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Mexico is the number one most popular international destination for American travelers, with its beach destinations receiving the most visitors.
It's not hard to see why American travelers love Mexico's beaches — whether you're looking for a destination on the Caribbean or Pacific coast, there are plenty of stunning beaches that offer something for everyone.
These three destinations are currently the most popular in all of Mexico, with each one receiving a record-breaking number of visitors in 2023.
Here's why travelers love Cancun, Los Cabos, and Puerto Vallarta so much, and how to choose which one to visit for your next vacation.
Cancun
Cancun is by far the most popular destination in Mexico and is expected to reach a record-breaking 21 million tourists before the end of the year.
This Mexican Caribbean beach hotspot remains the most popular place for American travelers in Mexico, thanks to a few key factors.
First of all, Cancun is very easily accessible to many American travelers, with quick and affordable nonstop flights from nearly 40 cities across the United States. Cancun is only a 2- to 3-hour flight from many major East Coast U.S. cities, and round-trip airfare is often $300 or less.
There's also a lot of variety in Cancun when it comes to where you stay, whether you're looking for a luxurious all-inclusive resort, a more budget-friendly hotel, or even hostels.
And there are plenty of activities to do around Cancun, like visiting nearby Mayan ruins. Cancun will become even more of a hotspot in 2024 with the opening of the Maya Train.
Los Cabos
The second most popular destination in Mexico right now is Los Cabos. This 20-mile stretch of coastline between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo is dotted with great beaches and resorts.
Like Cancun, Los Cabos is a well-connected destination. There are 23 cities in the U.S. offering nonstop flights to San Jose del Cabo this winter.
It's just a 2- to 3-hour flight from many West Coast U.S. cities, making it a convenient getaway for American travelers on that side of the country.
Travelers love Los Cabos for many reasons.
If you're interested in wellness, Cabo is becoming a major hub for wellness travel, where you can indulge in spa treatments or focus on physical well-being through yoga classes and other activities.
It's also home to great beaches and stunning scenery.
And lastly, it's one of the safest destinations in Mexico, so you can have a worry-free vacation.
Puerto Vallarta
Finally, the third most popular destination in Mexico this year is Puerto Vallarta.
Although it's still lagging behind Cancun and Los Cabos in terms of visitor numbers, it's one of the hottest destinations in Mexico that is only becoming more popular.
Like Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta is trending because it's a great wellness destination. It also has beautiful beaches, as well as a fun and charming town with plenty of choices when it comes to restaurants and bars.
You'll never be bored in Puerto Vallarta!
For LGBTQ travelers, Puerto Vallarta is known for being a welcoming destination.
So, if that's something important to you, Puerto Vallarta is definitely one of the top destinations in Mexico to visit.
Although Puerto Vallarta itself is an extremely popular destination, travelers are also flocking to smaller beach towns nearby, such as Sayulita and San Pancho.
These towns have a more laidback vibe and provide contrast with the more developed and bustling atmosphere of Puerto Vallarta.
More Trending Destinations In Mexico
These are the top three most popular destinations in Mexico for 2023.
Want to get off the beaten path and explore lesser-known but equally as beautiful beaches in Mexico?
Consider checking out La Paz as an alternative to Los Cabos, or try these underrated beach destinations in Mexico.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Imnotasucker
Saturday 30th of December 2023
Dumb dumb tourists they just dont get it. I went to cancun and playa del carmen most ovrrrated places on the plant. INSANE PRICES hotel and drinks unsafe taxis NO UBER bars that charge 10 us a drink cheapest hotel downtown 80 us a night ...... come on people are u really that dumb sure nice beaches playa csrmen come on So crowded cant even put my towel down without someone 2 ft away from me come on.... people they places RIP OFF TOURISTS LIKE THERS NO TOMM shaking my head!!!!!! SUCKERS go to oxxo they lock the cooler doors whatttttttt so i wait 15 min for the guy to unlock why why am i treated like a 3 yr old unbelievable stupud stupid mexican laws tourists paying 400 a night in the hotel zone whattttttt how can people be so DUMB???? AND SO OUT OF TUNE WITH REALITY