Acapulco Activities

A Museum & A Waterpark

The original Fuerte de San Diego, Costera Alemán, east of the zócalo ,was built in 1616 to protect the town from pirate attacks. At that time, the port reaped considerable income from trade with the Philippine Islands (which, like Mexico, were part of the Spanish Empire). The fort you see today was rebuilt after considerable earthquake damage in 1776, and most recently underwent renovation in 2000. The structure houses the Museo Histórico de Acapulco (Acapulco Historical Museum), with exhibits that tell the story of Acapulco from its role as a port in the conquest of the Americas to a center for local Catholic conversion campaigns and for exotic trade with the Orient. Other exhibits chronicle Acapulco's pre-Hispanic past, the coming of the conquistadors (complete with Spanish armor), and Spanish imperial activity. Temporary exhibits are also on display.. The new Foro Cultural Multimedia, a spectacular light-and-sound show, starts at 8pm in Spanish, with special accommodations and shows available for groups in English afterward.

To reach the fort, follow Costera Alemán past Old Acapulco and the zócalo; the fort is on a hill on the right.

The Centro Internacional de Convivencia Infantil (CICI), Costera Alemán at Colón, is a sea-life and water park east of the convention center. It offers guests swimming pools with waves, water slides, and water toboggans, and has a cafeteria and restrooms. The park, which recently underwent a $3 million renovation, is open daily from 10am to 6pm. There are dolphin shows (in Spanish) weekdays at 2pm, and weekends at 2 and 4pm. There's also a dolphin swim program, which includes 30 minutes of introduction and 30 minutes of swim time.Shows are at 10am, 12:30, and 4pm. Reservations are required; there is a 10-person maximum per show for the dolphin swim option. The minimum age is 4 years.

Death-Defying Divers

High divers perform at La Quebrada each day at 12:30, 7:15, 8:15, 9:15, and 10:15pm. From a spotlit ledge on the cliffs, divers (holding torches for the final performance) plunge into the roaring surf of an inlet that's just 7m (20 ft.) wide, 4m (12 ft.) deep, and 40m (130 ft.) below after wisely praying at a small shrine nearby. To the applause of the crowd, divers climb up the rocks and accept congratulations and gifts of money from onlookers. This is the quintessential Acapulco activites experience. No visit is complete without watching the cliff divers and that goes for jaded travelers as well. To get there from downtown, take the street called La Quebrada from behind the cathedral for 4 blocks.



The public areas have great views, but arrive early, because performances quickly fill up. Another option is to watch from the lobby bar and restaurant terraces of the Hotel Plaza Las Glorias/El Mirador.

Shopping

Acapulco is not among the best places to buy Mexican handi-crafts, but it does have a few interesting shops, and the Costera is lined with places to buy tourist souvenirs, including silver jewelry, Mexico knickknacks, and the ubiquitous T-shirt.

The shopkeepers aren't pushy, but they'll test your bargaining mettle. The starting price will be steep, and dragging it down may take some time. Before buying silver, examine it carefully and look for ".925" stamped on the back. This supposedly signifies that the silver is 92.5% pure, but the less expensive silver metal called "alpaca" may also bear this stamp. (Alpaca is generally stamped MEXICO or MEX, often in letters so tiny that they are hard to read and look similar to the three-digit ".925"). The market is open daily from 9am to 6pm.

Acapulco also has a Sam's Club and a Wal-Mart located on the inland side of the main highway just prior to its ascent to Las Brisas.

Boutiques selling resort wear crowd the Costera Alemán. These stores carry attractive summer clothing at prices lower than you generally pay in the United States. If there's a sale, you can find incredible bargains. One of the nicest air-conditioned shopping centers on the Costera is Plaza Bahía, Costera Alemán 125, which has four stories of shops, movie theaters, a bowling alley, and small fast-food restaurants. The center is just west of the Costa Club Hotel. The bowling alley, Aca Bol in Plaza Bahía . Another popular shopping strip is the Plaza Condesa, adjacent to the Fiesta Americana Condesa, with shops that include Guess, Izod, and Bronce Swimwear. Olvida Plaza, near the restaurant of the same name, has Tommy Hilfiger and Aca Joe.

