Beaches in Puerta Vallarta

Questions or tips on tours, excursions, ecotourism and activities.

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emtfreak
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Beaches in Puerta Vallarta

Post by emtfreak » Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:51 pm

We are taking a tour with our cruiseline early in the morning but we still have several hours left after the tour is over. We would love to go visit a beach but unsure where to go. Can anybody suggest a safe beach that is good for swimming and sunbathing and that is considered pretty safe?

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pvgemini
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Post by pvgemini » Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:53 pm

There are many beaches from which to choose, but if you want to get a true taste of Puerto Vallarta, you should go to Los Muertos Beach in Old Town, the Romantic Zone, south of the Rio Cuale.

Pick a palapa with some chairs under it, and a waiter will serve you bevvies and food while you watch the waves, toes in the sand. You can buy a few trinkets from the beach vendors wandering around. You can also buy fish or shrimp cooked on a stick, fresh wedges of cucumber, mango, or watermelon, and fresh raw oysters on the half shell.

You can swim and lie in the sun, and if you are feeling adventurous, you can go on the "banana boat" ride or parasail.

My favorite place is the El Dorado, but there are many choices. You can meander along and see what sort of place fits your style.

Sally

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Post by oneistwo » Sat Feb 13, 2010 5:02 pm

The Bahia de Banderas is practically all beach except for where mountain ridges come right down to the water on the south side, and the water is safe because there's no heavy surf. Access, however, is limited. In addition to Los Muertos (which has all the amenities but is a substantial cab or bus ride from the Harbor), there's a "people's beach" with walking access via about 100 yards of dirt road just over the bridge south of the "Peninsula" (there is no actual peninsula; it's just a name). The Starbucks would be the obvious landmark. This is about a 15-minute walk from the Harbor. If you're walking go over the bridge and you'll see a dirt road along the creek. (One proviso: last year there's was some development at the access point. I'm assuming it's still open)

Even closer, beyond the trinket huts at the Harbor, I think there's access to the beach. There's a sidewalk that goes behind the huts. I seem to remember a fence there, but I don't can't remember if it actually blocks access. Perhaps someone else on the board can chime in on that subject. If it is open that would be super-convenient and efficient for you. Or you can check it out yourself and if it's blocked, you can turn around to the main drag and walk to the other access and you've only lost a few minutes.

If you use either of these accesses, you have about a mile of very nice beach available to you. Most of the hotels won't let you walk through them to the beach, but the beach itself is public.

If in the past year both of these accesses have been blocked, which would be a shame, take the cab to Los Muertos.

Crime-wise the beaches are safe too, but don't leave valuables unguarded. In fact, leave your valuables on the boat. Put some cash and a credit card and your oldest cheap watch in a ziplock or other waterproof bag, put it in your pocket, not a purse.

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Los muerto...safe no big surf?????

Post by Allinthecards » Mon Feb 15, 2010 4:59 pm

Los muertos is great for adults that are great swimmers, or to just have a drink and enjoy the sun, but very, very few locals swim there. Obviously the above two respondants don't live here and are not here often to tell you what it is like now. This is "El niño" and the surf has been enormous! Coming up even under some restaurants. It is not safe for casual swimmers, the local boogie boarders and suffers are loving it this year. And most of the beaches here are very rocky. If you want a beautiful none rocky beach head to Nuevo Vallarta, the surf is not as strong because of the shape of the bay and location of the rivers. There is a fantastic beach club called Etc. Beach Club in nuevo, tell the taxi it is close to Dreams Villa Magna and Kite condos. And if you choose not to use the beach club there is excellent public access right on the side of the restaurant. The beaches in the north part of the bay are the nicest then there are other nice beaches on the south side (but they are accessible by boat only) have fun and enjoy, but be safe it is still the ocean.

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Post by cabron » Mon Feb 15, 2010 6:51 pm

El Niño is a current and doesn't cause large waves. These are actually swells produced by storms thousands of miles away, the current culprit is the cyclone (southern hemisphere) Rene, south of Tahiti.

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oneistwo
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Post by oneistwo » Mon Feb 15, 2010 6:51 pm

My humble apology if conditions have changed and the surf is higher than usual. Thanks Allinthecards, I don't live in PV and won't be there for another three weeks. I do remember times when the surf crashes near the Malecon (fairly close to Los Muertos), while on the same day it can be just a slosh in the Hotel Zone.

I do trust, however, there is still abundant sand in the Hotel Zone from the Harbor south for about a mile. While, as I said, it's been almost a year since last time, we've walked it maybe 50 times in the past eight years. The footing in some spots can be gravelly at the surf line, but sandy a few feet back, with plenty of margin for sunning.

If you look at a map you'll see Los Muertos beach, on the south side of PV, and the Hotel Zone, adjacent to the Harbor, are two distinct areas. (The Harbor, btw, might not be labeled as such. Not to confused with the Marina, which is on the same estuary but a little farther north)

Update on my guess about access to the beach from the harbor. My travelling companion says there has to be access behind the merchants sheds because that's how the beach vendors get there. Since that's so close to your boat, you can check out the conditions by just walking over there, then deciding if you want to spend some time there. In fact, you'll probably be able to see it from the rail of your boat.

As Allin said, the beaches going north are nice. I've only seen them from boats, as you'll be able to as the ship comes in, but they look nice and sandy. And it sounds is like you can get the complete beach experience -- safe surf and broad sand, and restaurants and drink service -- in the places Allin recommends.

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Post by katnsocal » Tue Feb 16, 2010 2:05 am

There is beach access next to Marina de Oro right next to the marina. The problem is there are no umbrellas/chairs/drink service, etc. available to the public in that area. There is access just south of the Penisula next to the Holiday Inn but again there are no umbrellas/chairs in that area. There is a local beach restaurant that has food and drinks but that is all you will find on the beach in that area. To have all the amenities you would want for spending a day on the beach you will need to go to the Los Muertos area where they have beach restaurants with chairs and umbrellas for your use with consumption. The other option is to purchase a day pass for one of the beach front hotels which would all you use of all the amenities except for a room.

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