5 Safest & Most Beautiful Beaches in Mexico 2022

Skip the busy crowds of Cancun and the party boys of Cabo, and visit one of these safest beaches in Mexico instead. Read until the end for extra tips on being safe in Mexico!

My dream this year was to be at the beach for the entire summer. So that’s what I did.

With my one-way ticket booked to Baja California, and plans to visit the Yucatan, I discovered that the most popular beaches in Mexico were not actually the most beautiful. They definitely weren’t the safest beaches in Mexico. They were crowded and expensive, and I didn’t feel as safe as I would have liked. I was always worrying about leaving my stuff while I went swimming, so I didn’t have as much fun.

Although Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Cabo are all fun for a short time, they definitely weren’t the highlight of my summer beach-hopping around Mexico.

In fact, there are beaches in Mexico miles long with nobody in sight where you can watch the whales swim by.

This list of the best beaches in Mexico are near smaller towns, but still get a good number of tourists and expats. They are the safest in Mexico because they do not have such an enormous party culture.

They all had gorgeous white sand and zero crowds – some were even completely empty and private. As a woman traveling solo, it’s a luxury to find a safe beach where I can leave my stuff with my chair while I take a dip in the ocean and not worry about getting robbed.

Here are my favorite five places that really stood out as the safest and most beautiful beaches in Mexico.

5 Safest Beaches in Mexico

La Paz
Todos Santos
Puerto Escondido
Mazunte
Isla Holbox

1. La Paz

Not many have yet discovered the calm, crystal clear waves on the gulf side of the Baja California Peninsula. The water here in the Sea of Cortez – named one of the most biodiverse places on the planet – is warm and a shockingly bright shade of teal.

La Paz is the capital city of the most southern state of the Peninsula, called Baja California Sur. The city has a fun city center for walking along the malécon and a relaxing area for going out to eat in Marina Cortez.

Balandra Beach

The best beach here in La Paz is without a doubt Balandra Beach.

Balandra Beach is about 15 miles (25km) outside of the city. Since it’s one of the most popular things to do in La Paz, you can easily take a bus or get a rental car.

For a more adventurous day at Balandra Beach, check out the tours with Baja Desconocida. They offer kayaking and SUP tours through the mangroves and snorkeling with sea lions.

While you’re on the Peninsula, don’t forget to schedule in time to sit and enjoy the sunsets. Baja puts on quite a show.

La Paz is for you if want:

wildlife encounters
water sports – like kayaking, SUP, and snorkeling
nightlife

2. Todos Santos

Skip Cabo and head north one hour to Todos Santos, a small town on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula.

Todos Santos is a small, artsy town in the desert with artisan shops and incredible restaurants. Come here to spend the day surfing and relaxing on the beach, then head into town for dinner.

Playa Los Cerritos

With small waves for swimming and larger swells for surfing, Playa los Cerritos is my favorite beach in Mexico. Everything is very affordable, the locals are incredibly friendly, and there is so much space.

Looking down the beach, you can’t even see where it ends. The mountains in the distance add a lovely charm as well.

For where to stay and things to do in Todos Santos, and how to get the best surfing lessons on Cerritos Beach, read my tips here.

Todos Santos is for you if want:

art and good food
to learn to surf
safe and friendly community

3. Puerto Escondido

Staying on the Pacific Coast, but down on the southern end of Mexico, you’ll find Puerto Escondido. It’s right on the coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

Puerto Escondido was the first beach town I ever visited in Mexico, and I was blown away by its beautiful beaches and enormous surfing waves. Even though it’s touristy, the town is authentically Mexican.

The beach restaurants and bars are all on the main strip of Playa Zicatela – a very long beach famous among pro-surfers for its enormous barrell waves. However, you’ll have to head to La Punta for the more hippy hangouts, hostels, and beach volleyball.

There are several beaches in Puerto Escondido that are all within 10 minutes of each other. But, two in particular deserve a visit: Playa Carrizalillo and Playa Manzanillo.

Playa Carrizalillo is for surfing

The perfect waves for beginner surfers are found at Playa Carrizalillo. Tucked away in a jungle cove, this literal paradise is at the base of 157 steps. The way down is just as long as the way up – especially in flip flops. However, it’s not so bad with those views.

Head over here early to get a good spot. It tends to fill up fast.

Playa Manzanillo is for swimming

My personal favorite beach in Puerto Escondido was Playa Manzanillo. A slightly larger cove than Carrizalillo with calmer waves and a family vibe.

There’s no fee to use the beach chairs and umbrellas from the restaurants – only a spending requirement. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail or go snorkeling.

Puerto Escondido is for you if you want:

affordable and authentic Mexico
waves for surfing beginners or pros
instagrammable views

4. Mazunte

Famous for the Mexican Turtle Center, Mazunte is even more of a hippy haven than Puerto Escondido. You’ll find that it’s the kind of place that people visit and never leave.

Punta Cometa is Mazunte’s famous hilltop for watching the sunset and the sunrise. It’s only a 20 minute hike on a well-marked trail to get there, but bring a flashlight for the hike back if you go at night.

All you’ll need to take with you to visit this relaxed beach town is a bikini and flip flops. Unless you decide to visit Playa Zipolite nearby and take it all off. Yes, it’s a nude beach.

Playa Zipolite

The beaches closest to Mazune are Playa Mazunte and Playa Mermejita. However, at least once during your stay, you need to visit Mexico’s nude beach, Playa Zipolite. It’s not too far from Mazunte, and it’s Mexico’s only legally nude beach.

Not everyone is nude though. It’s also such a large beach that you can stay spread out – hey-o – from other people.

To get between Puerto Escondido to Mazunte and Zipolite, you can drive or take a colectivo. I explain how to use the colectivos in this post about Cancun.

Mazunte is for you if you want:

wildlife encounters and turtle releases
a laid-back, small town for a relaxing vacation
a nude beach

5. Isla Holbox

Over on the Yucatan Peninsula are the most famous beaches in Mexico. There’s no doubt you’ve heard of Cancun, Tulum, and Playa Del Carmen. These may be fun for a bit, but everyone in Mexico will tell you that Holbox is the better option.

Holbox (pronounced hol-bosh) is an island in the Gulf of Mexico just off the north coast of the Yucatan, a few hours north of Cancun. There are no cars on the island, so to get there, take the ferry from the town of Chiquila. Many hotels even offer free transportation between the island and town.

The most popular activities in Holbox are swimming with whale sharks, swinging in a hammock over the calm, clear water, and taking photos of the street art. It also has the perfect conditions to learn kitesurfing.

Visit anytime except in the summer to avoid the seaweed buildup and hurricane season.

Holbox is for you if you want:

street art
slow-paced island life
resort feel without the mega-chain hotels

Bonus Safety Tips for Mexico

Although Mexico gets a bad rep, I felt very comfortable at all of these safest beaches in Mexico while traveling alone, even at night. I never had an issue leaving my stuff with my chair unsupervised while I cooled off in the waves. Of course, always use common sense and trust your gut.

Here are my top tips for staying safe in Mexico:

Make friends with someone at your hotel or your airbnb host so that someone knows what you’re up to.
Carry some cash with you at all times.
Have the address for the closest hospital. You never know what could happen.
Know where the nearest embassy is for your country and how to contact them in case of emergency.

You can never be too careful while traveling. For more ways to stay safe while traveling in Mexico, check out this post (coming soon!).

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Mexico has some regions that aren’t too safe for tourists. Luckily, there are still so many hidden beaches with the safest beaches in Mexico that are worth a visit. Since all of these hidden gems in Mexico are still under the radar for most people, you can enjoy a truly relaxing beach paradise.

Are you going to visit one of these beaches in Mexico? Let me know! Comment below or tag me on Instagram @JustaFlyaway.