Cancún, Cabo or Puerto Vallarta: Which Mexico resort is best for you?

The vast majority head for one of three beach zones: Cancún, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta, which represented three of the top four airports for international tourist arrivals last year, including Mexico City.

Although you can’t go wrong with any of these three resort areas — they’re famous for a reason — there are noticeable nuances that can tip the scales when you’re picking one over the others. Over the past 10 years, I’ve visited all three on several occasions: Cancún half a dozen times, Vallarta twice and, most recently, Los Cabos. In terms of visitor appeal and natural beauty, they rival some of the world’s most remarkable and serene beaches.

We asked the travel platform Hopper to pull average spring break prices — covering March, April and May — to show how the costs break down. Here’s the case for each destination, depending on your budget and travel style.

Cancún: All-inclusives, nightclubs, beautiful beaches

Located on the edge of the Caribbean Sea, Cancún is the most popular of the three Mexican getaways by a sizable margin. It is also the most “touristy” in terms of spoken English, Americanized cuisine and the volume of resorts and daily flights from North America and Europe.

In my experience, it’s been the most expensive of the resort hubs in this comparison, although Hopper’s data shows that it has the lowest average “good deal” airfare this spring ($330), and the average nightly hotel rate is higher in Los Cabos. In Cancún, you’ll get a lot in return for your money: tranquil, teal and warm waters and white, sandy beaches (when the seaweed isn’t bad). There is also the most nightlife and the best snorkeling and scuba diving. The Cancún area and surrounding Mayan Riviera are full of all-inclusive resorts with adults-only and kid-friendly options.

Cancún is only a couple hours’ drive (and now train) from world-class Mayan ruins such as Chichen Itza and Tulum. There’s also swimmable, flooded sinkholes called cenotes that are a wonder on their own.

Good-deal airfare: $330.

Average nightly hotel rate: $251.

Best for: clubgoers, families, adventure seekers and history buffs.

Los Cabos: Desert romance, deep-sea fishing, wedding backdrops

The area we call “Cabo” is actually two beach towns in one, hence its other nickname, “Los Cabos.”

Separated by about 20 miles from Cabo San Lucas and on the opposite side of the tip of Baja California, San José del Cabo (where the airport is) is the older town located on the Gulf of California. Just around the corner lies Cabo San Lucas, the newer and fast-growing town at the confluence of the Pacific and the gulf.

To get an idea of Cabo’s romantic scenery, imagine if Arizona, Southern California and the Mediterranean had a baby. Dramatic deserts, rugged coastline, deep-blue ocean and a famous sea arch (a.k.a. “El Arco”) are flanked by endemic elephant trees, desert sand and gorgeous cactuses.

As the second-most-popular beach retreat on this list, Cabo has an abundance of wildlife and big beaches, as well as high-end resorts, spas, golf courses and restaurants.

Travel adviser Sebastian Garrido recommends deep-sea fishing — or just enjoying the products of Pacific waters. Cabo blends coastal Mexican cuisine with resort fare, catering to locals and tourists alike.

“You can find some of the best seafood around the world down here,” he said.

In my experience, swimming on the Pacific is often forbidden by lifeguards, given the dangerous undertow. But the gulf side is tranquil and family-friendly.

A popular place for weddings, Cabo is probably the most dreamy landscape of the three destinations.

Good-deal airfare: $447.

Average nightly hotel rate: $475.

Best for: Pacific views, sport fishing, weddings, culture that caters to locals and tourists, sunsets and scenery.

Puerto Vallarta: Fewer Americans, sleepy beaches, birria tacos

Nestled down the Pacific coast in Jalisco state, Puerto Vallarta is a classic, cozy beach town. It is surrounded by mountains and tropical jungles and often caters more to Mexican tourists than Americans.

In terms of culture, cuisine, number of restaurants, boardwalk shopping, cobblestone streets and affordability, Vallarta is the most “Mexican” of the bunch, which is endearing.

Vallarta’s narrower beaches are admittedly more confined than Cancún’s or Cabo’s. But they’re still beautiful. Among the Pacific views, you can spot humpback whale breaches early in the year. Although there are dozens of large luxury resorts and all-inclusives here, you’ll also find a lot of small hotels that are locally owned and operated.

Jalisco is the home of birria, a complex braise of goat, lamb or beef served with a rich, spicy broth. I’ve also had chilaquiles and tacos al pastor here that trumped the versions I tried in Cancún and Cabo.

“Puerto Vallarta offers an authentic Mexican experience, as it was not created as a tourism destination,” says Gustavo Rivas-Solis, a travel publicist who represents the area. “It grew into one as people took notice and fell in love with Bay of Banderas and its surroundings.”

Good-deal airfare: $412.

Average nightly hotel rate: $192.

Best for: ocean views, sunbathing, fewer tourists, colonial architecture, jungle hikes and street shopping.

Blake Snow is a writer from Provo, Utah.