Few destinations do the frictionless all-inclusive resort experience better than Mexico, where many of the most blissfully beautiful beaches have long been reserved for guests of over-the-top resorts. But with nearly 6,000 miles of coastline, a number of Mexico’s prettiest playas remain almost untouched; they’re carefully guarded secrets among locals and intrepid travelers who know the best is often far from the tourist track.
Here are 10 of the best under-the-radar beach towns to visit in Mexico.
Loreto, Baja California Sur
Main plaza in Loreto, Mexico.
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When visiting Baja California Sur, leave Los Cabos behind for Loreto, a tranquil beach town hidden between red-sand mountains and intense blue sea. Loreto is one of the region’s most enchanting destinations, with unrivaled serenity, a growing wellness community, and an age-old history as the first Spanish colonial mission in the region.
Loreto has also historically been best known for its access to the Sea of Cortez, the body of water famed marine explorer Jacques Cousteau called “The World’s Aquarium” for its immense diversity of sea life and dramatic underwater landscapes. Sports fishermen and dedicated divers still come here in droves—and many travelers opt to take a catamaran expedition to the pristine, protected Islands of Loreto that sit just offshore. There, you’ll find some of the best beaches in Mexico.
Granted, Loreto is quite a drive from Los Cabos, but its surprisingly well-served international airport, Loreto International Airport (LTO), makes it increasingly accessible from locations across the western half of the U.S. Heaping helpings of chilaquiles at Orlando’s, day trips to nearby Mission San Javier, and Saturday evening beach barbecues featuring locally harvested chocolate clams complete the Loreto experience.
Mazunte, Oaxaca
A couple admires the ocean in Mazunte, Mexico.
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Pry yourself away from the market stalls and tequila distilleries of foodie-favorite Oaxaca for the cool coastal towns that line the region’s beaches. The secret is officially out on Puerto Escondido—and even smaller Zipolite—but tiny Mazunte remains a peaceful escape.
“Mazunte holds a rare balance,” says Yves Naman, founder of Namron Hospitality and La Valise Hotels, which just opened the beautiful boutique La Valise Mazunte along a rugged stretch of the region’s coastline earlier this year. “Mazunte is raw, spiritual, deeply rooted in Indigenous culture, and a sanctuary for turtles, for the land, and for those seeking stillness and meaning.”
The beach town has a few shops and yoga studios catering to the hippie set escaping Puerto Escondido and a turtle rescue center preserving what is considered one of the most important sites for turtle nesting in the world. But when you’re not relaxing at the beach, digging into fresh seafood, or catching waves at nearby San Agustinillo, there’s little else to do here—and that’s all part of Mazunte’s appeal.
Mahahual, Quintana Roo
Beach chairs in Mahahual, Mexico.
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The Caribbean-facing region of Quintana Roo has some of Mexico’s busiest and most built-up beachfronts, but visitors looking for a more serene escape will love still-secret destinations like Mahahual. Closer to the border of Belize than the rest of the Riviera Maya, Mahahual has a handful of shops, bars, restaurants, and beach clubs that make this a comfortable place to stay for those looking to break away from Tulum.
One of the main attractions in Mahahual is the Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve, a particularly pristine part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef; it’s considered the second-longest reef of its kind in the world, and it’s off the coast of the beach town. Complete with the largest coral atoll in Mexico, this is a supreme destination for scuba diving and snorkeling. The rich, coral-coated seabeds near Mahahual are also a treasure trove for wrecks, some dating back as far as the 16th and 17th centuries.
Barra de Navidad, Jalisco
Aerial view of a resort in Barra de Navidad.
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Head south from Puerto Vallarta to Mexico’s Costalegre, the so-called “Happy Coast” still known more for its fishing villages and laid-back surf escapes than it is for its over-the-top resorts. Barra de Navidad is one of the last stops travelers hit along this stretch of coastline, but it’s easily one of the best.
Locals love this under-the-radar town for its small, simple cluster of restaurants, shops, and hotels set back from one of the nicest beaches in the region. “Barra,” as it’s called, shares a bay with nearby Melaque, known for its picturesque malecón seaside promenade that you’ll feel like you have all to yourself. Barra even has a small nightlife scene, but it’s of the beach town variety that looks like cold beers on the sand and live music rather than Cancun-style craziness.
Nearby Cuastecomates has the first fully accessible beach in Jalisco. Its wooden boardwalk emerges from a calm, nearly waveless beachfront, which now features specially adapted wheelchairs, amphibious crutches, and snorkeling equipment readily available for visitors.
San Pancho, Nayarit
Aerial view of the colorful San Pancho.
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Stretching from Puerto Vallarta to posh Punta Mita, the Riviera Nayarit is the new place to be when it comes to stylish surf spots and ritzy resorts. As even once-secret spots like Sayulita feel the impact of growing tourism, San Pancho retains the region’s original small-town charm. Here, a beautiful beachfront feels mercilessly untouched.
