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| SPOTLIGHT | | Sandy
beach, is great for diving, swimming, sailing, snorkeling, and windsurfing. |
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| Acapulco Travel Information
These twin beaches have a glamorous reputation among the locals. Tourists rarely
come here given the location - residential and shopping areas shield the beaches.
City buses run regular routes here, and consequently, the beaches are busy, especially
on the weekends. Stalls and restaurants offer light refreshments and full meals.
Vendors along the water rent snorkeling gear and offer boat-pulled tube rides.
Spending a few hours lounging on the unusual yellow sands is a great way to soak
in the true flavor of Acapulco.
Beaches
Photographs 
Caleta Beach is located in the heart of the historical section of
Acapulco. While the beach may not be the prettiest of Acapulco's beaches, swimming
here is easier and safer than most other local beaches because the waves are usually
calm. As a result, many families with kids come here.
There are many
seafood restaurants and places to shop for souvenirs nearby. Caleta Beach is NOT
a beach for spring break.
Location: In the historical section
of Acapulco, which is also known as "Caleta".
Touring outside Acapulco
From Acapulco, head in the direction of Chilpancingo, the state capital
of Guererro, which is 117 kilometers (72 miles) from the port city. Once in Chilpancingo,
you can stop over to eat and visit the Plaza de Armas. Nearby, you?l find la
Laguna de Tuxpan, known for its natural beauty and abundant wildlife. You can
take a boat out on the lagoon if you want to take a closer look. Some 70 kilometers
(43 miles) ahead, along route 95, you?l find a town called Iguala, the home of
the Mexican flag.
There you can buy silver and gold jewelry and crafts
and visit the San Francisco church. Finally, we recommend a visit to Taxco, which
is about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Iguala. In Taxco, an old sliver-mining
town, you can walk down cobblestone streets, take in picturesque views of the
red-tiled rooftops, visit art galleries and wander in and out of the town? famous
silver shops. If you want to continue along route 95, you?l reach Cuernavaca,
in the state of Morelos, and Mexico City further ahead, which are 306 and 395
kilometers from Acapulco, respectively.
Acapulco: From Piracy to
Tourism
Imagine an unspoiled paradise, on the coasts of the Pacific,
where only a few animal species live, the sun, the sea and the vegetation making
up a green and ochre landscape. Thus was Acapulco Bay over 3000 years ago. The
first inhabitants of this area were the Nahuas, a tribe that was a predecessor
to the Aztecs, according to archaeological findings dating back to over 2000 years
ago.
In 1521, Francisco Chico, by order of Hern? Cort? acting on behalf
of the Spanish Crown, arrived in this area, the first foreigner ever to step on
Mexican territory, and named it Santa Luc?. The newly founded city quickly became
an important trading centre between Asia and America, with ships constantly coming
and going to and from the East, and which brought, among many other goods, spices
into America. As a result of the economic boom, the population increased threefold
and its wealth attracted the attention of legendary pirates such as Sir Francis
Drake, Morgan and Cavendish.
In order to defend the port from the frequent
pirate attacks, a castle was built: Fuerte de San Diego, which would later fall
prey to an earthquake in the 18th century, and would be destroyed as a result.
Acapulco is, after all, one of the most earthquake-prone areas in the country.
At the beginning of the 19th century, King Charles IV declared Acapulco
Ciudad Oficial and it became an essential part of the Spanish Crown. In 1810,
Jos Mar? Morelos attacked and burnt down the city during the War of Independence.
Acapulco recovered its importance during the Gold Rush. Many of the
ships stopped in the port on their way to Panama, and more than a few of the passengers
were so taken by the natural beauty of its beaches that they decided to settle
there.
In 1920, Acapulco started its voyage towards becoming an important
tourist destination, with the visit of the Prince of Wales and future King Edward
VIII. Acapulco's charm had captivated the royalty and they soon recommended the
place all around Europe. The idea to create a hotel and trading infrastructure
came from a Texan businessman named Pullen, responsible for the construction of
what is now known as Old Acapulco. Years later, President Miguel Alem? radically
transformed the port, installing electricity, drainage systems, pavements, and
building the first road from Mexico DF to the port, which brought much more tourism
to the area.
The economy grew and foreign investment increased with
it. 1950 marked the beginning of the golden age of Acapulco. It became the "in"
place among millionaires and Hollywood stars. Elizabeth Taylor chose Acapulco
for one of her weddings; Sinatra, Eddie Fisher, John F. Kennedy and Brigitte Bardot
were regular faces on Acapulco?s beaches.
During the 1960s and 70s,
new hotel resorts were built, and accommodation and transport were made cheaper.
