To ensure an intimate experience, the beach’s entrance is regulated to only 450 visitors at certain time intervals. With the shallow water, it’s an ideal spot for swimming or water fun. The water’s clarity makes it perfect for snorkeling, where you can see an array of sea life. (Amazing fact: a large percentage of the world’s marine life live in the waters around La Paz.)

Best Beaches on the Yucatan Peninsula

Playa Maroma, Quintana Roo

I arrived in Playa Maroma for the first time after doing a tour of beaches on the Riviera Maya for a travel magazine. It was my last stop, and I was feeling pretty jaded by the beauty of all that I’d seen over the past few days. Still, Maroma took my breath away.

The sand such a translucent white it picked up the pink from the setting sun.

I was bowled over by the deep turquoise of the gently lapping water and sand such a translucent white it picked up the pink from the setting sun. Part of my enchantment was that I was staying at an over-the-top gorgeous hotel (this is a pretty exclusive stretch of sand, it must be said) and was taking in the vista from a beach bed, which is just what it sounds like: A fluffy queen mattress made up with terry cloth sheets.

I didn’t stay at this particular hotel, but it offers overwater bungalows, meaning your room is right on top of the water. The only place I’ve seen that in Mexico. How cool is that?

Isla Holbox, Quintana Roo

Isla Holbox is a long strip of skinny land in the Caribbean Sea. It’s one of Mexico’s best-kept secrets even though it’s just north of one of the country’s biggest tourist spots: Cancun. That’s because it’s not easy to get to. From Cancun, you would take a rental car or bus to Chiquila port for the ferry to Holbox. (Or you could fly in a small plane, but it’s not cheap.)

But once you arrive, you’ll see that the trouble is worth it–from the sought-after pristine beaches to the groovy vibe of the small town. You can hang out in the famous over-water hammocks,  relaxing on the beach, snorkel with whale sharks, kayak through mangroves. The town itself has most everything you need, but it’s got a funky, unaffected feeling that is so hard to find in these uber-commercialized days.

Bonus: Once it turns dark, you can see the magical bioluminescent waters—best experienced on nights of a new moon during summer.

Sian Ka’an, Quintana Roo

In Mayan the name means, “place where the sky is born,” which is as poetic as it is accurate.

South of Cancun and Playa de Carmen, even south of Tulum–which, sorry, I was not impressed with (except for Chi Chenichen ruins)–is the largest protected area in the Mexican Caribbean, called Sian Ka’an Natural Biosphere. Full of untouched vegetation, green mangroves and stunning coral reefs, it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In the Mayan language the name means, “place where the sky is born.” The phrase is as poetic as it is accurate. Here, the sea melds into sky, as if they were one. This beach is for those who love nature in its purity–without the accoutrements of beach life, such as margaritas and surf boards. It’s a wonder and a joy that a place like this still exists.

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