↑ ↓ to move ↵ to open esc to close
    Playa Camarones with the apartment buildings of 5 de Diciembre behind the sand, Jalisco

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

    Evening view over Playa Camarones and Banderas Bay, Jalisco

    Photo by Arbmosut, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    The northern stretch of Playa Camarones, Jalisco

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

    Playa Camarones

    Beach Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco Municipality of Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay

    Downtown beach of the 5 de Diciembre neighborhood, just north of the Malecón: named for shrimp fishermen, now loved by local families.

    From Puerto Vallarta: 5 min by car (3 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

    See everything nearby ↓

    Plan your visit to Playa Camarones

    Where to stay near Playa Camarones

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Playa Camarones.

    Hotels in Playa Camarones Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Playa Camarones

    Day trips and guided outings from Sayulita often include Playa Camarones; 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 Camarones

    • From Puerto Vallarta: about 5 min by road (~3 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 Camarones

    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 Camarones

    Playa Camarones, Shrimp Beach, is the city beach of Puerto Vallarta's 5 de Diciembre neighborhood, starting just north of the Malecón and running up toward the hotel zone. It takes its name from the shrimp fishermen who used to land their catch on this stretch of sand. The beach is about 640 meters long and some 27 meters wide, measured from the breakwater in front of the Villa Premiere hotel northward, with apartment buildings, small hotels such as the Buenaventura and a row of beach bars and restaurants behind it.

    It has a different feel from Playa Los Muertos on the other side of downtown. Camarones is where many local families spread out a blanket and spend the day, quieter than the Zona Romántica but sociable, and it is usually less crowded than the resort beaches further north. The beach has been promoted as one of the cleanest in the city, and the Blue Flag program's information boards stand at the entrance. Watersports operators work the sand: stand-up paddleboards, jet skis, boat rides, parasailing and horseback rides are all on offer.

    Being so close to the Malecón, it is an easy place to combine a morning on the beach with an afternoon walking the waterfront, and in the evening the beach bars, some with live music or DJs, keep it lively; El Barracuda is a favorite for its cocktails. There are no public restrooms, so you will rely on the restaurants. The sea in the bay is calmest from November to May; in summer and autumn the waves are bigger and rip currents become more likely, so check the flags before swimming.

    How to get to Playa Camarones

    Drive from Puerto Vallarta: 5 min, 3 km

    Camarones is at the north end of downtown Puerto Vallarta, in Colonia 5 de Diciembre around Avenida Paraguay and the Hotel Buenaventura, a short walk north from the Malecón and Parque Hidalgo. City buses that run north from the Centro along Calle Juárez and Calle Colombia through 5 de Diciembre pass a block or two inland; from the hotel zone, any bus heading into town along Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio gets you close. Taxis and ride-hailing apps work too.

    Directions to Playa Camarones on Google Maps

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

    Where to stay Hotels in Playa Camarones Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Playa Camarones. 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 Camarones

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

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

    Entry
    Free: it is a public beach, even where it fronts hotels. Vallarta Adventures · checked Oct 2026
    Best season
    Calmest from November to May; summer and autumn bring bigger waves and occasional rip currents. Marival Distinct · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Plan on the beach restaurants for restrooms: there are no public ones. Garza Blanca Resort travel guide · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    Check the beach flags before swimming: green is safe, yellow means caution, red means strong currents, purple warns of jellyfish or stingrays. Marival Distinct · checked Oct 2026

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

    Visiting Playa Camarones: what to see and do

    Spend a day on the sand with Vallarta's own families, away from the resort crowds.
    Rent a paddleboard or go parasailing from the beach.
    Walk south onto the Malecón for the afternoon.
    Have a cocktail at El Barracuda on the beach at sunset.
    Stay for the beach bars with live music or DJs at night.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Playa Camarones

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

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

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Sayulita often include Playa Camarones; 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 35 km more to Playa Camarones, 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 Camarones.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on swimming or surfing at Playa Camarones, 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 Camarones 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 Camarones warm

    Playa Camarones shares the climate of Sayulita, 35 km away. The best months to visit are March, April, May, and November.

    Playa Camarones 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 Camarones, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Playa Camarones

    Near Playa Camarones

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

    Lists with Playa Camarones

    Beaches in Jalisco · 20 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.