North Coast
Punta de Mita/ El Anclote
One of the best beaches near the northern tip of the bay. Soft fine sand and clear shallow water. Many beachside restaurants and beach clubs to choose from, along with volleyball, boogie-board and kayak rentals. Excellent for families and smaller children as the water is more shallow and the water is usually calm.
Los Veneros
Beach where Rancho Banderas is located. Nice beach, and they have a luxury beach club with pool, showers and other facilities you may use for a minimal fee.
Destiladeras
Excellent beach, soft sand, good for boogie boarding, as it is shallow with long breaks. One beachside restaurant, rustic shower, bathrooms, and decent prices on food and beverages. Favorite of locals, especially on Sundays.
Piedra Blanca
Nice calm beach near the Real Del Mar residential community. A little more difficult to get to as you need to find the road that leads to the beach. Very limited beach services.
Playa Manzanilla
Limited beach facilities, nice beach, calm waters, and a favorite among locals. Beach vendors sell fruits, and beachware, as well as silver and candy.
Hotel Zone To Zona Romantica
Playa de Camarones
Located near Mega grocery store, decent beach, public, limited beach facilities. After Hurricane Kenna, this beach has not been repaired or cleaned.
Playa Dorada
The beach downtown running the length of the malecon. It is not frequented much as the waves here are rather strong and the beach tends to be very rocky. Most locals go to Playa de Los Muertos.
Los Muertos
In Zona Romantica, near Los Muertos Pier. Facilities limited to bars and beachside restaurants, to use them, you need to be at patron.
This is the most popular beach for eating, drinking, people watching, parasailing and hanging out. Volleyball court near the Pier where you can join in with your team and compete. Many of the tour boats and water taxis stop here to pick-up passengers.
South Zone
Playa Amapas
The beach adjoining Los Muertos to the south. Somewhat rocky and usually has strong currents and waves. A great area to walk and look for seashells.
Playa Conchas Chinas
A nice walk south from Los Muertos and Amapas beach. You may, depending on the tide have to climb a few rocks piles to get to the beach. A nice area with rocky coves, soft sand and few people. You can also get there from Hwy 200 taking a left right past the OXXO store and walking down to the beach.
Mismaloya
Mismaloya beach is located seven miles south of town on Highway 200. The entrance is at the bottom of the hill between The La Jolla de Mismaloya Resort and the bridge. Once a very popular beach, with jet-ski rentals, parasailing, but nature took away a large portion of the beach. Still popular, but less than half of the original size and many of the palapa beachside restaurants are gone.
Boca de Tomatlan
Last beach accessable via road transportation. Small fishing village on a cove with gentle waters. Not the cleanest beach, but a good place to catch a water taxi for other beaches to the south. Known to have no-see-ums, or some other form of ankle biting bug. Boca also a large population of dogs, some strays, some pets, all seem to roam the beach. Many nice open air beachside restaurants to choose from, and the prices are decent.
Las Animas
One of many remote beaches south of Puerto Vallarta that is accessible only by boat. Pangas or water taxis leave Los Muertos Pier, Mismaloya and Boca de Tomatlan for these beaches early in the day and return in late afternoon.
A quiet, tiny beach inaccessible except by boat.
A few rustic beach restaurants, and strolling vendors and pastry sellers, be sure to try the homemade pie! Someone recently opened a mini water park. As soon as you get there, someone will offer to put a giant iguana on you. Petting is free, but a photo of yourself and the lizard will cost you.
Quimixto
Quimixto is known for its quite waters and pleasant beaches. There is also a refreshing waterfall to cool off in after the reasonable hike. There is a restaurant at the waterfall that requests you spend a minimum of 50 pesos to use the facilities and area. Dining is also available at beachside restaurants.
Majahuitas
Accessible only by boat, this pristine beach area is almost unused, except for the guests at the small, rustic-chic, all inclusive resort. Excellent snorkeling off shore, soft sand and clear water. No facilities unless you are a guest at the hotel.
Yelapa
The best known and largest of the southern beaches. Only accessible by boat. Yelapa recently aquired electricity and internet service. Plenty of activities avilable, including parasailing, hiking to a waterfall and horseback rides. You can stay the night or longer at one of the many rental bungalows and studios or at the local hotel.
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