By Julie R Butler
So you want to hit the beach on your summer vacation in Mexico – but not a crowded beach with tourist prices. So where should you go? If you’re looking to truly escape to a place where there might not even be a cell signal, there are countless secluded and less-developed beaches strung all along Mexico’s extensive coastlines.
With far too many to mention in one article, here are a few of the best off-the-beaten-path Mexican beaches for those who are willing to do a bit of exploring to achieve that extra special beach experience this summer.
El Tecolote, Baja California Sur
25 km north of La Paz on State Highway 11
El Tecolote Beach is an excellent alternative to the crowded, overpriced beach tourism scene in Cabo San Lucas. With its stretches of fine white sand, warm water, gentle waves, and stark desert beauty all around, you can enjoy your solitude without being too solitary. Available activities include water sports, sampling some of the best fish tacos on the planet, and visiting isla Espíritu Santo, which is part of a protected UNESCO biosphere reserve in el mar de Cortes.
Los Alaya, Nayarit
A few clicks west of Rincón de Guayabitos
Located just about an hour and a half north of Puerto Vallarta by car, Los Alaya is a small beach town that’s perfect for a family getaway. Although this beach may not exactly be a hidden oasis of solitude, the surrounding cliffs help ensure that it doesn’t get as crowded as nearby Guayabitos can get during the tourist season. And for a more intimate experience, you can take a boat from Los Alaya to visit the small, secluded beaches tucked away among the crags just down the shoreline.
Tenacatita, Jalisco
90 km north of Manzanillo, Colima
Tenacatita is on the “Costalegre” – the string of Pacific capes, bays, and beaches along the Jalisco coastline stretching from Puerto Vallarta to Manzanillo. Tenacatita is located out on the small peninsula that forms the western edge of la bahía de Tenacatita and is the most remote of the six beaches that line that bay. And actually, there are so many great beaches along the Costalegre that you can situate yourself at any one of them and hire pangas to take you to different beaches throughout your stay.
Maruata, Michoacán
2 hours down the coast from Tecomán; 3 hours up the coast from Lázaro Cárdenas
The coast of Michoacán is remota y selvática, with some sections of Highway 200 winding precariously in and out among the Sierra Madre del Sur as they plunge down into the océano Pacífico. But all efforts to get to Playa Maruata are more than worth it. There are multiple beaches at this established hippie hangout, including a pristine crescent beach with great swimming and snorkeling, a sheltered arc riddled with caves, tunnels, and blowholes, and a secluded cove for nude sunbathing.
Mazunte, Oaxaca
10 km west of Puerto Ángel
At the most southerly point of Oaxaca sits Punta Cometa and a laid-back paradise called Playa Mazunte. The small beach town of the same name is home to the Centro Mexicano de la Tortuga aquarium and research center, which focuses on education and preservation of turtle species, while the rocky point serves as an important stopover for migratory birds and aquatic mammals such as whales.
Punta Xen, Campeche
90 km southwest of Campeche City
Heading over to the Gulf of Mexico side of la península de Yucatán, just down the coast from Campeche City, you will find a long stretch of tranquil, gorgeous beaches known as Punta Xen. On the far side of the peninsula from the resorts of the Riviera Maya, Punta Xen can be a good base for exploring some of the less-visited Mayan sites such as Edzná, Becán, and Calakmul.
Whether it’s for family fun or a romantic getaway, you’re sure to find something special and extraordinary when you get away from the crowds – and the higher prices – and head to one of the lesser-known beaches that Mexico’s coastlines have to offer.