ACAPULCO VERSUS MANZANILLO

Mexico Connect Forum Discussion Threads

I'm a Canadian planning a trip and I was thinking of one of these two destinations. Can anyone give me a recommendation or the pros & cons of either one? Thanks

Posted by Tony Smith on Julio 18, 2000

One thing that both of these locales have in common is that their days in the hot media spotlight are behind them. I happen to like that fact. In the case of Acapulco, I suspect that the discerning traveler can discover something like a forgotten fine wine: rich, diversely flavored, multi-layered complexity inside a frayed faded label. In Manzanillo, one finds the unrealized promise of a major resort spot. It strikes me as a place anchored in its 1970's identity, struggling to move forward. I happen to like Manzanillo because it is not teeming with gringos and it is a nice starting point for touring Jalisco and Colima States. For the casual conventional tourist, I concur with others that Puerto Vallarta is a safe predictable good value for the dollar.

Posted by Bob Story on Julio 18, 2000

Acapulco IMHO is well past her prime as a tourist destination. The infrastructure is almost completely worn out and Puerto Vallarta has much more to offer at a lower cost. Manzanillo is a commercial shipping port primarily with just a small amount of tourist facilities available, again in my humble opinion. We chose Mazatlan after visiting both for our permanent retirement home.

Posted by Bill on Julio 18, 2000

While I think that both offer different and enjoyable experiences, and acknowledging that ACA is without question the more established (older) resort city, I have to disagree with your comment regarding the infrastructure in ACA. But our comparisons may be based on different baselines and different expectations. Looking back on my 20 years of visiting ACA, my opinion is that the city services, highways, water distribution, public transportation, consumer services (stores), beaches, overall esthetic appearance of the city, etc., have never been in better condition than they are now.

Many of the recent improvements in ACA are a result of the devastation and tremendous loss of life suffered as a result the hurricane a couple of years ago, but even before the hurricane, substantial sums of money were being invested into the infrastructure. The population count of ACA is in the neighborhood of 2 million (to the best of my recollection), so there's a difference in the make-up of the areas, PV v. ACA. As for lodging choices, I don't think you'll find a comparable resort location with as wide a range of choices, particularly in the mid to lower price ranges, where a hotel suite two blocks from the bay can be had for as low as US$35/day (for 4 people in the room in high season) and a single room can be had for anywhere from US$10 (Zocalo) to US$50/night for two (Playa Condesa).

Many friends of mine who live in ACA full or part-time have wonderful apartments, with bay/ocean views, and all of the amenities, and pay no more than US$300/month for a 2 bedroom unit (incl. utilities). It's not uncommon to see 2 bedroom apartments for sale for a price of US$25,000. My understanding is that the Mexican government decided to stop promoting ACA as a destination for foreign tourists some time ago (with the exception of the New York market for the Princess resort complex). Therefore, in my opinion, many who don't know ACA very well think she is "past her prime." Out of sight, out of mind.

On the other hand, the government has decided to promote ACA as THE destination resort for most Mexicans (particularly the large population center of Mexico City), and the building boom that has been underway in ACA for the past 10 years (most of this taking place prior to the last peso devaluation) is indicative of the substantial investment of "new" money into the resort designed to meet its growing popularity.

As an example, it's almost impossible to fly from the U.S. directly to ACA anymore, without connecting in Dallas, or Mexico City. But, you can fly direct from Chicago to Hutatulco, PV and Baja Sur at the snap of a finger. The government has decided to promote PV, Ixtapa, Huatulco, Cancun and Los Cabos as the places it wants foreign visitors to spend their time and money, primarily, I believe, because the costs of visiting these newer areas is greater than what would be spent in a market heavily frequented by Mexican nationals, such as ACA.

Mexican nationals aren't as likely to pay 10 pesos for a can of Coke in Cancun as do foreign tourists, when the same can of Coke in ACA costs 3.50 - 5 pesos, as an example. Some foreign tourists are more comfortable in the newer resorts because in these places they find more people like themselves, and more of the services they are accustomed to back home.

Places like ACA and Veracruz (and in the opinion of many, PV) offer more of a "Mexican" holiday atmosphere. Although it sees its share of foreign tourists in high season (seemingly more French-Canadians than any other single group), ACA is still, primarily, a Mexican vacation resort. Younger doesn't necessarily translate into better, as older doesn't translate nto worse. They're both great, but different, destinations.

Things we take into consideration when planning a vacation vary widely from things important to us when we are scouting a place to live on a permanent basis. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

As for Mazatlan, I'm looking forward to my first visit to your hometown later this year. By the way, how are the roads, do you have public transportation? Just kidding!

Posted by rick on Julio 21, 2000

Interesting post. Personally having been to ACA in 1994 I was unimpressed with the air quality and the huge number of nationals that had come there hoping to make a peso. It was dangerous then because population in those numbers is bound to have desperate people. Night bus ride to Mexico City required an armed guard. Gas station attendants would make gringos pay twice. Only real negative in Manzanillo was the huge port complex north of town if you went there.

Posted by Monica on Julio 19, 2000

Bill, I agree totally with you. I stayed away from ACA for about 9 yrs because it had gotten so filthy and dirty and everything else along those lines. I went back in the summer of '99 and how things had changed! Now, I'm going every 6 months! I just got back from Cabo. Very, very few nationals. It had the feel of Cancun. Nothing like the feel of ACA. Went to ACA in June and headed back in November. Counting the weeks!

Posted by geri on Julio 18, 2000

- Great post. Thanks

© Mexico Connect 1996-2007