The Best Beaches in Puerto Vallarta: From Iconic Shores to Hidden Coves
Puerto Vallarta is blessed with over 40 kilometers of coastline along Banderas Bay, one of the largest natural bays in North America. This geographic diversity creates a remarkable variety of beach types, from wide sandy shores easily reachable on foot to secluded jungle-backed coves accessible only by boat or trail. Whether you are looking for a lively beach with restaurants and water sports or a pristine cove where you can be the only person on the sand, Puerto Vallarta has a beach for you.
This guide covers the very best beaches in and around Puerto Vallarta, ranked by category so you can find the perfect spot for your day by the sea.
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The Iconic Beaches
Playa Los Muertos
Despite its somewhat morbid name, Beach of the Dead, Playa Los Muertos is the liveliest beach in Puerto Vallarta. Located in the heart of the Zona Romantica, this beach offers the quintessential Puerto Vallarta beach experience. The iconic sailboat-shaped pier is perfect for sunset photos, and the beach is lined with restaurants and bars where you can spend the entire day. Rental chairs and umbrellas are available for 200-300 pesos per set. Water sports rentals include jet skis and parasailing, and swimming conditions are excellent most days. Easy walking access from downtown and many hotels makes this the most convenient beach for most visitors.
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Playa Camarones
A quieter alternative to Playa Los Muertos, Playa Camarones is known for calm waters and soft sand, ideal for families and swimmers of all levels. It offers basic amenities such as palapas and nearby local eateries, making it easy to spend several hours comfortably. The beach is within walking distance from the 5 de Diciembre neighborhood, providing a local vibe away from heavy tourist traffic.
Snorkeling and Natural Beauty
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Playa Conchas Chinas
Often called the Beach of Chinese Shells due to its tiny shell fragments, Conchas Chinas is a series of small coves with crystal clear water just south of Puerto Vallarta's main beaches. Calm, shallow waters are perfect for children and snorkeling. Natural rock formations create tide pools to explore, and the cove is sheltered, making it safer for swimming. Less crowded than downtown beaches, it offers gorgeous views of the entire bay. A short taxi ride from Zona Romantica costs 70-100 pesos.
Playa Las Gemelas
Playa Las Gemelas, or Twin Beaches, consists of two small beaches with some of the clearest turquoise water in the area. This is where you get those postcard-worthy photos. Stunningly clear blue-green water, soft white sand rare for Puerto Vallarta, and gentle waves make for good swimming conditions. Few vendors create a peaceful atmosphere, though limited shade means you should bring an umbrella. No restaurants on the beach, so pack snacks and water.
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Los Arcos Marine Park
Los Arcos is not technically a beach but a collection of granite rock formations jutting out of the bay, and it is one of Puerto Vallarta's most iconic natural attractions. Accessible from nearby Mismaloya Beach, this protected marine park offers excellent snorkeling and scuba diving among tropical fish, eels, and sea turtles. The dramatic rock formations are also a key nesting ground for pelicans and other seabirds.
Hidden Gems: Boat-Access Only Beaches
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Playa Colomitos
Considered by some to be the smallest beach in Mexico, Colomitos is a tiny cove with extraordinarily clear turquoise water surrounded by jungle. No buildings, no vendors, no music, just clear water, smooth sand, and jungle right to the waterline. Three ways to reach it: a 30-45 minute hike from Boca de Tomatlan, a five-minute water taxi from Boca (about 100 pesos round trip), or by jet ski from Marina Vallarta. Arrive before 11am on weekdays and you may have it to yourself. Bring your own water and snacks, as there are no services.
Playa Las Animas
Las Animas is the social counterpart to Colomitos, a wide sandy beach lined with palapa restaurants serving fresh ceviche, whole grilled fish, and cold beer directly to your beach chair. Fishing boats pull up on the sand alongside kayaks and snorkeling gear. The water is calm, shallow near shore, and ideal for families. Reach it by water taxi from Boca de Tomatlan in fifteen minutes, by boat tour, or as the final destination on the full-day hidden beaches hike. Children play in the shallows while adults eat under thatched roofs and local fishermen prepare the day's catch on the beach.
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Majahuitas
If Colomitos is small, Majahuitas is empty. This pristine cove between rocky points has some of the clearest snorkeling water in Banderas Bay. No village, no restaurant, no pier, just sand where private boats anchor and passengers swim to shore. Rocky reef edges teem with parrotfish, damselfish, and occasional sea turtles in the turtle grass beds. Best reached by private boat charter, which lets you arrive before anyone else. Also a stop on several multi-beach boat tours.
