Mexico and Latin America: romantic getaways

For many couples, Mexico is the first taste of romance abroad. It is close to a great many travellers, it has two very different coastlines, and it offers everything from barefoot beach towns to elegant cities full of courtyards and candlelit terraces. Beyond Mexico, the rest of Latin America opens up cloud forests, volcano-ringed lakes, colonial towns and long Pacific beaches. The challenge is not finding somewhere beautiful. It is choosing a style of trip that suits the two of you.

The Caribbean coast of Mexico

The coastline south of the busy resort city on the Yucatán Peninsula has become one of the best-known honeymoon coasts in the Americas. Wikipedia's article on the Riviera Maya describes a stretch of coast whose visitors come for snorkelling, diving, swimming in cenotes, sailing and guided jungle tours, as well as the archaeological sites of the ancient Maya civilization. It also notes the barrier reef system that runs along this coast and continues south toward Guatemala.

That mix is what makes the region so easy for couples. You can spend a morning floating in a clear freshwater sinkhole, the afternoon on white sand, and the evening in a small town square. If you want to see ruins, go early: the light is softer, the air is cooler, and there are fewer people between you and the stones.

Cenotes, gently

Cenotes are natural pools and caverns where the limestone ground has opened onto groundwater. Swimming in one feels like stepping into a secret, with shafts of light falling through openings in the rock. Treat them with respect: follow the rules at each site, use the ladders and platforms provided, and never swim where you are told not to. Many ask visitors to rinse off before entering to protect the water.

The Pacific coast

Mexico's Pacific shore has a different personality. The water is often cooler and livelier, the beaches longer and wilder, and the sunsets fall straight into the ocean. Some towns are built around a sheltered bay with fishing boats pulled up on the sand; others sit on cliffs above surf that is better for watching than swimming. This coast suits couples who like long walks, seafood eaten with their toes in the sand, and evenings spent watching the sky change colour.

Because some Pacific beaches face open ocean, take the water seriously. The US National Weather Service's rip current safety guidance advises checking the local beach forecast and talking to the lifeguard before going in, swimming only at beaches with lifeguards, and remembering that rip currents often form on calm, sunny days. A beach that looks peaceful from your balcony may not be a swimming beach at all.

Colonial towns and highland cities

Some of the most romantic corners of Latin America are nowhere near the sea. Highland towns with cobbled lanes, painted façades, bell towers and shady plazas invite slow wandering by day and long dinners under strings of lights at night. Many have small guesthouses set around courtyards with fountains and bougainvillea, a lovely alternative to a beach resort if you prefer character to a swimming pool.

A classic plan is to pair a few days in a colonial town with a few days on the coast. You get culture and cool evenings, followed by sun and sea, and the change of scene keeps a longer trip feeling fresh. Build in an unhurried travel day between the two rather than trying to squeeze a transfer into a morning.

Further south

Central and South America offer volcano views, rainforest lodges, mountain lakes and some of the most spectacular long-distance landscapes on earth. These trips reward good planning. Distances are larger than they look on a map, mountain roads are slow, and altitude can make the first day or two feel tiring. Look at the romantic travel tips page for the practical side of documents, budgets and packing, and consider a travel insurance policy that suits a more adventurous itinerary.

Choosing your style

• Easy and restful: one base on the Caribbean coast, a few excursions, plenty of time on the beach.
• Culture and coast: a colonial town followed by a beach, joined by a single relaxed travel day.
• Adventure for two: a longer route through forests, lakes and ruins, with lodges instead of resorts.
• Wedding and honeymoon in one: marry on the coast and stay on; the destination wedding guide explains what to plan and when.

If you are torn between Mexico's Caribbean coast and an island further out, it is worth reading the Caribbean for two guide side by side with this one. The water and the light are similar; the pace, the culture and the ease of getting around are not.

Small things that make it special

Learn a few words of Spanish together before you go; a greeting and a thank-you go a long way in a small town. Eat where local families eat. Take an early walk before the day warms up. And on at least one evening, find a rooftop, a bench on a plaza, or a quiet stretch of sand, and simply sit and watch the evening arrive. Those unplanned hours are often the ones couples remember longest.