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ACAPULCO MEXICO                                           

Acapulco is one of Mexico's most vibrant and most visited cities.  The city of Acapulco is officially known in Mexico as Acapulco de Juarez.  In the local old Nahuati language, 'Acapulco' has the meaning, 'Place of big reeds.'  The first settlement of people in Acapulco dates back to around 3,000 BC.  Europeans first settled in Acapulco in 1521.  For centuries Acapulco remained a major trading post, bringing in spices, silk, porcelain, ivory, and other products from the Asia-Pacific region (lots of Pirate history).  Acapulco's tourism industry started around 1933 with the construction of the Hotel El Mirador on the cliffs of La Quebrada, where the cliff divers still dive today.  The first discotheque in Acapulco hit around 1950 and it took off from there.  Tourism is one of Acapulco's major industries today.  There are convenient flights to Acapulco from most major cities, and you'll find plenty of four & five star accommodations on the beach.  Acapulco is located about 200 miles southwest of Mexico City on Mexico's Pacific Coast.  The urban area of Acapulco Mexico consists of around 600,000 people, while the city population is around 700,000 people.  The local people are friendly.  VoyageMonkey.com Online Travel Booking makes it easy to get there.

The climate in Acapulco is tropical.  Temperatures throughout the year remain perfectly warm and sunny to perfectly hot and sunny with a tropical rainy season in the summer months, mixed with sun.  The winter months are normally sunny and dry with perfect weather and warm water.  Hence, Acapulco is a favorite vacation travel destination and home for North American snowbirds during the winter months.  Planning ahead usually brings you the best deals and assures a hotel reservation at your hotel of choice.

The calm & clear, semi-circular bay is one of the major attractions of Acapulco.  Acapulco Bay hosts an ideal setting for that beach resort getaway with its warm inviting waters, and there is plenty of nightlife & entertainment after the golden sun sets over the Pacific.  Fine wining & dining, dancing until dawn, and napping on the beach during the day appears to be the choice of Acapulco's visitors.  Acapulco is a major working port city.  The port of Acapulco is a major port of call for large cruise liners and other ships that run between San Francisco & Los Angeles in the US, Asia, the Panama Canal and South America.  Cruisers are in port everyday adding to the energy of the town, with some ships staying into the late night and overnight. 

Apart from the beautiful beaches along the semi-circular bay you'll find the small island of Roqueta.  The Island is reachable by water taxi or motor boat within minutes of the city and is another major attraction, particularly for the younger tourists.  Adventurous water sports like scuba diving, water skiing, snorkeling, sailing, para-sailing, and deep sea fishing excursions are regularly conducted along the coastal waters of Acapulco and the island of Roqueta. The price ranges for these water sports vary widely to suit all kinds of travel budgets.  You will find out how to negotiate something you can't say no.

The major tourist attraction in Acapulco is the La Quebrada Cliff Dive from where daring divers perform impressive dives from a height of 130 feet off a cliff into shallow waters and dangerous tides & rocks.  This is a must see spectacular sight.  They undertake this diving even during nights in the lights of flaming torches.  This world famous diving activity had been going on since 1934 and had been regularly featured in the ABC's weekend sports program of Wide World of Sports in the 1970s.  We've seen one of the divers light himself on fire and dive into waters that have also been set on fire (not very green).

While in Acapulco be sure to visit the Plaza Alvarez, a classical Mexican city square, that includes not only shops and restaurants but also old-age Mexican architecture, including a blue cathedral.  This historic area gives you a good feel of a typical Mexican Plaza of a different era.  If you love marine life, then the beautiful aquarium of Magico Mundo Marino is a full marine park that is very popular with the kids.  Cici Water Park with seals & dolphins, and the restored fort of Fuerte de San Diego are other popular tourist attractions in Acapulco.  You'll find fabulous shopping in Acapulco with great deals on silver and leather goods.  One advantage of being in Mexico is that you don't have to go out to do your shopping; just relax on the beach and the roaming beach vendors will bring every kind of item to you.  You can ask them to find you something and they'll return with the item later.

The central hotel zone along the beach is geared towards the vacation tourists so the hotels, clubs, restaurants, and bars in this zone have a clean modern appearance and can be moderate to expensive for accommodations.  The tourist areas are safe and you can walk at night safely.  Most of the nice resort hotels in the tourist zone and city center are relatively full during peak season and busy most of the year.  Those who wish to have nice accommodation in Acapulco can searching online for regular vacation package deals, hotels, private villas, timeshares and condos.  Regardless of where you stay, Acapulco is where you can unwind and remove all your accumulated stress.  In Acapulco, if you wish to stay away from the crowds and stay in more secluded locations, there are resorts along the beautiful coast just outside the city.  The beaches are pristine.