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“Acapulco… the sea is enough, the ocean of happiness. And then a tropical night catches your heart and you fall hopelessly in love…” – sang the popular Italian band Ricchi e Poveri. The romantic bay of St. Lucia surrounded by rocks has been attracting Hollywood stars, Mexican rich and tourists from around the world for decades. Today, Acapulco in Mexico is a city of almost a million people and is still eagerly visited by both Mexicans and foreigners. What to see and do in Acapulco during your vacation? Discover the greatest attractions!
Mexican Acapulco – a resort with history
First of all, it should be emphasized that Acapulco, unlike the resorts that were established several decades ago for the needs of tourism, has a very long and rich history.
Already in pre-Hispanic times, people settled there, and due to the strategic location on the Pacific Ocean, they conducted trade contacts. In the 7th century, the inhabitants of the city of Teotihuacan from central Mexico arrived there, and a little later the Mayans through the Tehuantepec Strait. In the fifteenth century, the area of today’s Acapulco came under the rule of the Aztec Empire, and in the sixteenth century. When the Spaniards conquered the Aztecs, a port was established from which ships left for Asia.
Trips to Acapulco became famous in the 1950s, when the rich and famous began to vacation in Mexico. He stayed there, John F. Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. Many well-known movies, such as „The Lady from Shanghai” or „The Adventures of Tarzan”, have been shot in or around the city. The actor who played the role of Tarzan, Johnny Weissmüller, was so impressed with Acapulco that he decided to live there permanently. Over the next decades, villas in Acapulco were bought by Michael Jackson, Ricky Martin, Placido Domingo and Julio Iglesias.
Vacation in Acapulco today
Today, Acapulco is still a popular resort where both Mexican and foreign tourists come for their holidays. It is located about 400 km south of Mexico City.
The tourist zone is divided into 3 parts:
- Old (Acapulco Viejo),
- Złota (Acapulco Dorado) – established in 1960-80,
- Diamond (Acapulco Diamante).
In Acapulco’s newest tourist zone, there are grand all-inclusive hotels and boutique residences with private access to the beach. Spending time on the beach in Mexico, you can swim, dive, sunbathe, do water sports, but also learn about the interesting history of the region.
In recent years, Mexico’s Acapulco has gained a reputation as an abandoned resort due to the growing popularity of the Mayan Riviera and the rise in crime in the state of Guerrero. However, this image is greatly exaggerated – a lot of tourists still come to Acapulco for holidays. It is one of the favorite resorts of the inhabitants of the capital, who flock to the ocean every long weekend or holiday. Besides, Acapulco is „the city that never sleeps”. At night, life comes alive in bars and clubs. Horse-drawn carriages decorated with lights in the style of Disney fairy tales and city buses with loud entertainment music run along the streets.
Attractions of Acapulco – cruise on the bay of St. Lucy
Acapulco is located on the coast of the picturesque St. Lucia (Bahía de Santa Lucia), which is closed on 3 sides by the peaks of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains. One of the highlights of Acapulco is a boat trip around the bay. During such an optional trip in Mexico, you can see the coast lined with hotels from the sea and the villas of the rich hidden among the rocks, as well as admire the beautiful sunset when the ship sails into the open ocean. In Acapulco, such tours are held 2 times a day – at noon and at 16:30. It is definitely one of the most pleasant and interesting forms of visiting this part of Mexico. If someone prefers to swim in a more luxurious environment, it is possible to rent a private yacht.
A trip full of impressions, or La Quebrada
La Quebrada is an over 40-meter rock, from the top of which 5 times a day the so-called jumpers jump into the water. clavadistas, or athletic jumpers. Jumping, which in the 1930s was a spontaneous entertainment of the inhabitants, today has become a bloodcurdling show attracting crowds.
The jumpers must calculate the moment when the waves reach their highest point and the depth of the water is about 4 meters – otherwise they run the risk of death. Bravura shows take place at 13:00, 19:30, 20:30, 21:30 and 22:30, and admission is paid. The jumps can be observed from the balcony of the nearby El Mirador restaurant or from a specially prepared terrace. Clavadistas first go down the stairs, then swim to the other side of the cove and efficiently climb to the top of the rock, on which there are two shrines. Usually there are 5 jumpers and one of them jumps from the highest point. The entire show lasts approximately 30 minutes. You will not find such an attraction as in Acapulco anywhere else!
What is worth seeing in Acapulco? Peace Chapel
La Capilla de la Paz is located on the highest peak within the borders of Acapulco – Mount El Guitarrón (402 m above sea level). It was funded by the de Trouyet couple, who lost their two sons in a plane crash in 1967. After this tragic event, they erected a monument in the form of hands folded in a gesture of prayer, symbolizing brotherly bond. Next to the monument there is a 42-metre high cross and an ecumenical chapel where the followers of different religions can pray or celebrate mass. From the top there is a beautiful panorama of the bay and Acapulco in Mexico, and the road that leads to the chapel is also extremely picturesque.
Fort San Diego in Acapulco
As Acapulco in Mexico was a very important port from which the sea route to Asia led during colonial times, pirate attacks were frequent in the area. In the 17th century, the Spaniards built a fortress to protect the galleons coming from Manila, whose cargo (e.g. ivory, porcelain, spices) was then transported by land to the port of Veracruz. It is one of the largest sea forts located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Since 1949, it has been under the care of the National Institute of Anthropology and History, and there is a museum inside. However, it is worth exploring these Acapulco attractions to better understand the city’s colonial history. From time to time, the museum also organizes art exhibitions.
Acapulco – trip to the island of La Roqueta
It is a small island located in the bay of St. Lucy. Boats with a transparent bottom float on it, so the cruise itself is already a big attraction of Acapulco. Along the way, you can admire colorful fish and an underwater statue of Mary, Queen of the Seas, to whom fishermen pray.
The island has a lighthouse, tropical nature and beautiful beaches where you can go diving or jet ski ride. The waves there are small, so it is an ideal place for children to swim.
El Zócalo square with the cathedral in Acapulco
Like every major city, Acapulco also has a main square called El Zócalo. There is a cathedral dedicated to Our Lady of the Singles. The current appearance of the church is due to the architect Adam Boari, who also designed the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City. The cathedral was built in the early 20th century and has elements in the Byzantine style. The square now has cafes, souvenir stalls and benches. It is a good place to rest, you can also easily get from there to the seaside promenade, the so-called El Malecon.
Acapulco – attractions in the area
If someone has more time, it is worth leaving Acapulco to explore the more pristine areas of the Pacific coast. What is worth seeing? A dozen or so kilometers outside the city there is a spit forming the Coyuca lagoon, on which you can go by motorboat, admiring the tropical flora and fauna. The ocean coast is where female turtles lay their eggs, and tourists have the opportunity to help hatching turtles reach the water. In this way, they support the preservation of the turtle population in Mexico. To the east of the city is the second, smaller bay of Puerto Marques. The waves are gentler there than in Acapulco. It is an ideal place to sunbathe and try seafood dishes.
