Islas Marietas
Parque Nacional Islas Marietas
An uninhabited volcanic island group at the mouth of Banderas Bay, protected as a national park and biosphere reserve, famous for its 'hidden beach' that is reached by swimming through a tunnel.
The islands are nesting grounds for boobies, frigatebirds and other seabirds. The surrounding waters are great for snorkelling, with tropical fish, rays and sea turtles. The star attraction is Playa del Amor (Lovers' Beach), hidden in the collapsed crater of one of the islands. You must swim through a short tunnel at low tide to reach it. Visits are limited each day and typically run from Wednesday to Sunday, and you must go with a licensed tour operator, which makes it relatively expensive. Most other boat tours focus on snorkelling around the islands. The trip takes about 1 to 1.5 hours from Puerto Vallarta and about 30 minutes from Punta Mita. Life jackets are mandatory, and landing on other islands is prohibited.
Opening hours
Hidden beach about Wed–Sun (capacity limited)
Nearby sights
- Punta de Mita
- Playa Destiladeras
- La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
- Sayulita
- Bucerías
- San Pancho (San Francisco)
- Nuevo Vallarta
- Lo de Marcos