Mexico
Marietas Islands
A crater beach hides inside an island loud with seabirds.
The islands are small, loud with seabirds and honeycombed by the sea. The famous crater beach hides inside one of them, reached by a short swim through a rock passage when conditions and rangers allow.
The Islas Marietas are a protected archipelago in Bahía de Banderas, visited by boat with authorised operators under CONANP's rules. Playa del Amor, the hidden crater beach, operates on limited days with life jackets and ranger instructions mandatory, and weather can close the tunnel altogether. Snorkelling, birdwatching and the sea-cliff landscape hold the day either way.
Couple
Take an authorised morning trip and treat the crater beach as a lucky extra rather than the point.
Friends
Snorkel the caves and cliffs together whatever the beach roster says.
- CONANP authorises boat visits from Bahía de Banderas to the protected Islas Marietas.
- Playa del Amor operates on limited days and hours, with life jackets and ranger instructions mandatory.
- Snorkelling, birdwatching and the sea-cliff landscape remain worthwhile if weather closes the tunnel.
Authorised tours cross with lunch aboard: boxed meals and drinks are part of the island day.
Back in Punta de Mita, pescado zarandeado is grilled over wood in the Nayarit style.
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