Puerto Vallarta Beaches, Mexico
from Nuevo Vallarta beaches Nayarit to Mismaloya
Puerto Vallarta Beaches:
Puerto Vallarta is more about quiet secluded beaches and ecotourism
than Mexico's other beach vacation destinations.
Banderas bay itself is approximately 34 miles in length containing 26 distinctly different beaches which
cover nearly 80% of it's shoreline.
Look for our Puerto Vallarta Mexico Vacation
offers on our homepage!
The northern Puerto Vallarta beaches tend to be longer and wider than the
beaches on the south of the bay.
This is due to the foothills of the Sierra Madre in Puerto Vallarta and
south of Vallarta which are closer
to the sea.
South of PV the mountains almost fall into the sea. Therefor there are many small
coves and intimate secluded hidden beach spots.
On Sundays many Mexicans take their families out to the beaches and have a real
day of bask in the beauty of the Bay.
We will go over the principal Vallarta beaches starting
within Puerto Vallarta and then move north towards Nayarit state.
For the beaches south of Vallarta up to Yelapa, see our page Yelapa
beaches.
Los Muertos Puerto Vallarta Beach: Located in old
town, 5 min from downtown. If you know Spanish, don't be
afraid. This Puerto Vallarta beach is
actually the most visited. For those of you who don’t know Spanish, Playa
los Muertos, means beach of the dead and actually refers to
when the Spaniards entered
the Bay of Banderas. A battle between neighboring tribes
was under way and the concentration of fallen warriors was
highest along this beach.
You can take a water taxi from there to the most remote Puerto Vallarta beach on the south end of
the bay. Mainly frequented by Mexicans, but a lot of Americans and Canadians enjoy the beach because
they are staying in the area. There are a large variety of beach front hotels, small hostels or other
condo vacation rentals available in the area. If you’re hungry you can choose from great seafood
restaurants like La Palapa and El Dorado or the typical fast-seafood places which are more affordable.
Hotel Zone Puerto Vallarta beach: There are several public access
points to the hotel zone since it literally stretches for
miles and some streets even come to an end right in front
of the beach. This is where most
tourists are everyday, you can do everything from parasailing to windsurfing,banana
boating, jet skiing and more. You can enjoy great views of
Old Town which is not even ten minutes away. The most used entrances are
by the Krystal Hotel, the Sheraton Hotel and the Buenaventura.
Map of Puerto Vallarta beaches
Marina Vallarta Beach: Even though beaches in Mexico are public property, you may find
it difficult to reach the beach if you're not staying at one of the great hotels in the area.
Of course you can still find a way to
the beach by asking security staff from a hotel. They’ll usually let you in, if your primary goal is to
go to the beach and not use their facilities. Or you can go to a beachside bar like the Nikki
Beach at the Westin Resort where you will find the best Sunday brunch buffet in town.
Boca de Tomates is a great beach if you are a fan of ecotourism. Crocodiles,
sea turtles and exotic birds are what this Puerto Vallarta beach is known for. It is also a very
popular beach among boogie boarders. Boca de Tomates is accessible by foot along the beach or by car at the turnoff between the
airport and the bridge leading to nuevo vallarta.
Nuevo Vallarta Beach is certainly the widest and longest Vallarta
beach in the bay. Visitors and wonderful resort properties
have grown so much in the past
10 years, that Nuevo Vallarta has taken on a whole new dimension. Most people
staying/vacationing in a hotel in Nuevo Vallarta rarely venture downtown
because they have everything they need at their
fingertips; from a marina, to two a two-level shopping mall, tons
of restaurants, watersports and one of the Bays greatest beaches.
However, those looking for the more traditional Mexico experience
still venture downtown in the evenings.
Bucerias, Nayarit Beach, is 25 min north
of Puerto Vallarta. Miles of golden sandy beaches is what you will find here.
There are numerous palapa and beach restaurants and is a
great place for scuba diving. If you like shopping you will probably want
to walk through the flea market in the town square.
Piedra Blanca beach. Location: 40 minutes north from Puerto Vallarta by public bus.
Piedra Blanca beach is separated into 2 sections by rocks as white as snow which is exactly where the name Piedra Blanca (white stone)
comes from. The 1st section is only about 200 feet long and 80 feet wide.
The second section is longer at 300 feet in length and 60 feet in width. This
section is home to the Piedra Blanca Hotel.
The finely textured white sand plus smooth waters of both ports give this beach the tranquility you are looking for and
makes it a great location for diving and snorkeling
Destiladeras beach, located 45 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta
by public bus, 30 minutes by car (pay parking lote available).
A favorite with many Vallartans especially families on Sundays, when they flock here to enjoy the wide white sand
beach and fresh seafood at its outdoor palapa-shaded restaurants at the edge of the water. Alternately,
the large flat rocks found here can be used as picnic tables.
Surfers appreciate its two- to five-foot swells, while others enjoy strolling its seemingly endless beach.
During the week you pretty much get the place to yourself as local Vallartans
will mostly be working.
The timid and parents alike appreciate the gradual dropp-off
of the coast: you can wade a long way out into the water before it even reaches
your waist.
El Anclote, only minutes south of Punta de Mita, is a great beach spot
to teach children how to surf and a favorite Puerto Vallarta beach for both
locals and tourists. There are a number of shops for renting surf/boogie boards, snorkeling
gear, and several great restaurants to dine in.
Punta de Mita, Nayarit beach, located 35 min.
north of Puerto Vallarta, at the northernmost tip of Banderas
Bay. Punta de Mita is quickly growing into the prime Real Estate location
within the bay.
Two great beaches and seafood galore make this a must see. Make sure you have a chance to see it for
yourself before Real Estate companies change the face of Punta de Mita forever.
Sayulita, Nayarit Beach: Sayulita Nayarit beach is without question
the main surfing spot in Puerto Vallarta. Sayulita is a fishing village similar
to Puerto Vallarta some decades ago. It is very popular among the American
visitors, it takes less than 45 minutes to
get there from the hotel zone. Great seafood can be found on the beach for
all budgets. Many free spirits from Canada and the US have made Sayulita their
home. If your heart still lives in the
sixties you’ll love this quiet beach community.
San Francisco, “San Pancho”, Nayarit Beach: A very relaxing beach north
of Puerto Vallarta where time seems to stand still. Two things you will notice
more so than any other beach in the Puerto Vallarta area are the birds… and
the silence.
In San Pancho you’ll find a huge beach near the mouth of a river. This is definitely
a wild spot for ocean lovers with good waves and access to all of your favorite
water sports. Thanks to the newly constructed highway the trip to this Nayarit beach is only
about 45 minutes and is worth every step of the journey.
Come and enjoy the Puerto Vallarta beaches on your Mexico vacation!
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