Ecotourism & Adventure

Natural thrills abound in Acapulco’s lagoons, beaches and rivers.

Acapulco’s natural beauty has always been a huge part of its appeal. This is one cosmopolitan destination offering visitors’ easy-to-access communion with the environment.

Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn filmed some of the scenes in their 1951 Oscar-winning film, The African Queen at the Coyuca Lagoon.

Coyuca Lagoon is a prime spot for ecotourists. It’s located just outside the city, directly across from palm-lined Pie de la Cuesta beach. Coyuca Lagoon is a natural fresh water sanctuary containing exotic birds, including white herons, pelicans, marabous and storks. It’s easy to book one of the half-day ecological boat tours that allow you to experience the lagoon. You can also choose a more active way to enjoy the day, with options for waterskiing, fishing, swimming and horseback riding. There’s even a natural mud bath for an invigorating skin treatment. You’ll find a number of restaurants and even a couple of modest hotels if you can’t pull yourself away at the end of the day.

The fresh water Tres Palos Lagoon is located between Puerto Marques and the Acapulco International Airport. The island-studded and water-lily covered lagoon is home to diverse species of birds, which use the sheltering mangroves to safely build their nests. During your boat ride you’ll have a chance to glimpse many variations of egrets and herons, as well as such unusual specimens as the Black Vulture Cormorant and Great Kiskadee. There’s also the option for horseback riding, and for catching a meal at one of the seafood restaurants on nearby Barra Vieja beach.

In 2011, during a four-month period, around 30,000 baby olive ridley sea turtles were released by members of the sea turtle camp at Hermosa Beach in Acapulco.

La Roqueta Island is an ecological reserve in a federally protected area. It’s easily reached via a 30-minute boat ride from Caleta Beach in the Traditional Zone. The word “reserve’ is a bit misleading – this is also a place to have fun, with options for snorkeling, diving, hiking or enjoying a fun day at the beach, which is especially popular with locals on the weekends. A main attraction is the glass-bottom boat ride that ventures around the island, affording passengers a look at one of Acapulco’s most stirring sights, the submerged statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe statue. There’s also a trio of restaurants on the island, serving up some ultra-fresh seafood.

A variety of sea turtle release programs afford a wonderful way to memorialize your vacation in Acapulco. Each year, the beaches of Acapulco become home to thousands of mature Golfina Sea Turtles as they arrive from great distances to lay their eggs. Beginning in July, several hotels (including the Grand Mayan Acapulco Resort, The Fairmont Acapulco Princess and The Fairmont Pierre Marques hotels) offer programs to protect the endangered turtles from the dangers and predators their hatchlings may face as thousands of baby turtles emerge to begin their voyage to the sea. Joining one of these release programs may be one of your most enduring Acapulco experiences.