Esmeralda Beach, South Zone, Puerto Vallarta

Esmeralda Beach is located 5.6 miles (9.1 kilometers) from Puerto Vallarta’s Main Square, it can be reached by land on a scenic drive along Federal Highway 200 to Mismaloya (Carretera Federal 200) between the sea and the green hills! It’s a small 630 ft long beach (190 m) with what is the standard Banderas Bay golden sand and short stretches of emerald green-blue water.

It’s a less-known beach in Puerto Vallarta so you won’t find it very crowded. The access along a stream makes it a bit of a challenge, especially if there’s a lot of water (June to mid-October is the rainy season) and the edges are slippery.

Puerto Vallarta’s South Zone has many beautiful beaches, from north to south to Mismaloya, you’ll find:

Las Estacas Beach
Punta Negra Beach
Palmares Beach
Garza Blanca Beach
Esmeralda Beach
Las Gemelas Beach
Mismaloya Beach

I’ve seen Esmeralda Beach called El Chilte Beach (Playa El Chilte) and La Manzanilla Beach (Playa La Manzanilla).

This beach has no restaurants or extra services, there are some beach vendors during the busy season (December to April) selling shrimp or fish shish kabobs (pescado & camarones embarazados) and maybe a coconut salesman, so bring your own food and drinks.

The various condos have palapa sunshades for their owners, but they are not available to the public, so if you need shade, arrive early and go to the southern end and you’ll have a bit of shade, otherwise, bring your own beach umbrella too.

While on the beach, beyond sunbathing and a dip in the sea, you can take a stroll northeast and southwest, the longest stretch is toward Garza Blanca beach, it’s some 1300 ft (400 m) to the northeast. There are lots of rocks along the edge, but it’s passable. For those that are a bit more adventurous, you can walk southwest along the edge of the sea to Las Gemelas Beach, this route is a bit more dangerous and you need to be agile and in shape. It’s only 500 ft (145 meters), but it’s over rocks and boulders, some are slippery, so do take care and if you become injured, please do not blame me.

There is a breakwater with a nice pelican statue that can be part of your adventures on Playa Esmeralda too.

The best way to get to Emerald Beach is a 25-minute ride on the southbound local bus that takes people to all the beaches and towns in the South Zone. They are very cheap (about 50 US cents, 10 pesos MX) and leave every 15 or 30 minutes from the corner of Basilio Badillo and Constituyentes streets in Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone.

In a taxi, or more affordably with Uber, it is easy to get from downtown Puerto Vallarta all the way down to Palmares beach. The fare will be around $120 to 170 Mexican pesos ($6 to 8 US dollars). If you’ve rented a car there are parking spots available by Playa Esmeralda Condos and Sierra del Mar, but there is no guarantee that they will be available.

By Sierra del Mar and Playa Esmeralda Condos, you’ll see an opening and path between them. Go down to the beach along this corridor that frames a small creek that runs from the hills to the beach. It is seen from the beach and is mentioned in the video as well.

Esmeralda Beach is located south of Puerto Vallarta in what is known as the South Zone that starts off just by Hyatt Ziva and Las Estacas Beach.

The beach is located between Garza Blanca Beach and Las Gemelas Beach. It is 5.6 miles (9.1 kilometers) from the Main Square in downtown Puerto Vallarta, you’ll get there driving along Federal Highway 200 (Carretera Federal 200) toward Mismaloya and Boca de Tomatlan.

You’ll leave the highway when you get to Sierra del Mar and Playa Esmeralda Condos.

Note: As of Jan 27, 2022 Google Maps states this beach is called “Playa la Garza Blanca” (a duplicate), that’s a mistake, Garza Blanca is further north along the highway.

There are no hotels directly on Esmeralda Beach, only condominiums. There are a number of well-known hotels and resorts in this area of the South Zone that are close to Playa Esmeralda, including the following:

• Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta (0.4 miles / 600m northeast)
• Hotel Mousai (0.6 miles / 950 m northeast)
• Grand Park Royal Puerto Vallarta (0.3 miles / 500 m southwest)

This beach is another one of the hidden beaches in Puerto Vallarta because access is not really user-friendly, you’ll find this beach much less crowded than beaches in the rest of the bay. There’s enough space to find a spot for yourself.

The breakwater creates a mini-bay that is great for a swim and some relaxation at the edge of the sea. Great for couples and younger beach fans.