Playa La Concha
La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Playa La Concha is a short, gently sloping beach about 7 km from central La Paz in Baja California Sur, Mexico. It runs just under 300 m and the entry into the water is easy enough that you do not need water shoes. Snorkelers find colorful reef fish close to shore on a clear, sunny day.
Easy water entry and good snorkeling close to town, but access is a little hidden and there are no public facilities on the beach.
How we score beachesPublic access runs through an alley between developments. Look for the dog park lot if the main lot is full.
A dedicated lot and the lot by the dog park both work. Check signage on the day for any limits.
Access is by a short public alley and then a level walk to the sand. Public facilities are minimal, though nearby restaurants fill the gap.
Snorkeling visibility is best on sunny, calm days, and summer water is warm. Tropical storms are a risk from roughly June to November, and winter is cooler with calmer crowds.
More Mexico & Central America beaches
Soliman Bay
Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico · Mexico & Central America
Soliman Bay sits about 20 minutes north of Tulum on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, a quieter alternative to the beach clubs further south, with a coral reef sheltering the mouth of the bay and villas tucked right against the sand. Puffer fish, octopus, and the occasional manta ray turn up in the clear water, and a public access point at the north end of the coast road has kayak rentals and simple seafood.
Playa Xcacel
Xcacel-Xcacelito, Quintana Roo, Mexico · Mexico & Central America
Xcacel Beach sits along Mexico's Riviera Maya coast, protected since 1998 as a sea turtle sanctuary where green and loggerhead turtles nest from April through October, releasing more than 200,000 hatchlings most years. A cenote sits just inland from the sand, and the whole stretch has stayed undeveloped specifically because of its protected status.
Chacala
Chacala, Nayarit, Mexico · Mexico & Central America
Chacala sits in a small cove on Mexico's Riviera Nayarit, about 90 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta, a nearly mile long beach of soft, pale sand lined with palm trees and palapa restaurants. The town holds around 300 full time residents, though visitor numbers climb sharply during Semana Santa and Christmas, and jungle covered hills rise up on either side of the bay.