Top Things to do in Southern Mexico
Top Hotels in Southern Mexico
Countries
10 Nature & Parks in Southern Mexico That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Southern Mexico, Southern Mexico including Bahia de Cacaluta, Playa Carrizalillo, Playa Bacocho, Tangolunda Bay, Bahia San Agustin, Laguna de Manialtepec, Playa Zicatela, Lagunas de Chacahua Parque Nacional, Laguna Miramar, Zoologico Miguel Alvarez del Toro.
Restaurants in Southern Mexico
1. Bahia de Cacaluta
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 173 reviews
Reviewed By jrf25
This beach was beautiful and calm and well worth the 3-kilometer walk through the jungle to get there. When we were there (December 2018), the taxi driver knew right where to drop us at the trail entrance, and there were security people there to give directions (in Spanish only) and a person offering rides for hire (we walked instead). Directions weren't too necessary - there's just one left turn you need to make on the path, so we were grateful the man had told us about it, but we'd have probably figured it out. There were a couple of little eateries on the beach and a port-a-potty, so some services seem to have been added since prior reviews. It was lovely to sit and swim and watch the water. The only disappointment is that we'd read this was a beach the boats regularly bring snorkelers to and we didn't find any interesting snorkeling. However, visiting La Entrega after made up for it!
2. Playa Carrizalillo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 540 reviews
Small, lesser-known cove that isnt usually crowded.
Reviewed By nhbezerkeley
We were lucky enough to stay at a hotel on this gorgeous beach, so spent a lot of time there. The water was warm and beautiful and great for swimming or bobbing in the gentle waves. Renting loungers is a must to get some shade (the place with blue loungers was 250 for two, the next door place with orange loungers was 150 each), or claim a restaurant table and order food.
3. Playa Bacocho
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 418 reviews
The westernmost beach in Puerto Escondido.
Reviewed By blumtnguy - Blue Mountains, Canada
Unrivalled in the area for its thunderous waves on a virtually deserted beach that seems to go on forever Playa Bacocho is the gem in the crown of Puerto Escondido (secret port). Easily accessed by taxi and through either of the two beach clubs at the southern end. Every day at sunset the turtle rescue center releases baby turtles to the ocean ... a must see for the children in your group or even for the child in you! Pez Gallo Restaurante at Playa VillaSol Beach Club provides excellent cuisine as well as an amazing view of the beach as the waves crash onto the rocks.
4. Tangolunda Bay
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 572 reviews
Reviewed By 59ML
Beautiful islands in the view of our Barcelo Huatulco.The Bay is particularly beautiful at night with the lights in the distance & stars shining above the palms. We took Jose'Lopez Lopez tour to see the other bays with white sand beaches & variety of wave action. We did see sea turtles, dolphins, & others saw whales on the previous day. Its a great idea to limit resorts to a small area to reserve the natural beaches & habitat.
5. Bahia San Agustin
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 725 reviews
This beach is perfect for snorkeling and diving and features fresh-seafood restaurants.
Reviewed By CasaHoffa - Huatulco, Mexico
Playa San Augustin is among our 3 favorite beaches in Huatulco for snorkeling, swimming and EATING. The reef here is filled with colorful fish of every size and the restaurants serve-up fresh fish pulled out of the waters (try the Huachinango restaurant!!)
6. Laguna de Manialtepec
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 601 reviews
Lagoon a few miles away from Puerto Escondido featuring lush plant life and pristine beaches.
Reviewed By 98chips - Calgary, Canada
Look! Look! Look! Wherever you turn, there is a new bird and this was in March, off of breeding season for many species when song activity is not high. It's local folks who are making their living here. Support them and see nature up close. It's the only way to really SEE this extensive mix habitat. Go early. Take the 6:30 launches and avoid the heat. Best for pics, too. Be sure to bring binoculars. Funny how many people think that they'll see everything like on TV.
7. Playa Zicatela
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,206 reviews
Beachfront in Puerto Escondido.
