The best beaches in Jalisco, Mexico are gorgeous, with vibrant green nature and translucent jade water!
These beaches are near fantastic food locations, bars, and shops. There are also awesome water activities, like paddleboarding, surfing, and snorkeling.
There are some truly amazing restaurants and some of the freshest seafood you’ll ever have…
When I paid Jalisco a visit, I was far from disappointed!
1. Majahuitas Beach
Majahuitas Beach is unique in that it’s accessible only by boat.
Because of this, I imagine, the beach was not very busy.
It was a small beach with sand that could honestly be a bit rough on the feet but is nice and squishy under swim shoes.
The beach is surrounded by lush green trees, and the palm trees are particularly wonderful!
What Majahuitas Beach Has to Offer
On the boat ride to Majahuitas Beach, I was able to hop off the boat and swim a bit.
The water was jade-colored and warm, and when I took out my snorkel, I could see colorful fish all around in the water!
Majahuitas is a sunny, gorgeous, vibrant place, and there’s a fair amount to do as well:
- Yacht and snorkel, take a snorkeling cruise, or just snorkel by yourself. I can’t say enough about the snorkeling at Majahuitas Beach, it’s so good! There are a variety of fish, including parrot fish, striped butterfly fish (I was amazed, I think they were my favorite fish to see), and even sea turtles. These are just a few! There are also snorkeling-related activities offered, like yachting and snorkeling or snorkeling cruises. This is definitely one of the key features of Majahuitos Beach – it’s snorkeling central!
- Top-rated Restaurants like Mariscos Tino’s Las Animas, which is a Mexican seafood restaurant. We had to try the delicious-looking fish tacos, and we weren’t disappointed. On the other hand, Sunset Gourmet Experience was the most noteworthy restaurant, as the food was served on a yacht. I admit, it was a bit pricey, but it was worth it for the fresh seafood, produce, and other Mexican-style foods in a 5-course meal!
- Take a full-day tour, and explore Majahuitas Beach and Banderas Bay. There’s lots of flora and fauna to see, and of course that fantastic ocean view!
- The water at Majahuitas Beach is a great place for just about any swimmer. The shore is fairly shallow and the waves are gentle. I even saw kids hanging out in the water!
2. Punta De Mita
Punta De Mita, one of the best beaches in Jalisco, is a village right on the Punta De Mita beach, so you’re very close to the water.
There are some truly excellent foods, and surfers can make themselves at home in the big, gently curling waves (my husband was well-pleased).
The water is aquamarine and breathtakingly beautiful!
What Punta De Mita Has to Offer
So, why do I love Punta De Mita? First off, the gorgeous, unadulterated nature.
There are heaps of palm trees, ferns, and other flora and fauna that creates a paradise.
There’s a sandy beach covered in pebbles (great for collecting and skipping), and it’s surrounded by shining water!
Not only this but at Punta De Mita, we discovered:
- Punta De Mita is, apparently, an excellent place to scuba dive. There are classes available. I admit I was a bit nervous to go scuba diving (I always am), but I did end up giving it a shot. I got a close-up look at Marlins, sea turtles, coral reefs, butterfly fish (beautiful as ever), sailfish, and a lot of fish I didn’t know the names of.
- An unusual but fun activity we discovered at Punta De Mita is UTV tours. The UTVS travel across various terrains, offering an up-close and personal look at the flora and fauna. My husband and I didn’t take these, but in the future, maybe, it sounds cool!
- Punta De Mita has some top-quality restaurants, most especially the super-popular Juan Tiburon, which is famous for its Mexican seafood. My favorite thing there was the coconut shrimp… It was perfectly crisp and juicy and had a very fresh flavor. We also got some orange drinks and some fresh, spicy guacamole, and my husband even gave the roasted octopus a try (I did not). He said it was good, not amazing, but good! Alternatively, Camaron Caliente serves top-notch shrimp tacos, if that’s what you prefer!
- Surfing lessons, which I didn’t take myself but heard were quite popular. The instructors are said to be quite friendly, the experience fun, and the classes suitable for intermediate surfers to perfect their techniques and for beginners to get started!
3. Playa De La Muertos
First off, Playa De La Muertos translates to English as “Dead Man’s Beach.”
