Mexico beach holidays
Mexico brings colour and flavour to a beach holiday: market breakfasts, tacos after a swim and towns where music carries into the evening. Its Caribbean and Pacific shores offer very different landscapes. You can build a trip around resort comfort, coastal towns or a longer route connecting the sea with archaeological sites and regional food.
Caribbean or Pacific?
Cancun holidays are closely associated with Caribbean beaches and large resorts. An all inclusive stay can be convenient, while the wider Riviera Maya adds cenotes and visits to Maya sites. Playa del Carmen offers a coastal town setting within this region. Allow proper time for inland trips rather than expecting every cultural stop to be beside your hotel.
On the Pacific side, Puerto Vallarta combines a seaside promenade and old town with the green slopes around Banderas Bay. Los Cabos has a different character again, with desert scenery meeting the sea at the tip of Baja California. For a swimming holiday there, choose a beach specifically suitable for bathing: a waterfront hotel alone does not guarantee it.
Choosing your travel month
The Caribbean, Pacific coast and Baja California do not share one weather pattern. Winter and spring are common starting points for planning, but local conditions and sea temperatures still matter. Caribbean beaches can also be affected by sargassum at varying times. Give the food as much attention as the shoreline: a regional dish, a neighbourhood market or a simple seafood lunch can be the part of Mexico you remember longest.
Before you travel
- Currency
- Mexican peso · MXN
- Language
- Spanish
- Sockets
- American
Indigenous languages are spoken in many regions. English is also commonly spoken in major tourist destinations.
Flat pins · type A/B
Good to know
The $ symbol on prices usually means Mexican pesos, not US dollars; confirm the currency if a price is unclear in tourist areas.
Sea temperature by month (°C)
In October, the warmest sea is at Puerto Vallarta (29.9 °C) and the coolest at Cabo San Lucas (28.5 °C).
| Beach | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabo San Lucas | 22.8 | 21.1 | 20.9 | 20.4 | 20.7 | 22.0 | 26.1 | 28.8 | 28.9 | 28.5 | 26.9 | 25.1 |
| Cancún | 26.6 | 26.5 | 26.8 | 27.2 | 28.1 | 28.8 | 29.3 | 29.6 | 29.5 | 29.3 | 28.4 | 27.4 |
| Playa del Carmen | 27.1 | 27.0 | 27.2 | 27.6 | 28.4 | 29.0 | 29.3 | 29.7 | 29.7 | 29.6 | 28.8 | 27.9 |
| Puerto Vallarta | 23.8 | 23.6 | 23.0 | 23.7 | 26.1 | 28.4 | 30.0 | 30.3 | 30.3 | 29.9 | 27.8 | 26.0 |
Average sea temperature in each month, 2021–2025 (Copernicus ERA5), at each beach. Not a forecast.
Mexico – Sea temperature today
Current estimates for the selected beaches, not a countrywide average. Sea: NASA MUR with an hourly adjustment; air: Apple Weather. The update time refers to this page, not a measurement taken in the water.
Last updated:
| All beaches | Sea (°C) | Air (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Cabo San Lucas, Central America | 31.5 °C | 28 °C |
| Cancún, Caribbean | 29.3 °C | 27 °C |
| Playa del Carmen, Caribbean | 29.3 °C | 25 °C |
| Puerto Vallarta, Central America | 30.3 °C | 24 °C |