San Pancho is known as one of the best surf towns in Mexico, and its cozy, casual vibe keeps it family-friendly and relaxed, with none of the surfer grunge you might expect. There’s no pretension here: San Pancho’s beach is dotted with boutique hotels and homes for rent and an array of restaurants, mostly of the no-frills and unassuming variety.
Celestún, Yucatán
Aerial view of a marshland in Celestun, Mexico.
Itzel Garrido/Travel + Leisure
Colorful Mérida has no beaches of its own, but with the blissful town of Celestún just an hour and a half away, most travelers won’t mind. Celestún sits along white-sand shores where crystalline waves lap gently, the ultimate antithesis to see-and-be-seen spots on the Yucatán Peninsula’s other coast.
If you need a break from Celestún’s untouched beaches fringed with palms, venture into the lagoons and mangroves of the Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestún for a full-day excursion. Expect flocks of vibrant flamingos and tiny flitting hummingbirds spreading their wings over the turquoise waters and tangles of mangroves that unfold across lagoons that stretch parallel to the sea. Unlike other areas of Mexico’s coastline, ripe for new resorts, Celestún’s surroundings are largely protected in perpetuity, meaning this paradise won’t be changing any time soon.
La Manzanilla, Jalisco
Aerial view of tourists enjoying a beach in La Manzanilla, Mexico.
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An immense crescent of sand curves gracefully across Tenacatita Bay, where magical La Manzanilla emerges from green hillsides. In contrast to the larger, slightly more industrial Manzanillo, an hour and a half to the south, La Manzanilla is one of the sweetest, simplest towns along the Costalegre—think beachfront bars with cool coconuts and freshly grilled seafood. You can visit nearby estuaries and mangrove forests for sightings of everything from crocodiles to brilliantly-hued birds, but most visitors will be content with sticking to the sand.
Just to the south of La Manzanilla is the Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, México, a coveted clifftop spot that feels like the utter antithesis of the resorts in more developed parts of the Mexican coastline. For now, its appeal has yet to change the charm of chill La Manzanilla.
Zihuatanejo, Guerrero
Aerial view of a beach cove in Zihuatanejo.
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A re-run of “The Shawshank Redemption” was probably the last time you heard of Zihuatanejo, a small beach city on Mexico’s Pacific Coast; even decades after the movie premiere, it’s somehow still the secret escape it was made out to be in the film. While popular with many Mexican travelers, Zihuatanejo attracts relatively few international visitors, despite its immense appeal.
Looking for a destination that offers affordable accommodations within walking distance of the beach, where cracking open cold Coronas on the sand is the only way to spend a day? Zihuatanejo is for you. While neighboring Ixtapa is known for its resorts, Zihuatanejo is still smaller and calmer. The silky white sands of Playa La Ropa have drawn dreamy properties like Thompson Zihuatanejo, and somewhat more secluded Playa Las Gatas is a great choice for a beach day with more protected waves.
Mazatlán, Sinaloa
Resorts along Playa Gaviotas in Mazatlan, Mexico.
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Mazatlán, or the “Pearl of the Pacific,” remains a hidden gem among Pacific Coast beach towns. An unexpected combination of historic capital and beach town, Mazatlán is larger than many of the other spots on this list, but it maintains much of the laid-back charm of smaller spots. Joining mostly small hotels and inns, Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlán Golf & Spa Resort opened in 2024 as the first of its size and scale in the area, a sign of the growing interest in this pretty patch of sand.
In addition to its sandy shores and salty waves, which produce some of the country’s most famous seafood specialties, Mazatlán is known for its endless malecón, a seaside promenade that is among the longest boardwalks in the world. Plus, Mazatlán International Airport (MZT) is surprisingly well-served by both domestic and international flights, making it a breeze to get here whether you’re coming from the States or any other beach destination in Mexico.
Sisal, Yucatán
A row of villas along the beach in Sisal, Mexico.
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Along the mostly untouched northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula sits serene Sisal, a peaceful beach destination bringing increasingly more visitors to the region. Sisal is one of Mexico’s numerous pueblos mágicos, or “magical towns,” designated as such for their immense historic and cultural value. While Sisal’s strategic importance as a colonial-era port has faded, its historic charm remains, right beside some of the best beaches in Mexico.
Eco-tourism excursions inland are another big highlight in Sisal, with guided kayaking trips taking visitors among mangroves to spot everything from colorful fish to blooming tropical flowers. A highway connects humble Sisal to nearby Mérida, if you’d rather make the latter your base camp. Otherwise, this small town has a surprisingly charming array of boutique hotels and inns, like the stylish Club de Patos, that will beckon you to stick around.