Spotlight On: Acapulco
Te amo Acapulco!!! I’ve been flying south of the border to Mexico with my family for the last two decades. I’ve been to Cancun, Isla Mujeres, and Cabo, but Acapulco has a really special place in my heart! I’m not exaggerating when I say the weather is ALWAYS perfect, the food is amazing and the people are warm and friendly. When I talk to my friends about it a lot of them haven’t heard of Acapulco or think its an ‘up and coming’ place, but truthfully its been a hot spot for decades!
It all started in the 40’s and 50’s when it was THE hottest celebrity destination with movie stars like Rita Hayworth, Cary Grant and Errol Flynn sunning themselves at the Los Flamingos hotel. Then in 1963 none other than Elvis Presley himself went and shot a very colourful, sexy and romantic musical movie called Fun in Acapulco (seriously watch it) which brought a whole new generation of sun seeking tourists. Since then it has become known as the celebrity vacation capital of Mexico and with perfect weather, glamour and the chance to spot a telenovela star its easy to see why!
I stay in Punta Diamante at the Vidante Grand Mayan. I have always loved the traditional Aztec decor with its thatched roofs, intricately carved white pillars and open plan, over water walkways that connect the different towers! It gives you that Mexican paradise holiday vibe while still being modern - for me that’s the perfect combination! It has multiple restaurants and bars, private beach access and lots of different pools and waterfalls connected by beautiful flora laden walkways. The rooms themselves are bright with stunning beautiful views and dip pools on the balcony and big comfortable beds!
I truly am a pool over beach girl, I know I know, highly controversial opinion. I love the clean temperature controlled waters and I tan then dip, do some laps, sometimes just lay there and I don’t get sand in every nook and cranny. There are a ton of different pools for dipping, swimming, water aerobics, one with a water fall, a swim-up-bar and even a lazy river! I plonked myself down every day in the exact same spot at the large pool right across from the beach in direct sun with enough room so that i could rotate my beach chair and be surrounded by lots of lush flowers! A good pool is a must for me when booking a resort and I was spoiled for choice!
Aside from Grand Mayan, there are lots of places to stay in this neighborhood! Just down the beach is the famous Fairmont Acapulco Princess. Its long been a hot spot and romantic destination. Elizabeth Taylor married one of her many husbands here, and John and Jackie Kennedy had their honeymoon here! The Mexican Open tennis tournament was on while I was there this year which was very cool! There was a mariachi band playing in the lobby, flamingos and swans preening themselves in a little pool, and swinging bridges connecting you to other areas. Even if you don’t stay there its really worth a visit just to have dinner or drinks.
A big part of the appeal of Mexico is, of course, the cuisine! Although there are surely a few dishes that pop into your head when you think of Mexican food (tacos, enchiladas, mole, tamales etc), the country is so vast and varied that the food can change a lot depending on what state you are in. Acapulco is in Guerrero and one of the traditional dishes from this area is pozole! You can have pozole blanco or verde, and its basically a hearty soup with pork or chicken and a variety of vegetables like tomatillos and of course corn! One of my favourite places I went was Casa Cupreata, a wonderful family run joint. Dark and smokey and full of energy! I won’t walk you through everything I ate (cuz I ate A LOT), but my favourite were the enfrijoladas. Similar to an enchilada but, covered in a chili-infused re-fried bean puree and sprinkled with fresh avocado and queso fresco! After dinner I was given a shot of coffee infused tequila which burned me down to my bones but was also amazing. If you’re looking to celebrate something special you NEED to go to Zibu. The ambiance will leave you picking up your jaw off the floor (the photo at the top of the page is the view from the restaurant). Its like dining in a treehouse on the edge of a cliff - the view alone is worth the trip, but the interesting menu, which is a fusion of Mexican and Thai is definitely worth trying.
I’m not always a breakfast person, but there was such a cute little bakery at the resort that made the most delicate and delicious goodies every morning, which of course, included conchas. Conchas are a Mexican sweet bread that get their name from their shape and pattern which kind of make them look like a shell (take a look at the picture above)! Big and round and fluffy and sugary - oh my days I was in heaven! They come in an assortment of flavours but I always liked mine with vanilla sugar on top.
Now, i’ve done a lot of hard core travelling. Most recently I trekked across Peru which was challenging and physically exhausting, so this trip I really just wanted to lay in the sun and relax! If you are so inclined to do some exploring around Acapulco however, there is tons to do! Acapulco is probably most well known for its cliff divers at La Quebrada. I’ve gone to see the spectacle a few times and its sweat inducing. These men dive from heights of about 100- 140 ft up into this little gulf of water below that, depending on the tide, is usually only about 16ft…ITS INSANE! The closest day trip would be the silver mining city of Taxco. Its about 2.5-3 hours inland from Acapulco, so be prepared for a bit of a drive, but its worth it for the Spanish colonial architecture! Feels like a little slice of Europe. I spent a good chunk of time at La Isla shopping centre. A beautiful outdoor plaza with candy coloured shop fronts, lots of restaurants and of course shopping! Acapulco is where it’s at if you want to buy bathing suits! I definitely came back with a couple in my bag, my favourite was from designer Dolores Cortes.
Although I spent a large chunk of my time poolside, there is nothing better than being in nature and hitting the beach! Ok PSA time - I’m a strong swimmer and I surf, and Mexican rip tides and undertows are savage! Both my dad and aunt have been in hairy situations at this beach and its definitely not something to turn your nose up at. In fact, this trip I only went up to my knees. Just make sure you have your wits about you and remember, if you get sucked under swim parallel to the shore! Although I prefer laying out by the pool, the beach huts were so cute and the perfect place to dig your toes in the sand and drink a daiquiri with a view! My favourite part about walking along this beach is all the little sand pipers that call it home! I would go down in the morning (before the sand burnt the soles of my feet off) and just watch them poke around in for breakfast! Speaking of little critters, every day I would see green iguanas running about not to mention loads of itty bitty lizards and I love them! Up in the palm trees, munching on flowers, stuck to the sides of the walls its a small but really cool reminder to just take in your surroundings and how different they can be from your own.
Acapulco has absolutely everything I look for in a relaxing vacation destination. Warm, sunny weather, delicious food, rich culture, colour everywhere you look and the air smells like coconut, salt and sunscreen; if I could make a candle out of it I would. Not every adventure has to be hyperactive to be an enriching one. Sometimes its wonderful to just simply exist in a place and basking in the glow of this beautiful city is a wonderful place to do that. Acapulco, te veo pronto mi amor!