It was no longer necessary to be a millionaire to spend a holiday in Acapulco,
the foreign and Mexican middle class could now afford to travel to the beautiful
city.
During the 1990s, the road known as the Ruta del Sol was built,
crossing the mountains between Mexico City and Acapulco. The journey only takes
about three and a half hours, making Acapulco a favorite weekend destination for
Mexico City inhabitants.
Acapulco is still expanding and its infrastructures
constantly improving with ever-growing foreign investment. No doubt it is worth
visiting this Mexican destination, where the landscape and sunset are still the
same as they were when Nahuas admired them from the deserted beaches so many years
ago.
Acapulco
State: Guerrero
Country: Mexico
Acapulco
by the Numbers:
Population: 721,100
Land Area: 11 square miles
Average Annual Rainfall: 59 inches
Average January Temperature: 81 degrees
F
Average July Temperature: 92 degrees F
Average Sunshine Days: 360
Quick Facts:
Major Industries: Tourism, Textiles, Petroleum
Electricity:
110-120 volts; standard, flat two-pin plugs
Time Zone: GMT - 6 or - 5 between
April and October
Country Dialing Code: 011
Area Code: 744
Did
You Know?
Jacquie and John Kennedy and Bill and Hillary Clinton honeymooned
in Acapulco.
Orientation:
Acapulco is nestled on the southeastern
edge of Mexico's mainland. Its western edge rims the Bay of Acapulco which opens
to the Pacific Ocean. The Sierra Madre Mountains tower from the east making for
a dramatic union of water and land. Mexico City sprawls 229 miles to the north
and Guadalajara 612 miles to the southeast. | |
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Top Beaches |
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 Puerto
Marques and Revolcadero |
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Las Brisas, overlooking the eastern end of the bay, is
probably the most exclusive of all, its individual villas
offering private swimming pools and pink jeeps to every
occupant. Puerto Marques (buses marked "Puerto Marques")
is the first of the playas, a sheltered, deeply indented
cove with restaurants and beach chairs right down to the
water's edge. |
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| Playas
Caleta and Caletilla |
Very small - the two are divided only by a rocky outcrop
and breakwater - they tend to be crowded with Mexicans
(the foreign tourists who once flocked here have since
decamped east), but the water is almost always calm and,
by Acapulco's standards, the beach is clean.
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| Pie de la Cuesta |
Even if it weren't for the massive backbreaking waves
that dump on the beach, there are said to be sharks offshore
- but as good a place as you can imagine to come and watch
the sun sink into the Pacific or to ride horseback along
the shore.
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| Akumal |
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Akumal means “place of the turtles” and it is
still one of their favorite places for laying their eggs.
However what makes Akumal such a charming and fascinating
destination for tourists from around the world is its
spectacular protected bay area of transparent waters and
the sweet water currents that flow through its caves and
subterranean rivers. |
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| Cancun |
Though you're free to go anywhere, and signposted public
walkways lead down to the sea at regular intervals, some
of the hotels do their best to make you feel like a trespasser,
and staff will certainly move you off the beach furniture
if you're not a guest.
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| Conzumel |
|
Nachi Cocom, south of Chankanaab, even has a swimming
pool, a good restaurant, and watersports equipment rental.
A little farther south you'll come to Playa San Francisco
and, south of it, Playa Palancar. Other beach clubs include
Paradise Cafe, on the southern tip of the island across
from Punta Sur nature park, and Playa Bonita, Chen R?o,
and Punta Morena, on the eastern side. |
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| Isla Mujeres |
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First there's the beach, then there's the sea. And when
you've tired of those, you can rent a bike, moped or even
golf cart to carry you around the island to more sea,
more beaches, a coral reef and the tiny Maya temple that
the conquistadors chanced upon, full of female figures,
which gave the place its name. |
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| Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo |
Zihuatanejo has the old-fashioned charm of traditional
Mexican culture. Fishing continues to be a way of life
for a large number of families, and the increasing popularity
of the area as a sportfishing destination has given new
impetus to their livelihood. .
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| Acapulco |
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Acapulco even though there are hundreds of thousands of
people here throughout the year - the town itself has
a population approaching one and a half million and even
out of season (busiest months are Dec-Feb) most of the
big hotels remain nearly full - it rarely seems oppressively
crowded. |
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| Playa
Condesa or Playa Icacos |
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Centro Acapulco, where the beach is far less crowded and
considerably cleaner. Here, too, it's easy enough to slip
in to use the hotel showers, swimming pools and bars -
there's no way they're going to spot an imposter in these
thousand-bed monsters. |
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