The Best Things to Do Outside in Mexico
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The best things to do outside in Mexico, according to the experts: the World's 50 Beaches has weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Playa Balandra comes out on top, and the good stuff runs deepest in Cancún and La Paz.
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Playa Xpu-Ha and Isla Contoy hold the next two places.
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A mushroom-shaped rock formation called El Hongo rises from the shallows of this protected bay outside La Paz, and it has become something of an unofficial mascot for one of the world's genuinely spectacular beaches. Strict regulations cap visitor numbers and freeze development, so the water stays that improbable turquoise and the sand stays clean. Seven coves sit within the bay, the tide never clears chest height, and you can walk between them all.
The awards
- World's 50 Beaches World's 50 Beaches: #8 · The World's 50 Best Beaches
- World's 50 Beaches World's 50 Beaches: #2 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
- World's 50 Beaches #8 · The World's 50 Best Beaches
- World's 50 Beaches #2 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
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The water in this small inlet sits noticeably calmer than the churned-up surf at beaches nearby, which is why swimmers keep coming back. Xpu-Ha sits between Playa del Carmen and Tulum without quite belonging to either scene, and the sand is the fine, powdery kind that resists any reasonable description. Ranked among the World's 50 Best Beaches, it rewards anyone willing to skip the loud beach clubs down the road.
The awards
- World's 50 Beaches World's 50 Beaches: #37 · The World's 50 Best Beaches
- World's 50 Beaches World's 50 Beaches: #9 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
- World's 50 Beaches #37 · The World's 50 Best Beaches
- World's 50 Beaches #9 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
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The awards
- World's 50 Beaches World's 50 Beaches: #13 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
- World's 50 Beaches #13 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
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The awards
- World's 50 Beaches World's 50 Beaches: #50 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
- World's 50 Beaches #50 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
A Tie
Three places have the exact same Score, so they share #4. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #4 Hidden Beach (this place) 80.920
- #4 Playa Carrizalillo 80.920
- #4 Playa Majahuitas 80.920
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The awards
- World's 50 Beaches World's 50 Beaches: #41 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
- World's 50 Beaches #41 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
A Tie
Three places have the exact same Score, so they share #4. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #4 Hidden Beach 80.920
- #4 Playa Carrizalillo (this place) 80.920
- #4 Playa Majahuitas 80.920
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The awards
- World's 50 Beaches World's 50 Beaches: #34 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
- World's 50 Beaches #34 · North America's 50 Best Beaches
A Tie
Three places have the exact same Score, so they share #4. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #4 Hidden Beach 80.920
- #4 Playa Carrizalillo 80.920
- #4 Playa Majahuitas (this place) 80.920