It’s a country spoiled with riches when it comes to beautiful places. Visitors to Mexico can spend an eternity exploring the country and will never come up short when it comes to experiencing something epic, enriching, and beautiful. The only problem becomes knowing where to start.
We’ve selected 7 of the most beautiful places in Mexico to help make your planning just a little bit easier. These gorgeous destinations will spark inspiration for you to dig deeper into a country that is positively overflowing with beauty.
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca
Santo Domingo Cathedral in historic Oaxaca city centre. Photo by Elijah Lovkoff
Oaxaca is a city that will stay with you. Surrounded by mountains, webbed with cobblestone streets, splashed with colour, and simmering with rich flavours, Oaxaca City is full of heritage, art, culture, and beauty. Start in the buzzy Centro Historico, with its grand cathedral, street food vendors, rooftop terraces and mezcal bars. Venture out of town to explore centuries-old ruins, and check into one of its stunning design-forward boutique hotels.
Bahia Concepcion, Baja California Sur
Playa el Burro, Mulege, Baja California Sur, Mexico. A small Catholic shrine on the Sea of Cortez. Photo by Emily M Wilson
Rugged, wild, and remote, Bahia Concepcion is typically reserved for those in-the-know. The massive bay, carved out of the Sea of Cortez off of the Baja peninsula, is dotted with picturesque white-sand beaches, wreathed in rust-colored mountains, and peppered with coastal villages. Don’t miss the lush, tropical, oasis-style village of Mulege. It takes a bit of leg-work to get to Bahia Concepcion, which is about 316 kilometers from La Paz. The drive, however, will reward adventurist travelers with minute after minute of gorgeous natural desert-meets-sea scenery.
Merida, Yucatan
Scenic colourful colonial Merida streets in Mexico, Yucatan. Photo: Elijah Lovkoff
Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan, is a shining example of Mexico’s cultural heart. A rich display of 19th-century architecture, beautifully landscaped parks, museums, and Mayan archaeological sites, Merida is a microcosm of what it means to be Mexico. Stay in one of the city’s dozens of boutique hotels, or venture out of the cosmopolitan center to experience the stunning haciendas-turned-luxury hotels.
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende leaps straight off the pages of a fairytale. Stunning, brightly colored Spanish-influenced casitas flank meandering cobblestone streets. Boutique hotels, fantastic restaurants, glamorous rooftops, and a thriving art scene are the core of this central Mexico jewel. At the center of it all is the breath-taking, pink-hued Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel that overlooks the city’s main plaza. Walking through this UNESCO World Heritage Site, visitors can’t help but get lost in the many colors and cultural charms of this small, vibrant city.
Bacalar, Quintana Roo
Photo by Tanveer Badal / courtesy of Habitas.
The small Magical Town of Bacalar is named after the lagoon it overlooks. The second-largest lake in Mexico, Laguna de Bacalar is often referred to as The Lake of Seven Colors, thanks to the various shades of blue that can be seen across the surface. Over the past few years, interest has spiked in Bacalar, bringing artists, creatives, spiritualists, and explorers to its quiet streets in search of eco-conscious hotels, funky restaurants, and laid-back beach clubs. Its luxury scene is on the rise as hotels like Habitas Bacalar and Casa Hormiga have opened in recent years. Banyan Tree plans to fly its flag in Bacalar in 2025, as well.
Costalegre, Jalisco
Los Muertos Beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Photo: Carlos Flores
The stretch of coast between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo is among one of Mexico’s most pristine and epically beautiful. Thousands of acres of beachfront, jungle, and mountains have been protected in land trusts that ensure only a small percentage can be developed. Wild Pacific waves beat down on broad stretches of golden sand. Wildlife roams freely. And you’re going to be seeing far more palm trees than people. This coast has attracted high net-worth travelers who wish to remain low-key and under the radar, drawn to luxury developments like Careyes, Las Rosadas, Cuixmala, Las Alamandas, the recently opened Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo.
Sumidero Canyon, Chiapas
Top view of the Grijalva river going through the sumidero canyon. Photo by @girlwithredhat
In the misty, low-lying jungles of the state of Chiapas sits a staggering, jungle-covered canyon. Sumidero Canyon, sliced by the Grijalva River, is a spectacular natural formation that dates back 35 million years. Its 3,000-foot-tall rock walls are carpeted with lush vegetation. Waterfalls spill dramatically from rocky lips down into the blue-green river below. The best way to explore the canyon is on a day-trip boat ride from the mountaintop city of San Cristobal de las Casas.
