Playa Icacos

Playa Icacos is the longest beach inside Acapulco Bay, roughly 2 km of sand on the bay's northeast side in the Zona Dorada. It runs almost parallel to the Avenida Costera Miguel Alemán, from the Hotel El Presidente, where Playa Condesa ends, to the Navy's Eighth Naval Region base at the eastern end of the bay, passing the Club Deportivo, Costa Azul and Icacos neighbourhoods. Behind it is one of the most built-up stretches of the resort: large hotels, condominium towers, shopping centres, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and a water park.

The beach sits in the lee of Cerro El Guitarrón, the hill topped by the Las Brisas estate that closes off the east side of the bay, and that natural barrier softens the currents. The waves vary from quite high to gentle, but most days the water is manageable for swimmers of all ages, which makes Icacos one of the busiest beaches in the port. Its wide sand also hosts football and volleyball games and, at times, brand-sponsored shows and events.

Icacos is Acapulco's water-sports beach. Motorboats tow the inflatable banana around the bay at speed until it tips its riders into the water, parasails lift people high above the beaches for a view of the whole bay and the city, and jet skis can be rented by the hour within set safety limits. In 2012 Conagua certified it as a clean beach, part of a national programme that checks water quality and environmental standards. From the eastern end, near the naval base, shared cabs climb the hill to the Acapulco Botanical Garden.