Reviewed By Bibliokos - Jalisco, Mexico
Amazing beach right south of Puerto Escondido. Great for riding the waves or hanging out on the beach and taking a quick dip in the ocean. This is not a beach for swimming or hanging out in the ocean unless you have a surf or bodyboard. The surf and undertow are dangerous along this beach. Also, stay away from the over-priced and mediocre to poor quality food that is offered at the restaurants along the main drag of Av del Morro. If all you want is a cold drink and some guacamole and chips that's fine... but don't waste your money on dinner at these places. Take the beautiful walk to the southern area.... La Punta/Brisas (keep reading) The only place you can really just sit in calm waters is at the far south end near the lighthouse. There you can relax and sunbathe and wade out into the water to cool off. This is also where you find the kids who are learning to surf. It's really quite fun watching them tackle the mini waves. This Brisas de Zicatela neighborhood is also the place to stay if you want a younger and more hip and lively bunch to hang out with. Plenty of lodging and good restaurants and the best coffeehouse are down there.
8. Lagunas de Chacahua Parque Nacional
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 193 reviews
Lagoon to the west of Puerto Escondido.
Reviewed By annelab23 - San Diego, United States
Not much to do here but surf, swim, kayak, eat, drink, sleep. No nightlife or parties here, except for the locals celebrating a birthday on the weekend. Laid back and sleepy town, takes about 20 minutes to get your cup of coffee. Call / Whats App my new friend Suan at the number in the picture for meals, lodging or a good conversation.
9. Laguna Miramar
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 37 reviews
This lake, 190 kilometers from San Cristobal, is buried deep in a rainforest filled with diverse forms of wildlife.
10. Zoologico Miguel Alvarez del Toro
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 525 reviews
Reviewed By johnpB3780YQ - Guadalajara, Mexico
When I read that the zoo in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, had been called, back in 1979, “The Best Zoo in Latin America,” I knew I had to pay it a visit. And I was not disappointed. Zoológico Regional Miguel Álvarez del Toro, affectionately known as ZOOMAT, struck me as quite unusual, first because every single one of its 1600 animals is native to Chiapas. Then there is its location. Most zoos I’ve seen look as if their architects started with a flat, featureless plot of ground which was then landscaped. Here in Chiapas, however, you have jungle everywhere and it appears they chose one of their finest tropical forests, put in paths, and transformed it into a zoo so beautiful that a walk through it would be utterly delightful even if you never saw a single animal. A third thing I really like about this zoo is that many of its inhabitants are not behind fences or walls at all, but run about just as free as the visitors. Fortunately, there are plenty of signs reminding people to stay on the walkways at all times, and the result is that you are quite likely to discover, all by yourself, creatures you have never seen or heard of before, such as the endangered Guatemalan black howler monkey or the critically endangered guaqueque or Mexican agouti, a rabbit-sized rodent with a big black rump, which I bumped into over and over. Then again, you might find yourself suddenly engulfed by a whole family of noisily chatting chachalaca birds crossing your path on their way to who knows where, clearly letting you know that it is they who own this place while you are merely a guest. Chiapas has one of the greatest diversities of wildlife in the Americas, with more than 700 species of birds, 50 species of mammals and more than 200 of reptiles. It’s famous for its species of regional fauna such as wild boars, black jaguars, toucans, macaws and of course quetzals, all of which you can see in this zoo. And let’s not forget the nocturnal animals: ZOOMAT certainly hasn’t. To see them in semi-darkness, you first step into a dimly lit room where you are asked to do nothing for a while so your eyes can adjust to the dark. Then you are asked to keep silence as you enter a long, wide tunnel with window after window giving you a rare opportunity to observe animals like the tepezcuintle (lowland paca), the martucha (kinkajou or honey bear), the cacomixtle (ringtail) and, of course, murciélagos, bats, all doing their thing in the murky twilight. ZOOMAT is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. That is not a typo: it closes unusually early because the path is 2.5 kilometers long and getting everyone out must be quite a challenge. On top of that, the tall trees and dense foliage bring darkness well before sunset. So, if you would like to be among ZOOMAT’s 450,000 yearly visitors, I suggest you go there as early as possible and psychologically prepare yourself for spending most of the day within its boundaries. After all, if you dedicate only four minutes to visiting each of the zoo’s 80 attractions, that alone would take over five hours.