This is due to pirate raids in the town nearby. Its name is misleading, however, as Playa De La Muertos is super-lively.
It can get busy enough that umbrellas are touching, but there are restaurants, vendors, fireworks, and other entertainment – so there’s certainly a reason Playa De La Muertos is so popular!
What Playa De La Muertos Has to Offer
As you enter Playa De La Muertos, the first thing you will notice is the vibe.
There are lots of folks most of the time, but they tend to be very relaxed. They’ve mainly come to the beach to chill.
You won’t have to worry about rude folk as you wade, snorkel, surf, peruse the vendors, and generally enjoy yourself.
For example, at Playa De La Muertos, you can find:
- If you’re visiting Playa De La Muertos, one of the best beaches in Jalisco, Mexico, there are a few restaurants you will not want to pass by. The best of these are Tuna Azul and The Blue Shrimp Puerto Vallarta. We were fortunate enough to visit both, and at Tuna Azul, we got lobster tacos, as well as the Tuna Azul Special, which featured a delicious tuna fillet. The tacos were juicy and tasty, and the tuna was some of the best I’ve had. At The Blue Shrimp Puerto Vallarta, we opted to share the seafood linguini, and it was incredibly good. It contained mussels, shrimp, scallops, and even octopus. It was an adventure, and my husband and I were not disappointed!
- There are some hot bars in Playa De La Muertos. La Caretta is one of the most popular. This was recommended to my husband and me online, as it’s well-rated, and we were well-pleased by the friendly folk. There are a variety of beverages and you’re sure to find your favorite drink.
- If you’d like to sunbathe or chill in the shade in the ocean air of Playa De La Muertos, you can conveniently rent an umbrella or lounge chair.
- If you’re looking for a bit of peace and quiet – this beach can get a bit noisy – snorkeling is the answer. Get some space from people and enjoy the natural beauty by taking part in local snorkeling activities and classes or by snorkeling yourself!
4. Playa Las Animas
So, I’ve learned that I’m a big fan of beaches you can only reach by boat.
For some reason, this seems to weed out a lot of the rowdier types and appeal to nature lovers. Playa Las Animas is south of Puerto Vallarta, and accessible by boat only.
As a result, the people on the beach were super chill, and there weren’t too many. For me, this is a perfect recipe to help me relax!
What Playa Las Animas Has to Offer
Don’t get me wrong, Playa Las Animas may be a bit remote, but it’s far from boring.
If you’re into idyllic settings, look no further. It’s green, the sun is almost always shining, and there’s plenty of sapphire-hued water!
Not only that, but in Playa Las Animas you can discover:
- Playa Las Animas is near some excellent restaurants, like Mariscos Tino’s Las Ánimas (the highest-rated, I loved the fish tacos) Los Conos Restaurant Bar (really yummy drinks), and El Coral Restaurante Grill and Bar (some of the best seafood around)!
- If you’re looking for other activities during your beach visit, you can also go from Playa Las Animas to the nearby (within a 6-minute drive) Las Animas Adventure Park.
- This beach has heaps of beautiful nature between Boca de Tomatlan and Playa Las Animas. The ferns and palm trees beckon for a lovely seaside nature walk!
- If you like to swim, you can always go wading at Playa Las Animas. Just make sure to wear water shoes, as there are rocks in the sand!
- Parasailing seems to be somewhat popular at Playa Las Animas, as we saw several of them pass by. This is something you could look into if you were interested!
Read Next 📖
Final Words
So, what do the best beaches in Jalisco have in common?
Beautiful water, some truly exceptional places to eat, plenty of breathtaking greenery, and opportunities for surfing, diving, snorkeling, swimming, and more…
I loved the trip and my husband and I certainly did not get bored!
- Counting Down the Best Beaches in Ensenada
- Best Party Beaches in Florida – 13 Best Beach Destinations
- 6 Best Beaches In Kona for Swimming You Should Consider
- 4 Best Beaches In Holbox, Mexico (The Perfect Beach Getaway)
- 4 Best Beaches In Jalisco (Life’s Better at the Beach)
- The 5 Best Beaches In Rincon That Stole Our Hearts
