Pie de la Cuesta

Pie de la Cuesta is a narrow strip of land carrying the road out of Acapulco, with open Pacific on one side and the freshwater Laguna de Coyuca on the other, and the arrangement produces the two things it is known for. The ocean side has a long, wild beach where the surf comes in hard and the sunsets - unobstructed, west-facing, over open water - are the best near Acapulco; the tradition is to take a hammock at one of the beachfront palapas, order a beer and a plate of fried fish, and watch the sun go down while horses are led along the sand. The lagoon side is calmer: boats run out to Isla Pajaros, through coconut plantations and mangrove channels for birdwatching, waterskiing and lunch at floating restaurants, and the setting has served as a film location. The two are a hundred metres apart. The catch is the ocean itself: the shore break and undertow here are genuinely dangerous, and swimming is strongly discouraged - the beach is for watching, riding and eating, not for going in.

What you actually see

• The sunset strip - hammocks and palapas facing open Pacific.
• The Coyuca lagoon - boats, mangroves and bird island.
• The horses - rides along the sand at dusk.
• The coconut country - plantations behind the lagoon.

When to go

Late afternoon into evening for the sunset, any month; November to April for the driest, calmest weather. Weekends are livelier and busier.

Honest expectations

Do not swim in the ocean here - the undertow is serious and lifeguards are few. Palapas expect you to order rather than just occupy a hammock. The area is simple and a little frayed; that is part of the appeal.

Nearby

Acapulco's bay, La Quebrada and the old town lie half an hour east; Barra de Coyuca stretches west.