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When it comes to beaches in Puerto Vallarta, there’s no shortage of amazing ones to choose from. It’s one of the main reasons millions of visitors flock here each year!
Puerto Vallarta beaches are as varied as they are beautiful. You can find a beach right in the downtown area with incredible oceanfront restaurants, party-oriented beaches packed with tourists and locals alike, or secluded ones where it will be just you and nature.
Whether you’re looking for a secluded beach to relax with a book or want to party all day at a beach club, this post has you covered with the best beaches in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Where to find the top beaches in Puerto Vallarta
I’ll be honest: the beaches in the city limits aren’t that spectacular. The most beautiful beaches are north or south of the city, but they are all relatively easy to access via public buses, hiking trails, or boats.
And even if you don’t want to go far, there are still beaches to hang out in downtown Puerto Vallarta. And the spectacular sunsets and restaurants make up for what the beach lacks!
Best Beaches in Puerto Vallarta
Playa Camarones
Known as the ‘beach of the shrimps,’ Playa Camarones is a popular beach in the 5 di Diciembre neighborhood.
It’s not the best beach for swimming, but it’s the perfect place to sit in the sand with a good book. Or you can organize a group of friends, speakers, and a cooler from OXXO full of beer for a fun day out. If you don’t have your own beach chair or umbrella, you can find locals renting them.
There are also plenty of beachside restaurants there to hang out at, like El Solar and Mangos Beach Club.
Los Muertos Beach
If you’re searching for some action, Los Muertos beach is the place to go. Many great beach clubs are here, such as Blue Chairs and Mantamar.
It’s packed with water sports, like jet ski rentals and banana boat rides. You can also grab a water taxi from the pier to more secluded beaches.
Puerto Vallarta is one of the most LGBTQ-friendly destinations in the world, so you’ll be sure to meet some fun people here from all over the world while enjoying a great cocktail over a spectacular sunset.
Los Muertos is right by the Romantic Zone, so it’s ideal for having a long party that starts in the sun and ends in one of the many bars in the area.
The beach is not the most beautiful in Puerto Vallarta, but it’s one of the easiest to visit as it’s right off the Malecon.
Playa Las Glorias
This beach starts in Las Glorias and runs along the North hotel zone of Puerto Vallarta, so if you’re staying at one of the stunning hotels on the beach in this area, you’ll most likely have direct excess to it.
Even if you’re not staying at a beach hotel, there is public access by Secrets Resort. It’s a pretty busy beach with all the resort guests but offers lovely sunset views, as well as a few shaded areas to hang out.
Conchas Chinas Beach
Playa Conchas Chinas is a fantastic beach that’s inside the city limits. Conchas Chinas is a truly spectacular part of Puerto Vallarta, full of beautiful houses, luxury hotels, and amazing rock formations that merge with the ocean.
If you’re in Old Town or the Romantic Zone, you can get to Conchas Chinas by walking along the coast. But as the temperatures can be pretty hot here, the easiest way is to grab an uber, which will get you there in less than five minutes. There are a few restaurants to eat at here if you’re looking for a sunset dinner.
Best Beaches Near Puerto Vallarta
You’ll have to go a little further to reach the rest of these beaches from Puerto Vallarta, but it’s worth it! The beaches only get better the further you go from the city limits.
Playa La Garza Blanca
Playa La Garza Blanca is a popular spot for families and couples, not so much for day parties. You can either bring snacks or try some of the treats local vendors sell on the beach. It’s too far to walk, but you can easily grab an Uber or taxi from town.
The sea is perfect for swimming since there are no big waves and the color of the ocean is amazing! In addition, its crystal-clear water makes it an ideal place for snorkeling to see some beautiful fish and coral.
Colomitos Puerto Vallarta
If you thought that a city as touristy as Puerto Vallarta couldn’t have its own private piece of heaven, you were wrong. Playa Colomitos is known for being one of Mexico’s tiniest beaches and also one of the prettiest!
You can get here either hiking along the coast towards Las Animas or by panga, which are little local boats that transport locals and tourists around. Both the trailhead and boats are found in Boca de Tomatlán, the town that serves as a base for all the beaches south of Puerto Vallarta.
