Mexico in Pictures: 15 Beautiful Places to Photograph

With beautiful beaches on its Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea coastlines, as well as vibrant cities like the capital and foodie favorite Mexico City, jungles home to ancient civilizations like Chichen Itza, and desert and mountain landscapes, Mexico is a beautiful country.

From the famed rock formations in the Sea of Cortez off Cabo San Lucas to the underwater world of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System off the Mayan Riviera between Cancun and Tulum, there are so many beautiful images associated with Mexico.

1. Cabo San Lucas

The rock arch pictured with the beach at Land’s End here is Cabo San Lucas’ most famous natural landmark. It can also be seen from the sea. Book a boat trip at sunset that will take you past El Arco and other rock formations rising up from the Sea of Cortez. These trips usually stop for snorkeling as well.

Accommodation: Best Beach Resorts in Cabo San Lucas

• Read More: Top-Rated Things to Do in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

2. Tulum

With both ancient ruins and stunning white-sand beaches backed by the turquoise hues of the Caribbean Sea, Tulum is a favorite vacation spot on the Riviera Maya in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Tulum’s Mayan ruins are well preserved, and unlike many other sites are very accessible–as this photo shows, you can see them from the beach.

Accommodation: Best Resorts in Tulum

3. Mexico City

Catching the sunrise over the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City’s Zocalo Square is a magical sight.

In recent years, Mexico City has become known especially for its food scene. It draws an international foodie crowd, who flock to its numerous acclaimed fine-dining restaurants; many do elevated twists on local staples. The street food here is also delicious.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Mexico City

4. Chichen Itza

At sunset, El Castillo (Kukulkan Temple, pictured above) at Chichen Itza takes on a serene glow. Between AD 750 and 1200, Chichen Itza, about 2.5 hours’ drive inland from Cancun, served as the center of the Maya empire. Today, you can tour the temples, stepped pyramids, and other stone structures on a day trip from Cancun and any of the Mayan Riviera towns.

• Read More: Visiting Chichén Itzá from Cancún: Highlights, Tips & Tours

5. Cozumel

Most people visit Cozumel on a day trip from the Mayan Rivieria but the island has many all-inclusive resorts and hotels. This island in the Caribbean Sea is home to some pretty beaches and a protected lagoon with underwater caverns.

Cozumel is also known for its excellent diving along the Mesoamerican reef. The Museo Subacuático de Arte is another popular underwater attraction comprised of submerged sculptures. You can find interesting photo subject on land and in the sea.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Cozumel

6. Cancun

Cancun has long been a revered vacation destination in Mexico. This aerial image gives a glimpse why–long stretches of white-sand beach juxtaposed against true turquoise waters. In the Yucatan Peninsula, Cancun sits on the Caribbean Sea. It is home to numerous resorts catering to everyone from honeymooning couples to families traveling with the kids.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Cancún

7. Hierve el Aqua, Oaxaca

Hierve el Agua in the state of Oaxaca is a really amazing set of natural rock formations that are actually comprised from petrified waterfalls. Best visited on a day trip from Oaxaca City (about an hour’s drive away), they are one of the trippiest natural sites in Mexico and perfect for an Instagram photo shoot.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Oaxaca

8. Offshore Riviera Maya

Just offshore from the Mayan Riviera coastline is the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which provides a lifeline to numerous animals, including this hawksbill sea turtle pictured in the above photo. The reef offers some excellent dive and snorkel opportunities as well, where you will swim through schools of colorful fish and past living coral.

Accommodation: Top-Rated Family Resorts in the Riviera Maya

9. Puerto Vallarta

Stroll past brightly painted houses like the ones pictured above in Puerto Vallarta’s colorful Old Town. In the state of Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta is best known for it’s beaches on the Pacific Ocean, with resorts for all budgets. But the Old Town features cobblestone streets lined with numerous restaurants, cafés, boutiques, and art galleries.

10. Riviera Maya Cenotes

The Riviera Maya is famous for its cenotes–limestone sinkholes that formed natural caves, filled with fresh water in the jungle. There are literally thousands of cenotes around this part of the Yucatan, some more known than others. The most famous cenotes, like Rio Secreto, are all well-developed and usually visited on day trip tours.

Accommodation: Top-Rated Family Resorts in the Riviera Maya

• Read More: Top-Rated Day Trips from Cancún, Playa del Carmen & the Mayan Riviera

11. Sayulita, Riviera Nayarit

On the Riviera Nayarit on Mexico’s Pacific coast, Sayulita is a fun little beach town with a surfing vibe and a large ex-pat population. It is also home to endless sunsets, like the one pictured here. Besides surfing, Sayulita has some great restaurants, boutique shops, and galleries selling indigenous artwork. This little treasure is one of the best small towns in Mexico.

