Marietas Islands: Private Snorkeling & Hidden Beach Entry

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/15

Duration4h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · ES

Mobile ticketAccepted

Swim to Hidden Beach with guides snacks & eco permits

You’ll cross from Punta Mita by boat with a small group and local guide, snorkel above bright reefs at Marietas Islands, then swim through a cave into Hidden Beach—a spot only a handful reach daily. Expect quick laughter from your guide, salty air on your skin, and a rare sense of quiet inside that sunlit crater. It’s one of those days you’ll replay in your head later.

Step-by-step itinerary

Marietas Islands snorkeling and Hidden Beach

Check in and meet guide
Receive snorkeling gear
Walk to pier and board boat
Boat ride to Marietas Islands
Guided snorkeling in clear waters
Wait for Hidden Beach access
Swim through cave to Hidden Beach
Relax and explore Hidden Beach

The Experience

I’d seen photos of Playa del Amor (Hidden Beach) near Punta Mita before, but standing on the boat as we sped across the water, I realized how different it feels in person. The sea air was salty and sharp that morning—my hair kept whipping into my mouth—and our guide, Andrés, handed out masks while chatting about how only 116 people get to touch that sand each day. He said it like it was no big deal, but you could tell he was proud of their permit stash. I tried not to look nervous about the swim through the cave; I’m a decent swimmer but not exactly an Olympian.

The Marietas Islands themselves are wild—black rocks dotted with seabirds, water shifting between blue and green depending on where you looked. We stopped for snorkeling first. I remember the cold shock slipping in, then seeing these tiny yellow fish darting around my ankles. Andrés pointed out a pufferfish and laughed when I tried to say its name in Spanish (I definitely butchered it). There’s this quiet underwater—just your own breath and the distant clatter of other swimmers’ fins. It felt good to just float for a minute.

Getting into Hidden Beach is kind of surreal. You wait your turn bobbing by the entrance, then follow Andrés single file through this low tunnel—sunlight suddenly pouring in at the end like someone opened a secret door. The sand is finer than I expected, almost powdery, and everyone went quiet for a second when we popped up inside. We had maybe twenty minutes there; some folks took selfies but I just lay back and watched light flicker off the cave walls. It’s weird how fast time goes in places like that—you want to hold onto it but you can’t.

What’s included

Your day covers all national park permits and conservancy fees for Marietas Islands entry plus use of snorkeling gear. The boat ride comes with eco-friendly cups for drinks (bring your refillable bottle), apples, bananas, sandwiches, and sodas—all handled by your local guide before returning after your swim through to Hidden Beach.

Good to know

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

Operated by Eco Explorer Vallarta