Yelapa
Accessible only by boat, Yelapa is a fishing village cradled between jungle-covered peaks and the Pacific, about 45 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta by water taxi. You can catch a panga boat from Los Muertos Pier or Boca de Tomatlan. The beach is a wide, golden crescent lined with palapa-topped restaurants serving grilled fish and micheladas. The water is calm and swimmable, and a short hike leads to a 150-foot waterfall. Yelapa is the most complete day-trip destination: arrive by boat, swim, hike to the waterfall, eat grilled fish, and return by late afternoon.
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Quimixto
About 20 minutes south of Boca by boat, Quimixto is a quiet, amber-sand beach lined with palm trees and fishing boats. There are no cars here, just cobblestone paths and sandy streets. The beach is perfect for swimming and snorkeling, and if you are lucky, you might catch a wave during the fall and spring seasons. The village has an unplugged vibe that feels worlds away from Puerto Vallarta's bustling hotel zone.
Hidden Beach, Marietas Islands
The most famous hidden beach in the region is inside a collapsed volcanic crater on the Marietas Islands, thirty minutes by boat from Punta Mita. The beach is enclosed by rock walls with a circular opening to the sky. You reach it by swimming through a short water tunnel. Access is strictly regulated with limited daily permits, dependent on tide and weather. Book well in advance, particularly December through April. The experience of swimming through the tunnel and emerging inside a sunlit volcanic cathedral is unlike any other beach in Mexico.
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Local Favorites
Playa Palmares
If you are short on time but still want a local's beach experience, Playa Palmares is for you. Just 10 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta by car or bus, this beach is hiding in plain sight. It is right off the highway, with a small parking lot and public access stairs. Despite its proximity, Palmares rarely gets crowded. It is long, narrow, and perfect for swimming. Locals bring umbrellas and picnic coolers, so follow their lead.
Playa Esmeralda
Just south of Mismaloya, this petite patch of golden sand and jade-green water flies under the radar, partly because it is a little tricky to access. You will need to drive or catch a southbound bus and exit near Condominios Playa Gemelas. From there, it is a short hike down a rocky path that follows a shallow stream. What awaits at the bottom is a peaceful, shady beach flanked by jungle and rock, without a beach club or vendor in sight. The pelican statue perched on the breakwater means you have found the spot.
Which Beach is Right for You?
- Best for families with children: Playa Los Muertos (northern section) and Conchas Chinas offer gentle waters and good facilities.
- Best for snorkeling: Los Arcos Marine Park, Conchas Chinas, and Majahuitas have the clearest water and most marine life.
- Best for solitude: Colomitos, Majahuitas, and Playa Esmeralda are the most secluded options.
- Best for a full day trip: Yelapa offers the most complete experience with beach, waterfall, and village.
- Best for convenience: Playa Los Muertos and Playa Camarones are walkable from downtown.
- Best for a unique experience: Hidden Beach on the Marietas Islands is unlike anywhere else in Mexico.
Travel tip: For the best beach-hopping experience, hire a water taxi at Boca de Tomatlan. You can visit Colomitos, Las Animas, Majahuitas, and Quimixto in a single day, with the boat captain waiting at each stop. Negotiate the rate in advance, typically around 2400 pesos for up to six people for a full day.
Practical Tips for Beach-Going in Puerto Vallarta
- Bring cash: Many beach restaurants and water taxis only accept cash. Bring small bills in pesos.
- Pack your own supplies for hidden beaches: Colomitos, Majahuitas, and Esmeralda have no services. Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, and shade.
- Check sea conditions: During rainy season (June-October), waves can be stronger. Always check conditions before swimming at remote beaches.
- Wear water shoes: Some beaches like Conchas Chinas and Colomitos have rocky areas that are easier to navigate with water shoes.
- Arrive early: For popular beaches like Los Muertos and hidden gems like Colomitos, arriving before 11am guarantees the best spots and fewest crowds.
Conclusion
Puerto Vallarta's beaches are as diverse as they are beautiful. From the iconic sands of Playa Los Muertos to the volcanic cathedral of the Marietas Islands Hidden Beach, the 40 kilometers of Banderas Bay coastline offer something for every type of beachgoer. The best approach is to mix and match: spend a day at a lively urban beach, another day hiking to a hidden cove, and a third day on a boat tour visiting multiple beaches accessible only by water.
What makes Puerto Vallarta's beach scene truly special is not just the beauty of individual beaches, but the variety packed into a relatively small area. You can go from a bustling beach with restaurants and music to a pristine cove with no one else around in less than 30 minutes by boat. That contrast, combined with the warm Pacific waters and the dramatic backdrop of the Sierra Madre mountains, makes Puerto Vallarta one of the most rewarding beach destinations in Mexico.
