SPOTLIGHT ON: THE MARIETAS ISLANDS
December 4, 2024
The Marietas Islands National Park offers an incredible variety of options for visitors, whether they’re looking for adventure or simply to enjoy nature. This is a brief guide to some o f the islands’ main attractions.
1. Playa Escondida (Hidden Beach)
This is the most iconic and widely recognized landmark in the Marietas. Also known as the “Playa del Amor” (Love Beach), it is sure to be the high point of any visit to the islands. This secluded beach is hidden away in the interior of a large crater, and is accessible exclusively through a small water tunnel, making it one of the world’s most singular beaches. Because of its ecological vulnerability, visitors to the Hidden Beach are limited to just 100 per day, which makes booking a guided tour a necessity.
2. Adventure activities
The park is an ideal place to take part in a wide variety of adventure and sports activities, such as diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and paddleboarding. With the clear waters off these shores and the abundance and diversity of marine life that make the islands their home, this is one of the best places on Earth to admire the majestic beauty of the underwater world.
3. Wildlife
The Marietas Islands offer an abundance of riches for wildlife enthusiasts. On the shore, birdwatchers will be able to visit an amazing variety of reproductive colonies, as the islands are home to more than 90 species of birds, including the famous blue-footed booby. The islands also boast the world’s largest brown booby reproductive colony, making the Marietas an essential place to visit for birdwatchers and enthusiasts!
As if this weren’t enough, from the months of December to March, the waters of the Mexican Pacific become one of the most privileged places on Earth for whale watching — one of nature’s rarest and most beautiful spectacles!
4. How to get there
The Marietas Islands are located 32km northwest of Puerto Vallarta, and a guided boat tour or private charter yacht are necessary to reach them. Because of their status as a protected natural area, the number of daily visitors allowed on the islands is heavily limited, so advance planning and booking is essential!
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