What You Need to Travel to Acapulco

Acapulco, Guerrero — Mexico's original Pacific resort — requires preparation. Here's your checklist:

Documents (Essential)

• Passport: Valid for duration of stay (6 months recommended).
• FMM Tourist Card: Issued on arrival (air/land) or online (INM). Free for ≤7 days; ~$30 USD for up to 180 days. Keep the stub — surrender on departure.
• Visa: Not required for US, Canada, EU, UK, Japan, Australia, NZ, most LatAm (check INM for your nationality).
• Proof of Return/Onward Travel: Airline/immigration may ask.

Health & Safety

• Travel Insurance: Medical evacuation coverage recommended. Acapulco has private hospitals (Hospital Angeles, Hospital del Prado) — expensive without insurance.
• Vaccines: Routine + Hep A, Typhoid (CDC). No yellow fever unless from endemic zone.
• Mosquito Protection: Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya present. DEET, permethrin clothing, screened rooms.

Practical Packing

• Lightweight cotton/linen, swimwear, rash guard, wide-brim hat, polarized sunglasses
• Reef-safe sunscreen (mandatory in marine parks)
• Spanish phrasebook / offline translator (English limited outside tourist zones)
• Cash (MXN) — small vendors, taxis, tips don't take cards. ATMs in tourist zones.
• Water shoes — rocky beaches, sea urchins
• Light rain jacket (Jun–Oct: tropical storms)

Current Context (2024)

Acapulco recovering from Hurricane Otis (Oct 2023, Cat 5). Many hotels reopened; some infrastructure still repairing. Check resort status before booking. Security: Stay in tourist zones (Zona Dorada, Diamante, Pie de la Cuesta); avoid random beaches at night.