Stunning Mismaloya Beach, 20 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Mismaloya Jalisco is a small town, best known for its beach, located 20 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta, along the road that goes south to Costa Careyes (Highway 200 / Carretera 200) that runs between the town and the beach, next to Barceló Resort that used to be called "La Jolla de Mismaloya." The name is of Nahuatl origin (michmaloyan) that means "place where you can catch fish with your hands". To go into the village itself, across the road opposite the Barceló you'll find the entrance, there you will find some options for activities and visits that are highly recommended, in fact some are among the best things to do in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. El Edén is a restaurant with a canopy tour that has the river flowing through it, a waterfall, large boulders you can use as slides and pools to bathe in. It is the exact place where the original Predator movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger was shot, so you will find a helicopter used on the set and an exhibition that details funny anecdotes and interesting details of the film. Edenva is a beautiful place with several pools and waterfalls, a bar area and a small restaurant with exceptional views, hammocks and resting area, a wonderful place to visit as a family. There is a Tequila distillery (Mamá Lucía) in the town and a very popular place to go with the family, the Vallarta Zoo, a large zoological garden that gives you the unique opportunity to see, interact and feed the animals. It's one of wonderful things to do with kids in Puerto Vallarta. On the beach you have the option of swimming, sunbathing, strolling along the beach and enjoying various activities. There are, for example, several restaurants that offer good sea food and fish dishes, they also share their beach chairs and parasols if you eat and drink with them. There are several massage spots that will help you de-stress. Paddle Zone is a tour operator that offers stand-up paddle rentals (SUP), boards and paddles you can use in the bay and a tour where they take you to visit Los Arcos, natural rock islands you can see from the beach, to see the fish and other impressive natural attractions. Mismaloya Mexico, one of the best beaches in Puerto Vallarta, is very nice with soft waves, very clean green-emerald waters and golden sands of intermediate grain, not very soft, but not as rough as what you find in Yelapa. You will find yourself cleaning your swimsuit from time to time, though. There are a considerable number of boats that are in the hands of local fishermen, some of them offer tours and transfers to the various attractions of the Banderas Bay, including Los Arcos de Mismaloya, Boca de Tomatlan, Colomitos Beach, Las Animas beach, Quimixto, Majahuitas beach, Yelapa and other beautiful locations to the south of the bay. To get to this beach you have to start off from Puerto Vallarta's romantic zone, at the corner of Basilio Badillo and Constitución streets is the bus stop if you want to use public transport. There you take the orange buses marked Mismaloya / Boca. They charge around half a dollar, a very resonable amount if you ask me. Another option is to take an Uber or taxi, they will take you to the same place that is in front of the Barceló Hotel, a few steps from the bus stop, you will see some stands that offer tours and activities, inbetween these and the Barceló, to the right, there is a cobblestone street that takes you directly to the beach, along the river edge, there is no way to get lost, it's about 600 feet from the highway to the beach itself.