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    Satellite view of Playa Valentín and its lagoon, Guerrero

    Photo by EOX IT Services, Copernicus Sentinel data 2016, CC BY 4.0, via EOxCloudless

    Playa Valentín

    Beach Petatlán, Guerrero Municipality of Petatlán Costa Grande of Guerrero

    A quiet beach and lagoon on the Petatlán coast with a turtle camp, snook and red snapper fishing, and boat trips on the estuary.

    From Zihuatanejo: about 35 min by road (~40 km) How to get there ↓

    Near here

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    Plan your visit to Playa Valentín

    Where to stay near Playa Valentín

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Playa Valentín.

    Hotels in Playa Valentín Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Playa Valentín

    Day trips and guided outings from Zihuatanejo often include Playa Valentín; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Zihuatanejo Private Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo City Tour ★ 5.0 (153) · From US$56
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Playa Valentín

    • From Zihuatanejo: about 35 min by road (~40 km)
    • Nearest airport: Zihuatanejo (ZIH), 12 min by car to Zihuatanejo
    Rent a car at ZIH Flights to ZIH

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Zihuatanejo, near Playa Valentín

    Private Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo City Tour ★ 5.0 (153) 4 h From US$56
    Baby Sea Turtle Releasing Sightseeing Tour with Luis de la Maza ★ 4.9 (148) 3 h 30 min From US$61
    Xihuacan Culture and Archaeology Tour ★ 4.8 (118) 4 h From US$89
    Las Gatas Beach Kayaking and Snorkeling Tour ★ 4.9 (113) 5 h From US$94
    Zihuatanejo Food -Tasting and Walking Tour (Not for vegetarian) ★ 4.8 (87) 3 h From US$72

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Playa Valentín

    Valentín is an open-ocean beach on the coast of Petatlán municipality, about 11 km from the town, set apart by the lagoon behind it: the Valentín estuary, one of the bodies of water along this stretch of the Costa Grande, partly opens to the sea. Few people come, so the shoreline and estuary are close to untouched. Anglers fish the estuary and the surf for snook, red snapper, jack and ojotón, and you can take a boat out on the lagoon, walk the surroundings and watch the birds and coastal plants.

    The beach is a sea turtle nesting ground and has a turtle camp, La Tortuga Feliz, where visitors can quietly watch females lay their eggs and help release hatchlings. Protecting them has been hard work: in early 2004, armed gangs on horseback were reported raiding nests and killing turtles along this roughly 19 km strand of sand backed by fruit orchards and scrub forest; local officials reckoned at the time that only four in ten eggs survived, and a 22-strong community team patrolled the beach at night.

    For food there is a restaurant on the sand serving the day's fresh fish. About 5 km to the north, inland, is La Soledad de Maciel with the ruins of Xihuacan, an easy pairing on the same outing from Zihuatanejo or Petatlán.

    How to get to Playa Valentín

    Playa Valentín is 50 minutes from Zihuatanejo by car, 46 km by road: head southeast on federal highway 200 towards Petatlán and Acapulco, then take the municipality's coastal roads down to the beach. From Petatlán it is about 11 km, roughly half an hour.

    We found no public transport running to the beach itself. Estrella de Oro runs four direct buses a day from Mexico City's Terminal del Sur (Taxqueña) to Petatlán, taking 9.5 to 10 hours, and urvans and buses leave central Zihuatanejo for Petatlán every hour, 52 to 88 pesos depending on the line. From Petatlán, go by taxi, agreeing the fare before you set off, or drive. The US State Department warns its citizens against all travel to Guerrero; go by day, and ask in Petatlán about the state of the road.

    Directions to Playa Valentín on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Best with a guide Tours to Playa Valentín on Viator With transport and a guide, leaving from nearby towns and cities. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Playa Valentín

    • Zihuatanejo · about 40 km by road, ~35 min
    • Lázaro Cárdenas · about 140 km by road, ~2 h
    • Acapulco · about 215 km by road, ~3 h 10 min

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Playa Valentín: hours, prices and tips

    Guide or tour
    The La Tortuga Feliz turtle camp lets visitors watch nesting and join hatchling releases; the beach has a fish restaurant and boat trips are offered. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide Programa Destinos México · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Playa Valentín: what to see and do

    The Valentín lagoon, where the estuary opens to the sea.
    A boat trip on the estuary.
    Fishing for snook, red snapper, jack and ojotón.
    The La Tortuga Feliz turtle camp and its hatchling releases.
    A fresh-fish lunch at the beach restaurant.
    The Xihuacan ruins at La Soledad de Maciel, about 5 km north.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Playa Valentín

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Playa Valentín.

    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
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    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Zihuatanejo often include Playa Valentín; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at ZIH (Zihuatanejo): about 12 min by road to Zihuatanejo, then 29 km more to Playa Valentín, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Zihuatanejo (ZIH), about 12 min by road from Zihuatanejo, the base for Playa Valentín.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on swimming or surfing at Playa Valentín, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Zihuatanejo: download a map of the way to Playa Valentín before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    When to go to Playa Valentín warm

    Playa Valentín shares the climate of Zihuatanejo, 29 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and April.

    Playa Valentín is best for swimming and time on the water in the warmest months (May, July, and August); in the rainiest ones (August, September, and October) expect storms in the afternoon.

    See the month-by-month climate of Zihuatanejo

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Zihuatanejo

    Boats anchored in the turquoise bay of Zihuatanejo below green hills, Guerrero warm
    Guerrero Zihuatanejo

    Zihuatanejo is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Playa Valentín, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Closest to Playa Valentín

    Near Playa Valentín

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Lists with Playa Valentín

    Beaches in Guerrero · 19 Beaches near Zihuatanejo · 12

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.