Destination
Set in gorgeous natural surroundings, Acapulco offers an enormous range of attractions and activities. Calm, sunny beaches and exuberant vegetation that surrounds one of the loveliest bays in the Pacific blend seamlessly with major hotel complexes, superb restaurants and wonderful night clubs.
Acapulco has something to suit every taste and budget and offers a range of activities for the whole family. The main attraction of the bay is its more than twenty beaches, each with a distinct atmosphere, where you can choose your favorite water sport. Enthusiasts will find ample opportunities for sports fishing, diving, water skiing and snorkeling. There are also several ecological areas that are ideal for picnics and horse riding, as well as golf course and tennis courts. Acapulco is a wonderful place for shopping in stores that combine luxury with comfort.
Water sports Desk at the resort's beach club rents snorkeling gear and kayaks and arranges water skiing, fishing trips, and beginner and advanced scuba-diving lessons and excursions. Snorkeling opportunities lie within the beach club's two saltwater pools, home to numerous fish. Three lighted tennis courts are available at the resort (surcharges).
TOURS AVAILABLE:
• Cliff Diving Show
• Taxco One-Day Tour
• Acapulco City Tour
• Country Side & Coyuca Lagoon Tour
• Deep Sea Fishing
• Jet Boat Ride (Shot Over jet)
• La Roqueta Snorke Excursion
• Swim with the Dolphins
Acapulco is the largest and most spectacular tourist resort in the Mexican Pacific. As a result of its stunning beaches, exuberant natural surroundings and wonderful climate, this port has been dubbed the Pearl of the Pacific. It is the most popular holiday resort in Mexico and Latin America, since its functional, modern infrastructures has had very little impact on its original beauty or attractions.
During the viceroyalty, boats set off from Acapulco to explore the South Seas, and in 1966, it was inaugurated as a trade route with the Far East through the routes of the galleons of China and the Philippines. This trade attracted marauding pirates that repeatedly attacked the port. The Fort of San Diego, whose structure can still be seen, was built to repel these attacks.
It is the biggest and shinning beach destination in Mexico. It offers more variety, emotion, fun and Mexican flavor than any touristic destination in Mexico.
Acapulco is a wonderful place for shopping in stores that combine luxury with comfort.
Acapulco has it's own special magic, hard to forget. Visitors and residents are fascinated by its incredible beauty and the spell of its charm. Enjoy it on your honeymoon or with your family and your friends or at your next your convention.
This is a privileged nature touristic destination. Facing the Pacific ocean with two splendid bays, possessing natural coves, cliffs, and beautiful and varied beaches.
Scenery for all the activities you can imagine, cultural and procreative, social, sport, financial as well as artistic. Acapulco, which is denominated as "The shore of the Americas" and "The pearl of the Pacific", gives you the warmest welcome.
All year Acapulco has warm weather, with temperatures going from 82ºF to 90ºF most of the time.
Fast facts about the destination
Acapulco (Officially: Acapulco de Juárez) is a city and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, 300 km (190 miles) southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay. It is a port of call for shipping and cruising lines running between Panama and San Francisco, California, USA.
As of the 2005 census the population of the city was 616,394, while that of its surrounding municipality of the same name was 717,766 people. The municipality, which has an area of 1,882.6 km² (726.88 sq mi), includes numerous small localities outside of the city. The tourist resort city of Acapulco is the largest city in the state, by far larger than the state capital of Chilpancingo, in second place.
Geography
The town was built on a narrow strip of low ground, scarcely half a mile wide, between the shoreline and the lofty mountains that encircle the bay to the north and east. Access to the town from inland is through the mountains via a 2-km tunnel that was constructed in the 1990s. A passage through the mountains, called Abra de San Nicolas, has been constructed and it allows cooling sea breezes to reach the city.
The climate is tropical, with warm to hot temperatures year-round. Precipitation is heavily concentrated in the high-sun period (northern hemisphere summer), while the low-sun period (northern hemisphere winter) is mostly dry and sunny.
History
A 1628 Spanish relief map of Acapulco Bay. Acapulco has been well known as a traveler's crossroads for at least a millennium. Its name is a Nahuatl word, meaning "Place Where The Reeds Was Broken".
The earliest local remains, stone metates and pottery utensils, were left in the 3rd millennium BC. Much later, sophisticated artisans fashioned curvaceous female figurines.
Other artifacts resemble those found in highland Mexico. Although influenced by Tarascan, Mixtec, Zapotec, and Aztec civilizations, sometimes paying tribute to them and frequented by their traders, Acapulco never came under their direct control, but instead remained subject to local caciques until the Spanish conquest.
