Puerto Vallarta
Beaches
Enjoying a privileged location midpoint on the Banderas Bay coast, Puerto
Vallarta beaches are beach-goer nirvana, the bay itself offering 34 miles of
coastline — and 26 of them beaches! As a rule of thumb, beaches to the north in
Nayarit on the Costa Vallarta tend to be longer and wider, the foothills of the
Sierra Madre just that little bit further back from the sea than in Jalisco,
giving them a different character. South of Puerto Vallarta the mountains
actually tumble into the sea in places, so there are lots of small coves and
intimate sandy stretches. The water here is deeper and there are fewer people.
Sundays are the busiest beach days, the one day of the week that most workers
get off and spend with their families. While you might think they would
eventually tire of Puerto Vallarta beach-going because they can do it any time
they want, Sunday at the beach is a very strong local tradition.
Las Animas: A favorite with locals who arrive on their own boats, this
secluded very pretty beach actually consists of two sandy stretches each about a
mile long, separated by rocks. One has half a dozen palapa restaurants and a
dock, while the other is still pretty much the way God made it.
Sayulita: A surfing mecca of international renown, the shoreline of this
picturesque fishing village is dotted with coves and beaches where surfers do
their thing alongside day trippers from PV.
San Francisco / San Pancho: This pristine beach on open sea just a few
miles outside the bay is gorgeous, windswept and primitive feeling, long and
wide, with deep creamy sand and rougher waters than inside Banderas Bay. The
locals, both Mexican and an increasing number of expatriates valuing untrammeled
nature, are super friendly.
Yelapa: About as 'Robinson Caruso' as it gets these days, this fishing
village
on a quiet cove has few roads or cars, but a big stretch of beach divided by an
inlet, one side popular with day trippers for its thatched-roof restaurants and
other much more peaceful with few amenities.
Majahuitas: A small, very pretty jungle-fringed cove that feels as
removed from civilization as any island, a luxurious Mexican Boutique Hotel also
called
Majahuitas offers rustically elegant amenities to its guests only.
Quimixto: This is where you will find the only surf break on the south
side of the bay. A remote beach and one of the biggest fishing villages
on the south part Banderas Bay, there are lots of palapa restaurants where you
can hide from the sun and enjoy cold refreshments and a meal.
Las Caletas: This lush hidden cove with three small sandy beaches and
rock
formations south of PV is the former home of movie director John Huston.
Boca de Tomatlán: With a primitive South Seas feel, this small sandy cove
at the edge of the jungle three miles south of Mismaloya is where the mouth or
boca of the Tomatlan River meets the bay.
Mismaloya: A small sandy beach on a beautiful jungle-fringed cove south
of
Puerto Vallarta where the Mismaloya creek meets the ocean, this is where the
"The Night of the Iguana" was filmed in 1963 — the movie that put Puerto
Vallarta on the international tourist map.
Gemelas: "Twin" beach is two small crescent-shaped beaches at the foot of
the Sierra Madre Mountains. Here the surf is gentle and good for swimming.
Garza Blanca: A small city beach located off the Barra Navidad road at Km
6 on the way to Mismaloya, this white sand beach is framed with palms and
crystal clear water that laps the shoreline. It is popular with the locals on
weekends who pack a picnic, as there are no amenities.
Los Muertos: It's ironic, considering that the literal translation of Los
Muertos is "The Dead," that this long sandy beach on the South Side is the
town's liveliest by far.
Hotel Zone: This wide sandy beach stretching from Marina Vallarta to the
Sheraton is lined with resort hotels, Puerto Vallarta's original and still
growing tourist playground.
Marina Vallarta: Primarily catering to those staying at the resort
hotels, this
beach is wide and sandy, offering a great view of Puerto Vallarta proper and its
undulating-mountain backdrop.
Boca de Tomates: Ideal for when you want to get away from the maddening
crowd and see more crocodiles, sea turtles and exotic birds than sun
worshippers.
