Puerto Vallarta: Marietas Islands Hidden Beach & Snorkel

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.78 (162 reviews) 86% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/11

Duration3h

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN · ES

Mobile ticketAccepted

The boat ride to Marietas Islands takes 15 minutes—then you swim into a tunnel to find a beach nobody can drive to.

You board a small boat at Punta Mita, ride 15–20 minutes to Marietas Islands, then swim through a natural tunnel to reach Hidden Beach with a guide protecting your phone. After 30 minutes on the sand, you snorkel at Playa Nopalera with included equipment before returning to the pier. The whole tour keeps groups to eight people and includes life jacket, snorkel gear, and non-alcoholic drinks.

Step-by-step itinerary

Marietas Islands boat tour and snorkeling

Meet at Punta Mita Pier
Board boat with small group
Boat ride to Marietas Islands
Swim through tunnel to Hidden Beach
Stay 30 minutes at Hidden Beach
Guide takes photos of participants
Snorkel with provided equipment
Visit Playa Nopalera for swimming
Return to Punta Mita Pier

The Experience

The first thing that catches you off guard is how small the group actually is. Eight people maximum, and on the morning we're talking about, there were only six of us standing at Punta Mita Pier waiting to board. The captain runs through the safety talk while you're still deciding whether the water is going to be as cold as it looks—it isn't, but your brain doesn't know that yet. The boat ride to Marietas Islands takes between 15 and 20 minutes depending on the sea, and you spend most of it watching the coastline shrink and the water change from murky to that shade of blue that makes you understand why people move to Mexico.

Then you're in the water, swimming 80 to 100 meters through a natural tunnel with a certified guide, and the moment you surface on the other side—Playa Escondida, the hidden beach—you get why this place has a waiting list. It's a small cove carved into the island, sand that's somehow both crowded and private, and the guide is already holding your phone in a waterproof container so you can actually be present instead of filming. You get about 30 minutes there, which sounds short until you're standing in it and realize you don't need longer. After that, the snorkeling part happens at Playa Nopalera, where the equipment is included and the fish are close enough that you stop thinking about technique and just look. The whole Marietas Islands experience—boat, tunnel swim, both beaches, snorkel gear—wraps up before lunch, and you're back at the pier by early afternoon.

What matters before you book: groups stay under eight people, so it fills up fast and the operator recommends booking ahead. You can't wear shoes on the beaches or bring bags, backpacks, or outside food—it's a protection rule for the islands, and it means you show up with just your swimsuit, sunscreen, and a reusable water bottle. The age range is 10 to 64, and you need at least moderate fitness because the tunnel swim is real swimming, not wading. If the weather turns, they'll reschedule you or refund the full amount, which takes the gamble out of booking a water tour in Mexico.

What’s included

Your day includes boat transport from Punta Mita Pier to Marietas Islands, a guided swim through the natural tunnel to Hidden Beach with your phone protected in a waterproof container, 30 minutes on the beach, snorkeling at Playa Nopalera with full equipment provided, a life jacket, non-alcoholic beverages, and return transport to the pier.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by shark´s tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to reach Hidden Beach without arranging your own boat or worrying about timing—the small group size and fixed schedule handle both, and the guide's phone protection means you actually enjoy the moment instead of filming it.