Mexico’s Top Tourist Destinations for Every Season

Mexico — Mexico’s participation in the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) 2026, which celebrates its 46th edition from January 21 to 25 in Madrid, represents a strategic opportunity to position itself as a global destination and showcase its cultural, tourist and gastronomic splendor, according to Tourism Secretary Josefina Rodríguez Zamora. According to a government bulletin, Mexico has experienced a moment of tourism growth since 2025: revenues between January and July of last year reached nearly $22 billion, a 6.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The vast Mexican territory features tropical forests, dry jungles, deserts, beaches, mangroves, cenotes, among others. Some sites have become more fashionable, such as Puerto Escondido or Tulum, but there are some that remain favorites among travelers during summer, Holy Week and winter periods. According to Google, these are the most searched destinations during Mexico’s vacation periods.

SUMMER

MAZAMITLA

Since 2022, Mazamitla has been the most searched destination among tourists. It is located in southern Jalisco in the heart of the Sierra del Tigre, very close to Lake Chapala (the largest in Mexico) and Michoacán. The name in Nahuatl means “place where deer are hunted with arrows.”

One of its most famous attractions is the Parish of San Cristóbal, in the center of the town: a building that does not possess European architectural influence and is closer to elements of the Far East. According to tour guide Alejandro López, the church has oriental features, although many people think of China when they hear “Far East,” as he said for public television, Canal Once.

HOLY WEEK

TECOLUTLA

Facing the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico lies Tecolutla, Veracruz, the beach closest to Mexico City. This site is famous for its vast mangrove network, which can be explored on guided routes. The biodiversity of its ecosystem makes it possible to closely observe alligators, white herons, pelicans, cranes or eagles, to name a few. Tecolutla is an ideal destination for ecotourism.

PLAYA MIRAMAR

About 250 kilometers north of Tecolutla lies Playa Miramar, in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas, the main destination of the State. In 2025 alone it registered more than five million visitors, according to municipal president Erasmo González Robledo during the second weekend of this year.

PLAYA DE CHACHALACAS

Also in the State of Veracruz, Playa de Chachalacas could be part of the setting for a science fiction film. One of the most impressive ecosystems of this place are the Sabanal Dunes, an extension of more than 500 hectares facing the sea, composed of dark and wet sand that does not vanish with the wind, like those of deserts.

About 10 kilometers from the beach lies the archaeological zone of Cempoala, a terrain of great extension and numerous buildings that, according to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), powerfully attracted the attention of the first Spaniards, who named it Seville or Villaviciosa.

WINTER

HUATULCO

The coasts of Oaxaca always lead the lists as tourists’ favorites, but Huatulco, in the south of the State, stands out during the winter period. This destination houses nine bays and 36 beaches facing the Pacific Ocean. It is perfect for surfing or snorkeling.

One of the emblematic places of Huatulco is its National Park, a reserve of more than 11,891 hectares—more than 6,000 are terrestrial and 5,500 are marine—that combines ecosystems such as dry jungle, coral reefs, mangroves and flooded jungles or freshwater swamp forests.

PUERTO VALLARTA

On the same coastline as Huatulco, but much further north in the country, lies Puerto Vallarta, in Jalisco. It forms part of the Costalegre tourist corridor, which begins south of this beach and goes up to Colima, near the city of Manzanillo: it spans more than 250 kilometers.

One of the most famous attractions of Puerto Vallarta is Banderas Bay, one of the largest in Mexico. From end to end, there is a distance of 42 kilometers. Here the Ameca, Cuale and El Tuito rivers flow, to name a few. It is part of the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World, based in France.

ISLA MUJERES

In Quintana Roo, facing Cancún, lies Isla Mujeres, considered a Magic Town since 2015. The place is characterized by its coral reefs and calm waters that are ideal for snorkeling or diving. One of the activities that stands out is the visit to the Underwater Museum of Art (MUSA), which houses 473 pieces at a depth of between eight and 10 meters. The tour, of course, is done while diving.

BACALAR

South of Quintana Roo lies Bacalar, also known as the Lagoon of Seven Colors. In 2006, it entered the Magic Towns program. Its name is of Mayan origin and means “near or surrounded by reeds.” The lagoon that characterizes this destination is shallow in most of its extension; however, in the Black Cenote or Blue Cenote, it can reach 90 or 100 meters deep.

COZUMEL

The island of Cozumel, also in the State of Quintana Roo, is famous for housing the second largest reef in the world. Its name comes from the Mayan Kuzamil which means “island of the swallows.” One of the historical treasures of this site is the San Gervasio archaeological zone, related to Ixchel, the Goddess of the Moon, according to the account of Spanish chroniclers during the Conquest.