Photo: Fabio via Google
The shape of the trip
- The routeFour nights on the Caribbean coast at Tulum and the Riviera Maya, then one flight west to the Pacific for Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita, finishing in the desert at Los Cabos.
- Where to splurgeA jungle suite near Tulum and a sunset boat to the Marietas Islands off the Pacific coast.
- Where to saveEat at the taquerias and beach palapas, use colectivos and local flights, and check seaweed reports before you pay for a Caribbean beachfront.
Published 5 March 2026. Last reviewed 31 May 2026
Mexico holds two utterly different beach countries inside one, and ten days is just enough to feel both. The Caribbean side around Tulum is the postcard, flat turquoise water over a pale limestone shelf, powder white sand and a soft jungle backdrop where the light reads cool and clean. Fly west and the Pacific is a different palette entirely, golden sand and warmer tones, big surf and the most theatrical sunsets in the country, with a livelier, more rooted Mexican feel around Puerto Vallarta and the surf village of Sayulita. End in the desert meeting the sea at Los Cabos, where cactus hills run down to dramatic rock arches.
The honest planning note is that this route asks for one cross country flight, so treat it as a two centre trip rather than a road trip. The reward is contrast, and a fair word of caution on the Caribbean side, where sargassum seaweed can drift ashore in some months and amounts swing year to year, so it pays to check recent local reports for your dates. Build the week around that and Mexico gives you the full sweep, calm Caribbean shallows, Pacific surf and sunsets, and the surreal desert coast of Baja. See the best beaches in Mexico for the wider picture.
The route, day by day
| Days | Base | Why you are there |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 4 | Tulum and the Riviera Maya | Turquoise Caribbean water, cenotes inland and the powder sand of the coast. |
| Days 5 to 7 | Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita | Pacific sunsets, surf at Sayulita and the bays of the Riviera Nayarit. |
| Days 8 to 10 | Los Cabos | Desert meets sea, the rock arch at Land's End and calm Lover's Beach. |
Internal flights, routes and prices are best confirmed at the time of booking. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed.
Days 1 to 4, Tulum and the Riviera Maya
Open on the Caribbean coast, where the water is the headline. Tulum pairs flat turquoise sea and white sand with a jungle backdrop and a clifftop Mayan ruin, and the days run on slow swims, bike rides along the hotel zone and dips in the inland cenotes when the beach palls. It is the most photogenic stretch of the trip, with the honest caveat that seaweed can come ashore in some months, so check recent reports and pick your beach accordingly. See the best beach clubs in Tulum if you want a lounger day on the sand.
Days 5 to 7, Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita
Fly across to the Pacific and the colour shifts to gold. Puerto Vallarta curves around the vast Banderas Bay with a lively malecon, warm swimmable water and famously fiery sunsets, while a short drive north brings the bohemian surf village of Sayulita, all colourful streets, beginner waves and a barefoot pace. A boat out to the Marietas Islands is the splurge worth making. Browse the best beach clubs in Puerto Vallarta for the bay's best sand.
Days 8 to 10, Los Cabos
Finish in Baja, where the desert runs straight down to the sea. Los Cabos is the meeting point of the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez, with the iconic rock arch at Land's End, the sheltered swimming of Lover's Beach reached by water taxi and a string of resort beaches along the corridor. The scenery is stark and beautiful, cactus hills and pale stone above bright water, a fittingly dramatic close before the flight home.
How to plan it, and where to save
Treat this as two centres joined by one flight rather than a drive, and book that internal leg early for the best fare. On the Caribbean side a hire car or the cheap colectivo vans open up the quieter beaches and cenotes, while around Puerto Vallarta the bus and a short taxi reach Sayulita easily. Allow a relaxed travel day for the cross country move so you arrive with the afternoon still ahead of you.
Where to save. Eat at the taquerias and beach palapas a street back from the tourist strips, where the food is better and far cheaper, and lean on local flights and colectivos rather than private transfers. On the Caribbean coast, checking recent seaweed reports before you commit to a beachfront can save a disappointing stay. For the Pacific trade off, our Los Cabos vs Puerto Vallarta guide is a useful companion, and Riviera Maya vs Tulum helps you choose your Caribbean base. Check when to go to Tulum to time the trip well.
Plan your day on the sand
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Plan it properly
Is 10 days enough to see both Mexican coasts?
Yes, for a taste of each. This route gives four nights on the Caribbean coast around Tulum and the Riviera Maya, then six split between the Pacific at Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita and the desert beaches of Los Cabos. It involves one internal flight across the country, but the contrast between the two seas is the whole reward.
Which is better for beaches, the Caribbean or Pacific coast of Mexico?
They are different pleasures. The Caribbean coast around Tulum has the postcard turquoise water and powder white sand, though seaweed can wash up in some months. The Pacific around Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita has golden sand, dramatic sunsets, surf and a warmer, livelier local feel, while Los Cabos pairs desert scenery with the meeting of two seas. This route lets you judge for yourself.
Do you need to fly between the stops in Mexico?
Yes, for this route. The Caribbean and Pacific coasts are far apart, so you take one domestic flight between them, typically from the Riviera Maya across to the Puerto Vallarta area. Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita are a short drive apart, and Los Cabos is a separate hop. Book the internal legs early and confirm routes at the time of booking.
Is there seaweed on Tulum's beaches?
It can happen. Sargassum seaweed drifts onto parts of the Caribbean coast in some months, more in spring and summer, and amounts vary year to year and beach to beach. Many hotels clear their sand daily and conditions change quickly, so it is best to check recent local reports for your dates. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed.
When is the best time for a Mexico beach trip?
The dry season from around December to April gives the most reliable sun on both coasts and is the peak window. The Pacific is warmest and most humid in late summer, which is also its rainier and hurricane prone stretch, while the Caribbean coast sees its own storm season too. Late autumn and early winter are a strong all round choice. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed.