In the beginning, there was Acapulco. Now, from Baja to the Yucatán, the Mexican coasts are a series of tropical rivieras

They each have sun, sand, and what they claim are the world's best margaritas. But beyond that, Mexico's beach resorts have an appeal of their own. Some travelers prefer Cozumel, where a swim mask is all it takes to discover that coral reefs come in more colors than you'll find in a box of crayons. Others care only for the beachcombing serenity of the Costa Alegre, or the beach-hopping bars all in a row along the sands of Acapulco. So pick an area that fits your temperament, claim a beach chair, order a margarita. And don't be sparing with the oil.

The country code for calling Mexico is 52. Prices quoted are for the current month, which is low season. (Restaurants, it is worth noting, charge a premium for lobster.) To find the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for any of the following locations, call 317-472-2328 or visit www.usembassy.state.gov.

Acapulco
The sweep of the main beach is beautiful, from afar. Better to go south over the hill to Acapulco Diamante, where the Camino Real Acapulco Diamante is on its own quiet beach at Puerto Marqués Bay (744-435-1010; www.caminoreal.com; doubles, $180-$235). Modest but filled with memories of Hollywood in the 1950s, the Hotel Los Flamingos, on a peninsula at the other end of Acapulco Bay from Diamante, has great sunset views. Get a junior suite for a private balcony (744-482-0690; www.flamingosacapulco.com; doubles, $50-$60; good value for the destination). Within walking distance of Los Flamingos, Coyuca 22, in a former private villa, offers romantic dining with an Old Acapulco view that's charming—as long as you're okay with the re-created Greek ruins and the illuminated obelisk (744-482-3468; entrées, $14-$50).

Cancún
There may be too many people here who don't even get it that Spanish is the official language, but if soft white sand and turquoise waters matter above all else, Cancún is paraíso. Among dozens of hotels, three stand out—and all are on the 2004 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List.

Highest rated of the three, Le Meridien Cancún Resort & Spa received scores of 90.0 and above for rooms, service, design, and activities (998-881-2200; www.lemeridien.com; doubles, $235-$285; Gold List 2004 property; handicapped-friendly). The Ritz-Carlton has been on the Gold List for a decade, earning praise for its spacious and elegantly appointed rooms—although with all that beach out front, you probably won't be spending much time indoors (998-881-0808; www.ritzcarlton.com; doubles, $269-$379; Gold List 2004 property; handicapped-friendly). If you can tear yourself away from the beach at the oceanside JW Marriott Cancún Resort and Spa, you'll still be torn between your balcony and the 35,000-square-foot Mayan-themed spa (998-848-9600; www.marriott.com; doubles, $199-$219; Gold List 2004 property; handicapped-friendly). Smack on the beach, the sprawling 340-room Royal Sands is an immaculate and friendly option, and one of five Royal resorts in the area (800-930-5050 in Miami; www.royalresorts.com; doubles, $120-$130 with a three-night minimum; good value for the destination; handicapped-friendly). Explore downtown by having dinner at La Habichuela (The Green Bean), where some of the out-of-the-ordinary dishes include a soup of, naturally, green beans (998-884-3158; entrées, $11-$33).

Costa Alegre
Except for the occasional nesting turtle, about all you'll find on this 57-mile expanse of beach and headlands between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo are some of Mexico's most exclusive hotels. Closest to Puerto Vallarta but feeling far removed from everywhere, the Hotelito Desconocido is for the environmentally concerned guest who is happy with lots of style and no electricity—solar energy by day, candles by night (322-281-4010; www.hotelito.com; doubles, $260-$290). Farther south, Las Alamandas is nearly as rustic, and stylish, as you might remember from the 2000 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue (888-882-9616; alamandas.com; suites, $320-$860). On an attractive cove, the lively El Careyes Beach Resort usually has enough going on to make you feel almost guilty about catching up on your vacation reading (315-351-0000; www.starwood.com; doubles, $289-$495). Golfers will want to stay at El Tamarindo Golf Resort, but will fully enjoy it only if they can get beyond thinking of the beachfront setting, backed by 2,000 acres of jungle, as just so much sand and rough (315-351-5032; www.starwood.com; doubles,$303-$503).

