ACAPULCO MEXICO CRUISES

A intriguing history of pirates, golden beaches, tropical jungles and lagoons, glittery nightlife and the famous daredevil cliff divers have all made Acapulco the first and foremost resort town in Mexico. Once a favorite place of Hollywood stars and jet setting playboys, Acapulco now basks in only slightly faded glory. Around the curve of the Bahía de Acapulco stretches an arc of beautiful beaches, luxury hotels, discos, shopping plazas and international restaurants. There's another side to the city, however, and the commercial center is none too glamorous, with filthy streets, crowded sidewalks, congested traffic and loud, fuming buses choking passersby.

Traditional Mexico is easier to find here than in the country's other resorts and you will likely hear more Spanish spoken than English. But Acapulco is definitely a hedonistic place to party, and doesn't claim to be anything else. The nightlife is legendary and the energy never stops. Most visitors come here to wine, dine and dance the night away to a salsa beat; take part in the wealth of activity in and around the water; and to stretch out on the sun-drenched sand and watch other beautiful people doing the same.

Endowed with a fine harbor, which is almost entirely landlocked, and located in a setting of great natural beauty, Acapulco is sometimes called the Riviera of Mexico. It has luxury hotels, gambling casinos, and excellent beaches and is popular for winter vacations and deep-sea fishing. The climate is warm and pleasant between December and April but hot, humid, and rainy from May to November. The city was founded in 1550, and from 1565 to 1815 it was Mexico's major port on the Pacific coast for Spanish trade with East Asia. Population 722,499.