Acapulco Airfares (ACA) - Mexico

Acapulco, Mexico - City Overview and Airfare Information

Acapulco

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. In 2003 the estimated population was 637,000 people.

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 1990's. 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.

For most of a century exotic and historic west-coast Acapulco, the origination of the famed Acapulco Galleons treasure ships, 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. Eventually, it began competing directly with east-coast Cancun as a super-tourist destination in the recent three decades long era of affordable air fares as international airlines added flights and infrastructure was emplaced to support the increasing air travel. The two beach resorts are essentially located on opposite coasts oriented due East and West from the other at essentially the same latitude . 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 geographic centrality rivaled by only a few resorts in the world.

In recent years, within the younger crowd, Acapulco has made up some ground on Cancun as a popular spring break destination. This growing popularity may be because Acapulco offers a different unknown experience and a larger, international student crowd than Cancun due to its prominence as an international tourist mecca with many available international transatlantic and transpacific flights. 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). As in Cancun, 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. A very important development has build by Mayan Resorts the largest vacation club and golf operator in Mexico.

Palladium: The center of the Acapulco nightlife and the biggest and best nightclub, if you want to follow the crowd. The amazing view, good music, friendly bar staff, a decent layout to meet new people, and a mind-blowing show at 4:00 am make it the top-rated disco in Acapulco. But during spring break and on holidays, you may wait a long time to get in and get served. Located in Las Brisas.

El Alebrije: A humongous and popular disco, but also the youngest crowd (average age of 18-20). The stadium seating is very conducive to meeting new people and the bartenders are excellent, and the waiters are good and the music is great.

Baby'O: The best disco in Acapulco for the social elite of Mexico. Baby'O is smaller than most others, has an all ages crowd, and is a first class establishment. However, space and seating is limited, it's a bit difficult to meet new people, and it costs US$30-60 to enter NOT including drinks. If exclusivity is your preference, this is the place to go.

NJoy: A large disco with many couches, a good-sized dance floor, dancers on stages, and your typical selection of Spanish dance music. Located south of Cinemark on La Costera. Saturday is the night to go - because it is so large, you will have more fun if it is crowded.

Mandara (Formerly Enigma): Located in Las Brisas next to Palladium, next door (literally) to Siboney, and under the after-hours bar Privado, Mandara is an elegant night club with a beautiful view of the bay. It is a good place to take a date and to be seen with the social elite from Acapulco. Go here on Fridays, and hit Palladium on Saturdays and/or Thursdays.

Disco Beach: Located on the Condesa, across from Romano Palace hotel. This half-beach, half-club bar was recently featured on MTV's Spring Break '06. The bartenders are friendly and fast, with an excellent selection. While packed during Spring Break, it slows down during off-seasons.

Paradisie: Located on the condesa. This upstair bar, downstair disco is always remembered because of the Bungee Jump hanging over their pool. Nightly activities make this one of the premiere spots in Acapulco.

The port city grew greatly in the 20th century. Acapulco is served by General Juan N. Álvarez International Airport, and by Teniente Jose Azueta International Transatlantic port.

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 Acupulco cliff divers were seen regularly on weekend sports programming in the United States during the 1970s.