Guide · Reviewed Aug 2026
Best time to visit Mexico's beaches
Short answer: December to April, when it's dry, sunny and calm. It's also when it's busiest and priciest. Want value? Try May, June or November. Here's how the year runs, coast by coast.
Month by month
The year at a glance
Dry season
December to April
Warm, dry and mostly calm on both coasts: the easy choice, and everyone knows it.
- Crowds and prices
- Highest of the year, especially Christmas, New Year and Easter
- Good for
- Winter escapes, first trips, families
- Watch for
- Book early; winter nortes can cloud over the Gulf and Caribbean
Shoulder season
May and June
Hotter and more humid, with the first afternoon showers. The sea is warm and the crowds thin out.
- Crowds and prices
- Noticeably lower than peak season
- Good for
- Value, couples, people who like it hot
- Watch for
- Sargassum starting on the Caribbean side
Summer holidays
July and August
Hot, humid and rainy in short bursts, usually in the afternoon.
- Crowds and prices
- Busier again with school holidays
- Good for
- Families on school breaks, warm-water swimming
- Watch for
- Hurricane season is under way; sargassum on the Caribbean
Low season
September and October
The wettest stretch and the peak of hurricane season. Green, empty and cheap, if you're flexible.
- Crowds and prices
- Lowest of the year
- Good for
- Flexible dates, surfers on the Pacific
- Watch for
- Storms, rough seas, some places closed for the season
The turn
November
The rain eases off and the dry season starts to settle in.
- Crowds and prices
- Lower than peak until the holidays start
- Good for
- Getting in before the crowds
- Watch for
- The tail end of hurricane season
Coast by coast
Where you're going changes the answer
Cancún · Playa del Carmen · Tulum
Caribbean coast
- Best months
- December–April
- Hurricane season
- June–November, peaking September–October
- Sargassum
- Usually worst from late spring into summer
Puerto Vallarta · Oaxaca · Mazatlán
Pacific coast
- Best months
- November–May
- Rainy season
- Roughly June–October, with afternoon storms
- Also
- Bigger surf in summer; humpback whales in winter
Los Cabos · La Paz
Baja California Sur
- Best months
- October–May
- Summer
- Very hot, especially inland
- Hurricanes
- They do reach Baja, mostly late in the season
Veracruz · Progreso
Gulf of Mexico
- Best months
- Spring, before the summer rains
- Winter
- Nortes bring wind and cooler days
- Hurricane season
- June–November
By what you want to do
Timing it for the trip you want
Swimming and snorkeling
Spring, when the water is calm and clear before the summer storms.
Surfing
Summer and early autumn on the Pacific, when the bigger swells arrive.
Whale watching
Winter into early spring: humpbacks in Banderas Bay, grey whales in Baja's lagoons.
Whale sharks
Roughly June to September, on tours out of Isla Mujeres and Holbox.
Saving money
May, June, September and October, if you can live with the heat, the rain or both.
Before you go
Common questions
What is the best time to visit Mexico's beaches?
December to April is the best overall window: warm, dry and mostly calm. It's peak season, so prices are highest and beaches are busiest. For better value with good weather, aim for May, June or November.
When is the cheapest time to visit Mexico's beaches?
September and October are usually the cheapest, but they're also the peak of hurricane season and the wettest months. May and June are the lower-risk option: noticeably cheaper than winter, with warm water.
When is hurricane season in Mexico?
June through November on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, peaking in September and October. If you travel then, read your airline's and hotel's policies on storm cancellations before you book.
When can you see whales in Mexico?
Roughly December to April. Humpback whales gather in Banderas Bay near Puerto Vallarta, and grey whales come to the lagoons of Baja California to calve.