Lagoon Coyuca de Benítez, Guerrero Acapulco Bay
A 17 km freshwater lagoon behind Pie de la Cuesta, ringed by mangroves, with bird islands, boat trips, waterskiing and fish grilled on Isla La Montosa.
From Acapulco: 25 min by car (21 km by road) How to get there ↓
Near here
See everything nearby ↓
Plan your visit to Laguna de Coyuca
Where to stay near Laguna de Coyuca
Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Laguna de Coyuca.
Tours to Laguna de Coyuca
Day trips and guided outings from Guerrero often include Laguna de Coyuca; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Tours from Acapulco
Paddle Boarding At Acapulco´s Bay
★ 5.0 (246) · From US$24
How to get to Laguna de Coyuca
- From Acapulco: about 25 min by road (~21 km)
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Tours from Acapulco, near Laguna de Coyuca
Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.
About Laguna de Coyuca
The Laguna de Coyuca is a long, calm lagoon on the coast northwest of Acapulco, separated from the Pacific only by the narrow sandbar of Pie de la Cuesta. It stretches about 17 km and covers some 72 km², mostly within the municipality of Coyuca de Benítez, and is fed by the river of the same name. Its water is fresh, and mangroves and thick tropical vegetation line much of its shore. At its western end, at the Barra de Coyuca, the lagoon meets the ocean across a strip of golden sand.
Two islands rise in the middle: the Isla de los Pájaros, also called La Pelona, and Isla La Montosa. More than 250 bird species live on or visit the lagoon, among them white herons and pelicans, and in winter migrants arrive from the United States and Canada; the water holds 14 species of edible fish. La Montosa has restaurants of its own: the family descended from its first settler, Don Pío Quinto Estévez Solís, is known for its pescado a la talla, and a pet crocodile named Horacio lives there. The lagoon's scenery has served as a film set, most famously for Rambo II, and for Tarzan films.
The usual way to see it is on a boat tour from the Pie de la Cuesta shore, threading through the mangrove channels to the two islands and stopping to eat at a waterside palapa. The calm fresh water is also good for waterskiing, wakeboarding, kayaking and paddleboarding, with local operators renting gear and boats, and for fishing. Some outings join local programmes that release baby sea turtles near the bar. Evenings bring wide red and orange sunsets over the water.
How to get to Laguna de Coyuca
Drive from Acapulco: 25 min, 21 km
The lagoon is about 15 km northwest of Acapulco, roughly half an hour by road. Take the coastal highway northwest out of the city and turn off at the arch marking the Calzada Pie de la Cuesta; boats leave from the lagoon shore along the Pie de la Cuesta strip. By bus, take one marked Pie de la Cuesta Playa Luces from the Costera between Escudero and Diego Mendoza streets, which runs up the strip.
Directions to Laguna de Coyuca on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
From the nearest cities to Laguna de Coyuca
- Acapulco · 21 km by road, 25 min
- Chilpancingo · 127 km by road, 1 h 35 min
- Zihuatanejo · 232 km by road, 3 h
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Laguna de Coyuca: hours, prices and tips
- Hours
- Suggested visiting hours are 8 am to 6 pm; boat tour times vary by operator. Programa Destinos México · checked Oct 2026
- Entry
- Boat trips cost roughly 300 to 800 pesos depending on the route and the number of people; prices are usually per boat. Programa Destinos México · checked Oct 2026
- Best time of day
- November to April, the dry season, is best for outdoor activities. Programa Destinos México · checked Oct 2026
- Guide or tour
- To get onto the lagoon you need a boat; local boatmen and operators on the Pie de la Cuesta shore offer tours and rent gear. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
- What to bring
- Light clothes, a swimsuit, a hat, sunglasses and biodegradable insect repellent. Programa Destinos México · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Laguna de Coyuca: what to see and do
Take a boat through the mangrove channels to the Isla de los Pájaros and Isla La Montosa.
Watch herons, pelicans and, in winter, migratory birds.
Eat pescado a la talla at a palapa on Isla La Montosa or the lagoon shore.
Try waterskiing, wakeboarding, kayaking or paddleboarding on the calm fresh water.
Visit the Barra de Coyuca, where the lagoon meets the Pacific.
Stay for the sunset over the water.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Laguna de Coyuca
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Laguna de Coyuca.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Guerrero often include Laguna de Coyuca; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Guerrero: download a map of the way to Laguna de Coyuca before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Photos
Closest to Laguna de Coyuca
-
Pie de la Cuesta · Village · 4 km away
-
La Quebrada · Landmark · 17 km away
-
Palma Sola · Archaeological site · 17 km away
-
Fuerte de San Diego (Museo Histórico de Acapulco) · Landmark · 18 km away
-
Acapulco · City · 19 km away
-
Playas Caleta y Caletilla · Beach · 19 km away
-
Isla La Roqueta · Island · 20 km away
-
Playa Condesa · Beach · 21 km away
Near Laguna de Coyuca
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.