Acapulco was Mexico’s original party town, with a stunning topography of soaring cliffs curling into a series of wide bays and intimate coves, fringed with sandy beaches and backed by jungle-green hills. It was dubbed the ‘Pearl of the Pacific’ during its heyday as a playground for the rich and famous, including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Elizabeth Taylor and Judy Garland. John F Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline honeymooned here, and it was immortalized in films such as Elvis’Fun in Acapulco and TV’s The Love Boat.
Acapulco remains gorgeous, though overdeveloped. Worse, the city’s reputation has been tarnished by years of violent battles in Mexico’s ongoing drug wars. Despite the frightening homicide statistics, the violence is largely confined to internecine gang struggles for supremacy. International tourism has plummeted, but the city remains comparatively safe to visit. It still offers plenty of atmosphere and charm, with romantic cliffside restaurants, VW Beetle taxis, an impressive 17th-century fort, a world-class botanical garden, cliff divers and the old town’s charming shady zócalo. And when you tire of the crowds, secluded beaches such as Pie de la Cuesta are just a short trip away.
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