Hidden Beach Tour at Marietas Islands

It lasts 3 hours. The standard departure is at 12:00 PM, Tuesday to Sunday, returning to the marina around 3:00 PM. Please arrive 15 minutes early. On some days the time is adjusted for the expected tide level or the weather forecast; if that happens, we send you the new time by WhatsApp or email as early as possible. There are no departures on Mondays because the park is closed.

Your booking guarantees, for the date you chose, your seat on the boat and your Hidden Beach access permit, which is one of the 116 spots available each day. What we can’t control is the sea:

• If the tide means the departure has to move, we send you the adjusted time by WhatsApp or email.
• If the forecast or the authorities say it isn’t safe to go out, or the Port Authority closes the port, we let you know as early as possible so you can change the date at no cost or get a full refund.
• If the tour goes out but, once at the islands, the swell doesn’t allow entry to the beach, we complete the rest of the tour and refund $100 USD for each person who paid for the full tour and couldn’t go in.

The last case is unlikely: we monitor sea conditions and official notices before every departure.

From Marina Punta Mita, in Nayarit, the closest port to the Marietas Islands: 9 km (about 5.6 miles), roughly 15 minutes by boat. The exact meeting point is on the map on this page, with the Get directions button.

The price is per person: People (10+ years): $200 USD. It already includes the park access wristbands and the Hidden Beach access permit, and your group’s total appears in the quote tool at the top of this page.

• A tour of the park with entry to Hidden Beach, a landing at Playa La Nopalera, a view of the Puente de Piedra stone arch, blue-footed booby watching and snorkeling at an authorized site.
• Covered panga boat with captain and guide.
• Snorkeling gear (mask and snorkel) and life jacket.
• Water and soft drinks.
• Park access wristbands and a guaranteed Hidden Beach access permit.

There are no extra fees at the dock.

The minimum age is 10, with no exceptions, because of the 80 m (260 ft) swim. There is no fixed maximum age: from 65 on, we recommend the tour for people who are in good physical condition and comfortable swimming 80 m (260 ft) with a life jacket.

Children under 10, pregnant women, people with reduced mobility and people with back, neck or heart problems. If you have any other medical condition, please write to us before booking.

You need to feel comfortable in the water to swim about 80 m (260 ft), partly through a natural tunnel. The life jacket is mandatory and lets you float and rest at any time. Guides carry a float ring to help anyone who isn’t a strong swimmer.

30 minutes. That’s the maximum time set by CONANP so that all 116 visitors of the day can go in.

On this tour you share the boat with other visitors (up to 13 people), the departure is at 12:00 PM and you pay per person. On the version on a private boat, the boat is just for your group, you choose the time and the price depends on the size of your group. The beach, the swim and the 30 minutes inside are the same on both.

That person can’t enter Hidden Beach. The tour without the access swim visits the same islands, with snorkeling, the Puente de Piedra stone arch and Playa La Nopalera, in 2 hours 30 minutes and with no minimum age, so the whole group can go together. If part of the group wants to go into the beach while others wait on board, there is a private tour for families with children under 10.

You can book up to 24 hours before departure, but we recommend booking at least 2 weeks ahead, especially in high season and for weekends: Hidden Beach’s daily limit of 116 people is shared among all operators.

By car, the marina is about 25 minutes from Sayulita and from Bucerías, 45 minutes from Nuevo Vallarta and between 1 hour and 1 hour 30 minutes from Puerto Vallarta, depending on the area. There is a small free parking lot at the marina; if it’s full, you can park on the street in front of it.

No. The tour starts at Marina Punta Mita. If you need transportation, we can arrange it on WhatsApp for an additional charge, which depends on where you’re staying and how many people are in your group.

• Swimsuit already on, towel and a change of clothes.
• Cap and sunglasses.
• Biodegradable sunscreen, applied at least 30 minutes before getting in the water.
• Cash for the marina restroom (MXN $10), since the boat has no restroom.
• If you want to take your phone to the beach, a waterproof pouch; they’re sold at the marina.

You can bring snacks, but they can’t be eaten inside the park.

Year-round, blue-footed boobies and reef fish. From December to March, humpback whales may appear on the way from the marina to the islands, and sometimes dolphins, but this is wildlife and sightings are not guaranteed. If seeing whales is your goal, the whale watching tour runs from December 10 to March 22.

• If you cancel more than 24 hours in advance, we refund 100%. Within that same window you can also change the date at no cost, subject to availability.
• With less than 24 hours’ notice, or if you don’t show up, there is no refund.
• If the Port Authority closes the port due to weather, you choose between another date or a full refund. During hurricane season there can be intermittent closures; we let you know as early as possible.
• Refunds go back to the original payment method and take 5 to 10 business days.

Read the cancellation policy.