Marietas Islands National Park

Two Small Uninhabited Islands In Banderas Bay, A National Park Since 2005, With Sea Bird Colonies, Snorkelling And Diving And The Hidden Beach, A Sandy Cove Inside A Collapsed Crater That Was Closed To Visitors In 2016 And Then Reopened With Strict Rules. Access Is By Permit Only And Numbers Are Capped · Punta de Mita, Nayarit

The Marietas Islands are two small uninhabited islands about 8 km off Punta de Mita in Banderas Bay, protected as a national park since 2005. They are known for sea-bird colonies, clear water for snorkelling and diving, and the Hidden Beach (Playa del Amor), a small sandy cove inside a collapsed volcanic crater reached through a short swim or tunnel. The park was closed to visitors in 2016 to let it recover, then reopened with strict rules: access only by licensed operators with a permit, a daily visitor cap and limits on time at the Hidden Beach. Check current rules before booking, as they change. Boats leave from Punta de Mita, La Cruz and Puerto Vallarta, and the sea can be rough. It suits snorkellers and divers. It is worth it for the marine life; skip it if you want a beach day. Book a licensed boat early in the high season, take motion-sickness tablets, and treat the permit rules as part of the experience.

Marietas Islands, about 8 km off Punta de Mita in Banderas Bay, reached by licensed boat from Punta de Mita or Puerto Vallarta; coordinates approximate, Punta de Mita, Nayarit, Mexico

Visits are possible only on trips run by licensed operators, usually leaving in the morning and returning by early afternoon. The park has a daily visitor cap, so tours are limited and can sell out. Independent boats and landing without a permit are not allowed. The Hidden Beach may have set visiting windows and a time limit, and parts of the park may be CLOSED for conservation at times. Wind and swell can cancel trips, and boats are CLOSED on days with rough sea. Watching the islands from the shore at Punta de Mita is FREE.

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