After a bout of overdevelopment in the ’80s and ’90s — witness Ixtapa — the authorities have imposed some long-overdue regulation on Mexico’s Pacific coast. Fortunately, the region can still offer wild and pristine natural settings, such as the one at Las Alamandas, as well as manicured enclaves like Punta Mita, with its two Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses. For a while, it seemed that the once-glamorous city of Acapulco was about to enjoy a resurgence, but, alas, it has lately been infected by the country’s endemic problem of drug-related crime.

Join Andrew Harper today to continue reading our exclusive content.