The Beaches Of Puerto Vallarta

Author: Justin Burch

The beaches in and around Puerto Vallarta may be the most
diverse in Mexico. Located at the midpoint of Banderas Bay, the
area surrounding Puerto Vallarta boasts 34 miles of coastline,
26 of which are sandy beaches. Within the city, the beaches are
elegant and pristine, bordered by restaurants and resorts.
Beaches to the north of the city tend to be longer and wider,
with great opportunities for surfing and swimming. South of
Puerto Vallarta, the mountains topple into the sea in places,
creating placid coves and intimate sandy pockets.

Playa Los Muertos is the most frequented beach in Puerto
Vallarta. This sandy beach is long and wide with small waves
perfect for swimming. Despite its popularity, there is usually
plenty of room to spread out a towel and soak up rays. Los
Muertos is a bustling place full of craft and food vendors; the
beach itself is lined by numerous resorts, restaurants and bars.
This is also a great place to ride a parasail and get a bird's
eye view of the city. The beach has the added attraction of
being on the edge of Viejo Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta's beautiful
old town.

Several other beautiful beaches lie in close proximity to the
city's Hotel Zone. Playa El Saldo, also known as Marina
Vallarta, primarily caters to hotel guests. However, the beach
is wide and well-maintained, offering stunning views of the city
and its mountainous backdrop. Playa Pelicanos is generally
quiet, making it a great place to escape the beach crowds while
remaining in the heart of the city. Playa Las Glorias is the
name of the sandy stretch between Playa Pelicanos and Marina
Vallarta. If you're staying in a hotel north of the primary
Hotel Zone, you will find this excellent swimming beach outside
your back door.

North of the city, the beach of Nuevo Vallarta offers a wider
stretch of sand with fewer rocks than most beaches within
Banderas Bay. As favorites of families, visitors to Playa
Destiladeres and Playa Bucerias can expect mild waves (perfect
for boogie-boarding or learning to surf), elegant white sand
beaches and fresh seafood at charming palapa-shaded restaurants.

To the North, Punta Mita, also known as Playa Anclote, is
distinguished for its row of pleasant beach restaurants and
gentle slope, making it a perfect beach for all ages. With
consistently low, rolling waves, Punta Mita is also celebrated
as an excellent place to learn to surf. There are even a few
surfing schools that offer instruction to travelers.

For those with more experience on the waves, the tiny community
of Sayulita is the place of choice. A surfing mecca of
international renown, the shoreline of this picturesque fishing
village is home to abundant coves and beaches where surfers hunt
perfect waves and day trippers relax in the sun. As Sayulita has
developed over the past few years into a surfer's town with a
bohemian feel, travelers will be treated to a refreshing,
laid-back attitude.

A few miles beyond the northern-most point of the bay are the
beaches of San Francisco and San Pancho. Sporting a windswept
and primitive feeling, with deeper, creamier sand and rougher
waters than inside Banderas Bay, these beaches are ideal for
travelers who want a taste of pristine nature and the open sea.

To the south of Puerto Vallarta lie such treasures as Playa
Gemelas, Playa Garza Blanca, and Playa Punta Negra. Because both
are slightly more difficult to access, you'll find beautiful
beaches that are fairly secluded and scarcely used, with great
rock outcroppings for snorkeling. In this area, you'll also find
Playa Mismaloya, where John Huston's The Night of the Iguana was
filmed in 1963, putting Puerto Vallarta on the international
tourist map.

With a rustic South Seas feel, Boca de Tomatlan is a small sandy
cove at the jungle's edge three miles south of Mismaloya where
the Tomatlan River meets the bay. Boca de Tomatlan is the last
beach stop on the primary road heading south from Puerto
Vallarta. It is another great site for swimming or snorkeling
with a couple of lovely beach restaurants where you can sit
under a palapa on the beach and enjoy fresh seafood.

To the south of Boca de Tomatlan are a number of quaint fishing
villages, secluded beaches and peaceful coves. Playas Las
Caletas and Las Animas are elegant, rock-lined stretches ideal
for quiet relaxation. Quimixto, one of the largest fishing
villages in the southern half of Banderas Bay, features a number
of excellent restaurants and the best surf south of Puerto
Vallarta. Near the southern-most point of the bay, Majahuitas
and Yelapa allow visitors to feel completely removed from
civilization. Bordered by lush jungles, these beaches are the
definition of tropical privacy.

About the author:
This article was written by Justin Burch. Justin writes select
pieces about travel in Mexico for the href="http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/PVRMX">CasaMagna
Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort. - href="http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/PVRMX">http://mar
riott.com/property/propertypage/PVRMX