La Quebrada, Mexico, Cliff diving spot in Acapulco, Mexico
La Quebrada is a 45-meter cliff in Acapulco with a channel seven meters wide and four meters deep, created by dynamiting a hill. A curved concrete viewing platform with a pale stone walkway and a light pole stands above jagged rocks, where crowds watch divers plunge into the churning water below.
La Quebrada began as a public-health project: in 1799, work started on a channel meant to ventilate Acapulco's overheated centre, proposed by Francisco Javier de Balmis as the "Abra de San Nicolás". Funds ran out, and in 1876 Colonel José María Lopetegui resumed the cutting, removing thousands of cubic metres of rock before the work was again suspended, leaving the gap that gave the site its name. In 1934 local youths began diving from the cliff as a pastime, and the feat was later turned into a paid show.
The divers are central to Acapulco's identity, each starting their training in childhood to master this demanding craft. Their presence transforms the cliffs into a stage where courage and physical skill are displayed daily.
A path with a railing runs along one cliff wall, with a restaurant and an overlook where visitors gather to watch the divers and pelicans fishing below. Divers jump from a small platform about 35 meters up, timing the incoming waves; the fall lasts roughly three seconds.
The diving platform sits at 35 meters, not the full 45-meter cliff height, and divers time their leap to a rising wave because the pool below is under four meters deep. A sanctuary marks the highest point where they pause before descending. The World High Diving Championship held here is named after Raúl García, "El Chupetas".
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,750 contributors worldwide.