Cozumel
The beaches don't rank with Cancún's, but the diving and snorkeling are great. When the cruise ships are in, San Miguel, the one town, is elbow to elbow tourists. If you must have beach, the best is at the palatial Presidente InterContinental, where each brightly decorated room has its own terrace (987-872-9500; www.interconti.com; doubles, $180-$795; handicapped-friendly). Dine on the terrace at La Veranda, where the food is an interesting fusion of Mexican, West Indian, and European that will have you singing love songs in Spanish, softly (987-872-4132; entrées, $12-$71).

Huatulco
This coast has nine lovely bays, none of which will bring to mind the crowds of Cancún. The nicest developed beach is more or less the private domain of the Camino Real Zaashila, whose low-rise cubical architecture sits well in the Mexican sun. A number of rooms have a small dipping pool, while the main pool, larger than many a named body of water, will have you wondering if the few extra steps to the beach are really worth it (958-581-0460; www.caminoreal.com; doubles, $143-$172; Gold List 2004 property). Huatulco is early enough in its development that the best dining is still at the luxury hotels. But if you just want to sit at a table by the sea, Restaurant Bar Doña Celia, on Santa Cruz Bay, near the marina, has a good seafood menu (958-587-0128; entrées, $6-$46).

Los Cabos
On the desert tip of the Baja Peninsula, Los Cabos is one of Mexico's fastest-growing resort areas. The oceanfront Las Ventanas al Paraíso includes among its services a tequila welcome, in suites so large that it's easy to imagine getting lost while looking for the salt and the limes (624-144-0300; www.lasventanas.com; suites, $375-$1,800; Gold List 2004 property). Behind its own high walls in the town of San José del Cabo, Casa Natalia is more compact, and more local in flavor (888-277-3814; www.casanatalia.com; doubles, $180; good value for the destination; Gold List 2004 property). The most romantic meal in Cabo San Lucas, with prices so high that your true love will know you care, is at Casa Rafael's, in the big pink house where the waitresses occasionally break into dance (624-143-0739; entrées, $20-$40).

Manzanillo
Both of the leading hotels, Las Hadas, on a peninsula overlooking the bay, and the Grand Bay Hotel, on yet another peninsula north of town, have pleasant waterfront locations, but it is their on-site golf that draws many guests. Las Hadas, looking like a Moorish village, manages to feel smaller and more intimate than its 234 rooms would suggest (314-331-0101; www.brisas.com.mx; doubles, $173; handicapped-friendly). The Grand Bay Hotel adds glitz to what is otherwise a laid-back beach village (315-355-5050; www.wyndham.com; doubles, $282-$318). Following the destruction of Willy's by storm tides, Toscana, owned by the same transplanted French couple, has become the favored beachfront dining spot. Sit by the sea, consider how transitory are man and his works, and, using that as a rationale, order the giant shrimp wrapped in bacon (314-333-2515; entrées, $7-$23).

Puerto Vallarta
Chefs who have grown tired of European winters dominate Puerto Vallarta's vibrant restaurant scene. It's worth shopping for the native art, especially Huichol Indian beaded work and yarn paintings. The area's best lodgings, though, lie 45 minutes to the north: At the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, the staff seem truly interested in remembering your name. For $150 more, opt for a full ocean view (329-291-6000; www.fourseasons.com; doubles, $290-$700; Gold List 2004 property; handicapped-friendly). For another pleasing view, follow the warren of rooms upstairs to the roof garden of Café des Artistes, where the sound of falling water adds to the flavor of the grilled salmon with Asiatic salad (322-222-3228; entrées, $15-$23).

Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa
Two towns side by side, Ixtapa has beachfront high-rises with all the expected amenities, and Zihuatanejo fresh fish just off the boats. In Zihua, as the locals often call it, you can watch the boats come in from your cliff-side suite at La Casa Que Canta (The House That Sings), which looks out on the bay. No need to wander off to eat. The menu is overseen by Laura de Caraza, one of Mexico's culinary luminaries (888-523-5050; www.lacasaquecanta.com; suites, $380-$690; entrées, $9-$43; Gold List 2004 property). But if you must, Coconuts, in a garden setting in the middle of town, does imaginative things with seafood, starting with the tacos (755-554-2518; entrées, $11-$26).