Acapulco has a few notable fine-art galleries. My favorite, Galería Espacio Pal Kepenyes, Costera Guitarrón 140, on the road to the Radisson ,carries the work of Pal Kepenyes, whose stunning bronzes are among Acapulco's most notable public sculptures. The gallery shows smaller versions, as well as signature pieces of jewelry in brass, copper, and silver, by appointment only.

Relax

Here's a rundown on the beaches, going from west to east around the bay. Playa la Angosta is a small, sheltered, often deserted cove just around the bend from La Quebrada (where the cliff divers perform).



South of downtown on the Peninsula de las Playas lie the beaches Caleta and Caletilla. Separating them is a small outcropping of land that contains the aquarium and water park Mágico Mundo Marino (daily 9am 7pm). You'll find thatched roofed restaurants, watersports equipment for rent, and brightly painted boats that ferry passengers to Roqueta Island. You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas for the day. Mexican families favor these beaches because they're close to several inexpensive hotels. In the late afternoon, fishermen pull their colorful boats up on the sand; you can buy the fresh catch of the day and, occasionally, oysters on the half shell.

Pleasure boats dock at Playa Manzanillo, south of the zócalo. Charter fishing trips sail from here. In the old days, the downtown beaches Manzanillo, Honda, Caleta, and Caletilla were the focal point of Acapulco. Today, beaches and resort developments stretch along the 6.4km (4-mile) length of the shore.

East of the zócalo, the major beaches are Hornos (near Papagayo Park), Hornitos, Paraíso, Condesa, and Icacos, followed by the naval base (La Base) and Punta del Guitarrón. After Punta del Guitarrón, the road climbs to the legendary Las Brisas hotel. Past Las Brisas, the road continues to the small, clean bay of Puerto Marqués, followed by Punta Diamante, about 19km (12 miles) from the zócalo. The fabulous Acapulco Princess, the Quinta Real, and the Pierre Marqués hotels dominate the landscape, which fronts the open Pacific.

Playa Puerto Marqués, in the bay of Puerto Marqués, is an attractive area for swimming. The water is calm and the bay sheltered. Water-skiing can also be arranged. Past the bay lies Revolcadero Beach, a magnificent wide stretch of beach on the open ocean, where many of Acapulco's grandest resorts are found.



Other beaches are farther north and best reached by car, though buses also make the trip. Pie de la Cuesta is 13km (8 miles) west of town. Buses along the Costera leave every 5 or 10 minutes. The water is too rough for swimming, but it's a great spot for checking out big waves and the spectacular sunset, especially over coco locos (drinks served in fresh coconuts with the tops whacked off) at a rustic beachside restaurant. The area is known for excellent birding and surrounding coconut plantations.

If you're driving, continue west along the peninsula, passing Coyuca Lagoon on your right, until almost to the small air base at the tip. Along the way, various private entrepreneurs, mostly young boys, will invite you to park near different sections of beach.

To Swim or Not to Swim in the Bay?

In the past decade, the city has gone to great lengths (and great expense) to clean up the waters off Acapulco. Nevertheless, this is an industrial port that was once heavily polluted, so many choose to stick to the hotel pool. You may notice the fleet of power sweeper boats that skim the top of the bay each morning to remove debris and oil.

Among the bay beaches that remain popular with visitors and locals are Caleta and Caletilla beaches, as well as Playa Puerto Marqués.



Tide Warning

Each year, at least one or two unwary swimmers drown in Acapulco because of deadly riptides and undertow. Swim only in Acapulco Bay or Puerto Marqués Bay and be careful of the undertow no matter where you go. If you find yourself caught in the undertow, head back to shore at an angle instead of trying to swim straight back.