The best way to get here is to be adventurous and hike from Boca. It’s not that hard, and the views along the coastline are stunning. After about an hour, you’ll encounter Colomitos – you won’t believe how beautiful it is once you see the emerald green water here! Colomitos is easily one of the best beaches near Puerto Vallarta.
The water is calm and serene – it’s the perfect place to pack a picnic and chill out for the day. There aren’t any amenities here, so be prepared when you come and enjoy this little wonder of nature.
Las Animas Beach
Las Animas is another beautiful beach south of Puerto Vallarta that you can reach by panga or hiking from Boca.
It’s on the same route as Colomitos, just about an hour further. You’ll see signs along the hiking trails. But unlike Colomitos, it’s packed with amenities making this a popular party beach. At Las Animas, you’ll find restaurants and beach clubs dotted along the coast.
Quimixto Beach
Quimixto is another great beach south of Puerto Vallarta. You’ll need to get to Boca de Tomatlán and then take one of the pangas (water taxis) from the pier, which takes about half an hour.
Once you’re in Quimixto, you won’t have much to do but be amazed at the beauty that will surround you. There is a small town where you can get something to eat or drink if you haven’t brought supplies. There’s also a nice waterfall you can hike to from town in about half an hour.
Quimixto is one of my favorite beaches in Puerto Vallarta. On one side, there are beach clubs and restaurants, but on the other, there are secluded places to relax. There’s also the option to camp here in front of the ocean!
Everything you need to know about planning a day trip to Quimixto.
Majahuitas Beach
If you’re looking for a place to party on the weekends, Playa Majahuitas is the place to go. It’s home to Majahuitas Beach Club, which is my favorite beach club in Puerto Vallarta.
The entrance fee is somewhat high for PB, usually around 75 USD, but they have amazing DJs that play from day into night, and you get it back as credit to use at the bar. The food is superb!
Majahuitas is by far one of the most Instagrammable beaches in Puerto Vallarta. They’ve got so many spaces set up in the beach club for photo ops, as well as a small waterfall.
Yelapa Beach
Continue south, and you’ll reach Yelapa, one of the most popular day trips and weekend getaways from Puerto Vallarta. While technically it’s accessible by hiking trails, this is quite the trek. Instead, you can grab a boat from Boca and be here in about an hour.
Yelapa has some of the prettiest waterfalls near Puerto Vallarta and a gorgeous beach with restaurants, beach clubs, and incredible sunsets.
Just make sure to get the last panga back before sunset, or you might have to spend the night! Not necessarily a bad thing; there are many cool accommodation options here, from huts in the jungle to nice hotels.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Yelapa from Puerto Vallarta.
Rather go with a guide? Get 10% off this tour to Yelapa using code EXPLOREWITHLORA10.
San Pancho Beach
This beach is not in Jalisco but in Nayarit, the neighboring state to the north. But it’s still only about an hour driving and will be worth it. San Pancho is a tiny but magical beach town that makes for one of the best day trips from Puerto Vallarta.
To get here, you can rent a car in Puerto Vallarta for the day or grab a bus for $2.50 from Las Glorias.
The atmosphere is very chilled out in San Pancho. The beach is excellent for surfing or swimming when the waves are low. There are also cute shops and excellent restaurants with fresh seafood you don’t want to miss out on!
Here’s a complete guide to San Pancho.
Sayulita Beach
Sayulita is just five minutes from San Pancho but has much more of a party atmosphere. It’s becoming one of the most popular destinations in Mexico for surfers and digital nomads, although I’ve heard the WiFi is not great.
Still, if you want a nice place to surf, party the night away, and meet people from all over the world, Sayulita is the place to go.
Hidden Beach Puerto Vallarta
I couldn’t write a post about Puerto Vallarta without mentioned of Puerto Vallarta’s most famous beaches. Hidden beach, sometimes called secret beach, is actually on the Marietas Islands. To get there, you’ll need to join a day tour and make the two-hour boat trip to the islands.
Space on the hidden beach is limited to 116 people per day, so secure your permit with the tour operator in advance. Here’s the guide on everything you need to know about visiting this beach!
Please be a responsible traveler when visiting the beach! Bring a reusable water bottle, pick up after yourself, and wear only eco-friendly sunscreen that won’t damage the corals. All of these measures are the key to preserving these natural wonders for many years to come.
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