Travel
The best time to swim in Mexico
Pacific, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico coasts compared by season.
5 min read
Mexico has two very different swimmable coasts. The Caribbean side (Riviera Maya, Cancún) is warm, calm and sheltered; the Pacific side (Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Oaxaca) is warmer still but can have bigger surf.
Month-by-month
- November–April: 25–27°C on both coasts; Caribbean has the calmest seas.
- May–June: 27–29°C; Pacific coast heats up first.
- July–October: 28–30°C, Caribbean hurricane season but usually short-lived storms.
- Gulf of Mexico (Veracruz, Yucatán): 26–29°C, warm but can be rough in winter northerlies.