12. Puebla

Located southeast of Mexico City, Puebla is another city with a famed culinary scene. It is also home to colorful colonial architecture. The town is known especially for its pottery, which can be purchased at one of numerous ceramics shops.

13. Palacio De Bellas Artes, Mexico City

Pictured here, Palacio De Bellas Artes is one of the most famous Mexico City landmarks. The cultural center hosts concerts and events in its white marble environs. Check out the giant murals by renowned Mexican artists covering the top three floors of the spectacular Art Nouveau meets Neoclassical building by early 20th-century Italian architect Adamo Boari.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Mexico City

14. San Miguel de Allende

The Neo-Gothic church pictured here dates back to the 1600s. It is located in the cobblestone, historic old town of San Miguel de Allende, a charming city in the central highlands. The colonial-era city is known for its cultural festivals and arts scene with numerous galleries. The city is also known for its natural beauty and fantastic weather, which feels like spring most of the year.

15. On Stage at a Traditional Dance Show

Regardless of where you are visiting, while in Mexico try to catch a traditional dance show like the one pictured above. The dancers are dressed in the Mexican national costume for “ballet folklorico,” which is a term used to describe the style of Mexican dance that combines local folk culture with highly choreographed elements of ballet.

16. Costa Oaxaquena

The Oaxacan Coast is still relatively off the beaten path when it comes to the best beaches in Mexico. But just because it’s lesser-visited does not mean it’s any less visually stunning. In fact, the Oaxacan Coast, or the Costa Oaxaquena, is one of the most beautiful and photogenic places in the entire country.

Starting from the resort town of Huatulco and extending up to Lagunas de Chacahua National Park, the Costa Oaxaquena is raw and rugged, with long stretches of undeveloped beach, protected bays, and hundreds of miles of palm-fringed shoreline.

17. Laguna de Bacalar

South of Tulum – about two hours south, almost at the border of Belize – is one of the best-kept secrets along the Mexican Caribbean. This is Laguna de Bacalar, also known as the Lagoon of Seven Colors, named for the many shades of blue that can be seen along the water’s surface. The second-largest lake in Mexico, Laguna de Bacalar is as crystalline and delicate as the Caribbean Sea. It’s hard to believe that this is actually a freshwater lake.

Wreathed in eco-friendly resorts, with a small town of the same name, Bacalar is a visual treat and a surprise for those who venture off the beaten path in Mexico.

18. Palenque

Chichen Itza and Tulum seem to get all the attention when it comes to Mayan ruins. But Mexico is home to hundreds of Mayan archaeological sites that are just as beautiful, only a little bit more challenging to get to. Palenque, located in the state of Chiapas, is a jungle-shrouded Mayan city that is simply breathtaking.

It is known for its Temple of Inscriptions, which has become integral in helping to decipher the Mayan language. The city thrived in the Mayan world until the seventh century, when it began to be lost to time.

19. Oaxaca

Oaxaca is a stunning colonial city that sits in a valley surrounded by the rugged Sierra Madre mountains. The historic city center is one of the most breathtaking spots to photograph in Mexico, thanks to its grand churches, wide plazas, cobblestone streets, and colonial-style buildings splashed with bright colors. Just outside the city is the archaeological site, Monte Alban, whose pyramids and ancient structures overlook the city and mountains in the distance.

Read More: Top-Rated Attractions in Oaxaca

20. San Cristobal de las Casas

High in the mountains of Chiapas sits another colonial city, heralded for its Mayan heritage, cooler temperatures, and coffee culture. The cobblestone streets of San Cristobal de las Casas are lined on either side with historic facades that today house boutique hotels, charming cafés, and local galleries. A brilliant, canary-colored cathedral is the focal point of the city, and many flock to San Cristobal de las Casas to discover more about Mexico’s ancient traditions of mysticism.

21. Mazatlan’s Centro Historico

Mazatlan may be one of Mexico’s top beach destinations, but its historic city center is a photographer’s dream. The centuries-old Centro Historic underwent a major facelift in recent years, bringing new life to its brightly colored buildings, historic theater, central plaza, shops, and restaurants. The city center is just a few blocks from the beach, as well, so visitors to Mazatlan will have the best of both worlds in terms of city and beach photography.

Read More: Top-Rated Things to Do in Mazatlan