After conquering the Aztecs, Hernán Cortés sent expeditions south to build ships and find a route to China. The first explorers sailed from Zacatula, near present-day Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, on the coast 400 km (250 miles) north-west of Acapulco. By a royal decree dated April 25, 1528, "Acapulco and her land ... where the ships of the south will be built...." passed directly into the hands of the Spanish Crown. Voyages of discovery set sail from Acapulco for Peru, the Sea of Cortez, and to Asia. None returned across the Pacific, however, until Augustinian priest Andrés de Urdaneta discovered the northern Pacific trade winds, which propelled him and his ship, loaded with Chinese treasure, to Acapulco in 1565.
For more than 256 years, a special yearly trading ship, known to the English as the Manila Galleon, set sail from Acapulco for Manila and the Orient. Its return started an annual merchant fair in Acapulco where traders bargained for the Galleon's cargo of silks, porcelain, ivory, and lacquer ware. This trade connection, which persisted up to Mexican independence, was instrumental in placing the Philippines on the east side of the International Date Line until the end of 1844.
Acapulco's yearly treasure soon attracted marauders, too. In 1579, Francis Drake attacked but failed to capture the Galleon, but in 1587, off Cabo San Lucas, Thomas Cavendish seized the Santa Anna. The cash alone, 1.2 million gold pesos, severely depressed the London bullion market.
In 1614, the Japanese Embassy led by Hasekura Tsunenaga, on its way to Europe, stayed in Acapulco for several months. Japanese traders stayed in the city between 1610 and 1620.
After a Dutch fleet invaded Acapulco in 1615, the Spanish rebuilt their fort, which they christened Fort San Diego in 1617. Destroyed by an earthquake in 1776, the fort was rebuilt by 1783. The War of Independence (1820–21) stopped the Manila Galleon forever, sending Acapulco into a century-long slumber.
The town suffered considerably from earthquakes in July and August 1909.
There are exports of hides, wood, and fruit, and the adjacent district of Tabares produces cotton, tobacco, cacao, sugarcane, Indian corn, beans, and coffee.
The 1968 Summer Olympics yachting (now sailing) regatta took place in Acapulco.
Acapulco as a Holiday Resort
For most of a century, exotic and historic Acapulco has been a popular resort for tourists taking long holiday weekends and cruises from the United States, the Mexican interior and countries in South America. In the past three decades, air fares have become increasingly affordable as international airlines added flights and infrastructure to support the increasing air travel.
The city has had its star-spangled times, prompting none other than Frank Sinatra to give the place a mention in his all time classic "Come Fly With Me".
Modern Acapulco has a great appeal and is a featured destination for many Pacific cruise ship packages and international air carriers. The vast majority of the tourists are Mexicans, but its balmy subtropical climate and pleasant year round temperatures draws in many other foreign nationals year round providing the volume to support the numerous bars and clubs dotted around the bay.
Whether seeking a break from northern climes, winters or heat, or the southern hemisphere's seasonal analogs, the resorts proximity to the equator on the narrows of the North America continental isthmus gives it an economically important. Acapulco has made up some ground on other Mexican destinations because it offers a different unknown experience. Apart from just the beach, Acapulco's best known island Roqueta, is a great attraction which is typically reached by transparent-bottom motor boats (enabling clear view of the bottom sea). Water sports such as water skiing, para-sailing, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, sailing and snorkeling excursions are available in many price ranges amongst the picturesque coastal waters.
Several real estate, hotels and timeshares had been developed in the Acapulco Diamante (Diamond Acapulco) zone.
Attractions
Since 1934 the La Quebrada Cliff Divers have performed their impressive jumps into the shallow stream of water of dangerous tides that forms in the bottom part of La Quebrada. The Acapulco cliff divers were seen regularly on weekend sports programming in the United States during the 1970s.
There is a very vibrant night life in Acapulco. Most clubs are open bar, while the smaller bar establishments are pay on tab (these also tend to have do or live music and dancing). Of the American favored clubs, the top three are Palladium, Mandarin, and Private, all located within a mile of each other. These clubs play mostly American music (during spring break), with some popular music from Mexico, generally rock, rap, or pop (and lots of shaker).
The price varies due to the type of the year, but generally 40-50 American dollars is the cover (once again the bars are free inside, and very well stocked and staffed). Music is often live, and live performances are regular.
There are multiple clubs which tend to cater to the local population as well as visitors from Mexico D.F. and other locations within the country. The two most popular are Salon Q and Ninas, both located on the coast a few blocks apart in the heart of Acapulco. Cover is also variable, but generally speaking the price is 20-25 American dollars with open bar. The music is a mixture of live music, with DJ'd music during the breaks. In addition, each has a performance every night, which includes a mixture of lip synching, cross dressers, and Latin exhibition dancing. The majority of the music is Latin, Cumbia, Duranguense, Norteño, Merengue, and Salsa are the most common. In addition to a younger crowd, it isn't surprising to find older couples as well. At around 2:00-3:00AM, the live bands retire, and music will switch over to include a large amount of Mexican/American current favorite
