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    The sandy cove of Playa Amapas below a wooded rocky headland, Jalisco

    Photo by Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Swimmers at Playa Amapas with the hotel zone across the bay, Jalisco

    Photo by Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Sunset over the rocks and sand of Playa Amapas, Jalisco

    Photo by Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Playa Amapas

    Beach Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco Municipality of Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay

    Small rocky cove just past the south end of Los Muertos, reached over the El Púlpito rock; amber sand, green water, no lifeguards.

    From Puerto Vallarta: 10 min by car (7 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

    See everything nearby ↓

    Plan your visit to Playa Amapas

    Where to stay near Playa Amapas

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Playa Amapas.

    Hotels in Playa Amapas Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Playa Amapas

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

    Tours from Puerto Vallarta Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours ★ 5.0 (3,971) · From US$59
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Playa Amapas

    • From Puerto Vallarta: about 10 min by road (~7 km)
    • Nearest airport: Puerto Vallarta (PVR), 41 min by car to Sayulita
    Rent a car at PVR Flights to PVR

    Route, map and directions ↓

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    Tours from Puerto Vallarta, near Playa Amapas

    Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours ★ 5.0 (3,971) 3 h 30 min From US$59
    Puerto Vallarta Extreme Adventure: Wildest Bridge, ATV & Ziplines ★ 4.9 (3,357) 6 h From US$69
    Puerto Vallarta Zipline, Rappel, Water Slide & Speedboat tour ★ 4.9 (2,144) 6 h 30 min From US$69
    Food & Mixology Tour:Tequila,Tacos, Mezcal and Agave Cocktails ★ 5.0 (1,949) 4 h From US$98
    Puerto Vallarta Rhythms of the Night, Dinner Cruise and Alma Show ★ 4.5 (2,093) 5 h From US$119

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

    About Playa Amapas

    Playa Amapas, also called Las Amapas, is a small beach at the southern edge of Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romántica, the first cove you reach after Playa Los Muertos runs out. A rocky outcrop known as El Púlpito, the Pulpit, separates the two, and above the cove rises the hillside neighbourhood of Amapas. True to its name, the beach is shaded by native amapa trees.

    It is a very different place from its busy neighbour. The cove is tucked between rock formations that run out into the sea, so it feels enclosed and quiet even when Los Muertos is packed. The sand is thick and amber-coloured, the water a vivid green, and the shoreline is often strewn with stones, shells and other things the waves bring in. Waves are usually gentle to moderate, and the rocks at each end are what people come to explore and photograph, especially at sunset, when the sun drops into the bay straight in front of the beach.

    Getting there is part of the trip. At the south end of Los Muertos, a few steps from the sculpture of the Boy on the Seahorse, stairs climb the slope over El Púlpito, and from the top a rocky, uneven path leads down to the sand. The way is only moderately difficult but needs care, especially in sandals. There are no lifeguards and no services on the beach, so the water is best left to confident swimmers. From Amapas a seafront path carries on south past villas and condominium towers to Playa Conchas Chinas, so many people treat it as the first stop on that walk.

    How to get to Playa Amapas

    Drive from Puerto Vallarta: 10 min, 7 km

    Walk south along Playa Los Muertos in the Zona Romántica to its far end. A few steps past the Boy on the Seahorse sculpture, stairs climb over the El Púlpito rocks; from the top, a rocky and uneven path drops down to the cove. Allow a few minutes and watch your footing.

    Directions to Playa Amapas on Google Maps

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

    Where to stay Hotels in Playa Amapas Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Playa Amapas. See prices →

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    From the nearest cities to Playa Amapas

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

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

    Best time of day
    Late afternoon and sunset, when the sun drops into the bay in front of the beach. Visit Puerto Vallarta · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    There are no lifeguards; the water suits experienced swimmers, and the rocky path down needs care. Visit Puerto Vallarta · checked Oct 2026

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

    Visiting Playa Amapas: what to see and do

    Climb over El Púlpito from Playa Los Muertos and scramble down to the cove.
    Explore and photograph the rock formations at both ends of the beach.
    Watch the sunset over the bay from the sand.
    Carry on along the seafront path to Playa Conchas Chinas.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Playa Amapas

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

    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

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

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at PVR (Puerto Vallarta): about 41 min by road to Sayulita, then 37 km more to Playa Amapas, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Puerto Vallarta (PVR), about 41 min by road from Sayulita, the base for Playa Amapas.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

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

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

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

    Airalo

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    Photos

    When to go to Playa Amapas warm

    Playa Amapas shares the climate of Sayulita, 37 km away. The best months to visit are March, April, May, and November.

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

    See the month-by-month climate of Sayulita

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Sayulita

    Palm-shaded street of shops and stalls in the center of Sayulita, Nayarit warm
    Nayarit Sayulita

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

    Also close to

    Closest to Playa Amapas

    Near Playa Amapas

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

    Lists with Playa Amapas

    Beaches in Jalisco · 22 Beaches near Puerto Vallarta · 40 Beaches near Sayulita · 42 Beaches near Mascota · 16 Beaches near Talpa de Allende · 17

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.