Playas Los Colomitos

One of Puerto Vallarta’s most secluded beaches, Playa Los Colomitos. Many varieties of tropical fish are here to discover as we snorkel in the lovely bay for about an hour. We’ll have lunch and relax on the beach, swim in the tranquil waters and enjoy ourselves.
Located 1000 yards (5 minutes in water taxi) to the west of Boca de Tomatlán (11 miles / 17 km from Puerto Vallarta’s main square), Colomitos Beach (Playa Colomitos) is a small little clear-sand beach located between the clear emerald sea waves, rounded rocks and a small creek and waterfall that sneaks out of the lush tropical jungle.
This small and hidden space, is one of the favorite unspoiled beaches in the area, with barely 30 yards of sand, Colomitos is one of the most intimate and cozy you’ll find near Puerto Vallarta. Many varieties of tropical fish are here to discover as we snorkel in the lovely bay .

Las Caletas

Vallarta Adventures’ private beach has underwater adventures, too! Located on the Southern shore of Banderas Bay,
Today this lovely beach hideaway in the middle of the jungle is now leased since the 1990’s by Vallarta Adventures and is offered exclusively as part of their all-inclusive tour calm waters and gentle currents that let you focus on what’s around you. The marine life is bountiful here, so turtle and tropical fish enthusiasts will have plenty to enjoy. There are also two sunken shipwrecks to witness!

Playa Los Muertos

Playa Los Muertos Beach
This is the beach south of the Los Muertos Pier. And, as with the stretch of sand north of the pier, there are a lot of activities going on – from swimming and surfing, to parasailing and boating. Plus, you’ll find numerous beach restaurants and bars here.
Playa Los Muertos (Los Muertos Beach, Deadman’s Beach or Beach of the Dead, the reason for this sinister name further down in this article) is the most popular, the best known and the most visited beach in Puerto Vallarta.

You’ll find it south of the Malecon and the Cuale river. The first part of the beach in the Romantic Zone (Old Vallarta) between the Cuale river mouth and Venustiano Carranza street (where you can find Daiquiri Dick’s) is called Olas Altas beach and south of Venustiano Carranza it’s called Los Muertos beach. Visitors that enjoy the local culture also hang out here as do the expats, it’s a lively place, full of traditions and a great place to drink a beer by the edge of the sea, with your feet in the sand and just watch the, now famous, sunsets. Los Muertos is certainly not a beach for those looking to relax and get away from it all, but if you want action, sun, sand, food and lots to do, this is it, the heart of it all

Playa las Gemelas

Las Gemelas Beach (Playa Las Gemelas), as the name implies (“gemelas” are twins in English), is a pair of small beaches located 5.5 miles (9 km) south of the Puerto Vallarta’s main square in the downtown area, offers blue-green waves and clear, soft sand, a wonderful place to get away from all the most popular beaches of Puerto Vallarta. Even so, because Las Gemelas is relatively small, the north beach is about 140 yards long and the south beach is 200 yards long, some 1000 ft (separated by an extensive rock wall where Condominios Girasol Sur is located), the place can feel quite cramped at times, especially on weekends during high season. The north beach is easily accessible to the public, the south beach is protected by a stretch of rocks you’d need to climb over or swim along the coast, which complicates a visit, but it is not impossible.

To avoid the crowds, you can visit during the week and during high season arrive in the morning to grab a good place in the sand. You should also pack your own supplies: drinks, snacks, sunblock and towels since there are no vendors or shops nearby nor on the beach itself.
Las Gemelas, despite being a bit rustic and short beaches, is a very popular and ideal place if you are looking to relax, walk along the beach and sunbath while enjoying a beautiful landscape. 

San Pancho

About an hour drive from Puerto Vallarta is the beach town of San Pancho (San Francisco). This small town isn’t as quiet as it once was, but it’s still a nice place to visit. What’s surprising is that even though it’s not a very big place, there are lots of things to do in San Pancho. San Pancho offers a beautiful wide white sand beach and a very typical Mexican village, with horseback riders along the streets, roosters, and chicken in your neighbor’s yard.

Mismaloya

The pretty bay is backed by thick jungle, there are restaurants lining the beach and you’ll have views of the Los Arcos Marine Park.
Mismaloya is the beach where it all started, a beach that changed the future and destiny of a whole Mexican town, from a small picturesque sleepy fisherman town to a large world-renowned tourist destination. Mismaloya itself is both a small village (the name is derived from a Nahuatl word Michmaloyan that means “place where you can catch fish with your hands”) and a small sandy beach on a beautiful jungle-fringed cove, 9 miles south of Puerto Vallarta located at the point where the Mismaloya river runs into the Pacific Ocean. This beautiful beach with gentle and clear emerald-green water is also a favorite for those who enjoy sports such as Stand-Up Paddle (SUP), scuba diving, water skiing, and sailing.