↑ ↓ to move ↵ to open esc to close
    Beach tables under a parasol at Las Ánimas, with a tour boat moored at the pier, Playa Las Ánimas, Jalisco

    Photo by HockeyholicAZ, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

    A cove on the coastal trail from Boca de Tomatlán to Las Ánimas, Playa Las Ánimas, Jalisco

    Photo by Andy Blackledge, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Jungle and a turquoise cove seen from the trail to Las Ánimas, Playa Las Ánimas, Jalisco

    Photo by HockeyholicAZ, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

    Playa Las Ánimas

    Beach Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco Municipality of Cabo Corrientes Banderas Bay

    A 600-meter beach of palapa restaurants on the south shore, the first water-taxi stop from Boca de Tomatlán and the end of the coastal hike.

    Reached by boat from Boca de Tomatlán: 20 min each way. How to get there ↓

    Near here

    See everything nearby ↓

    Plan your visit to Playa Las Ánimas

    Where to stay near Playa Las Ánimas

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Playa Las Ánimas.

    Hotels in Playa Las Ánimas Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Playa Las Ánimas

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

    Hiking in Hidden Beaches : Boca, Colomitos & Las Ánimas ★ 5.0 (3) · From US$33
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Playa Las Ánimas

    • Reached by boat from Boca de Tomatlán: 20 min each way.
    • From Puerto Vallarta: about 25 min by road (~21 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.

    Popular tours to Playa Las Ánimas

    Hiking in Hidden Beaches : Boca, Colomitos & Las Ánimas ★ 5.0 (3) 6 h 30 min From US$33

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

    About Playa Las Ánimas

    Playa Las Ánimas is a beach on the south shore of Banderas Bay, in the municipality of Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, about 3 kilometers west of Boca de Tomatlán along a coast that no road reaches. It is a gently curving strip of smooth sand some 600 meters long, backed by jungle-covered hills, and the sea here usually comes in as soft swells, good for swimming and for snorkeling around the rocks. The land belongs to the local ejido and indigenous community, whose families run most of what you find on the beach.

    Las Ánimas is the busiest of the south-shore beaches because it is the first stop for the water taxis heading south from Boca, and it has a large pier where the bigger tour boats from Puerto Vallarta also tie up for lunch. The sand is lined with palapa restaurants serving fresh seafood and cold beer, along with craft stalls and massage tables. There is plenty to do if you want more than a lounger: horseback rides, water skiing, parasailing and banana-boat rides are offered on the beach, and an adventure park in the hills behind has zip lines, climbing walls and hanging bridges. On clear days you may spot whales or dolphins out in the bay in winter.

    The other way to arrive is on foot. A coastal trail runs from Boca de Tomatlán past Colomitos, Playa Escondida, Playa Hacamiya and Playa Caballo before dropping down to Las Ánimas, a walk of roughly two to three hours with rocky stretches, roots, stairs and steady ups and downs, especially in the jungle section near the start. Most hikers eat lunch here and take a water taxi back. In the evening, once the day boats leave, the beach becomes much quieter; boats keep running between Las Ánimas, Quimixto and Boca during the day, but the schedule depends on weather and demand, so agree on your return time.

    How to get to Playa Las Ánimas

    Drive from Puerto Vallarta to Boca de Tomatlán: 25 min, 21 km

    There is no road. Take a local bus marked Mismaloya/Boca from the corner of Basilio Badillo and Constitución in Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romántica to Boca de Tomatlán, about 20 km south on Highway 200 (the urban fare rose to 11 pesos in April 2026; the bus leaves you at the top of the hill, with stairs down to the pier). From the Boca pier, water taxis reach Las Ánimas in about 20 minutes; buy tickets from the boat staff, ask whether the price is per person, and make sure the boat stops where you need. Or walk the coastal trail from Boca, two to three hours one way. Many boat tours from the Puerto Vallarta marina and Los Muertos pier also stop at Las Ánimas for lunch.

    Reached by boat from Boca de Tomatlán: 20 min each way.

    Directions to Playa Las Ánimas on Google Maps

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

    Best with a guide Tours to Playa Las Ánimas on Viator With transport and a guide, leaving from nearby towns and cities. 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 Las Ánimas

    • Puerto Vallarta · 21 km by road, 25 min to Boca de Tomatlán, then 20 min by boat
    • Autlán · about 170 km by road, ~2 h 30 min to Boca de Tomatlán, then 20 min by boat
    • Tepic · 194 km by road, 2 h 40 min to Boca de Tomatlán, then 20 min by boat

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

    Before you go to Playa Las Ánimas: hours, prices and tips

    Hours
    Water taxis run during the day, but times change with weather and demand; do not count on a fixed last boat around 5 or 6 pm. Agree on a return time in advance and reconfirm it at Las Ánimas. Take Me To Puerto Vallarta · checked Oct 2026
    Time needed
    The coastal hike from Boca de Tomatlán takes about two to three hours one way; plan a full day with an early start. Take Me To Puerto Vallarta · checked Oct 2026
    Best season
    June to October is the rainy season: the jungle is at its greenest, but bring a poncho and mosquito repellent for the trail. Take Me To Puerto Vallarta · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    No guide is needed: water taxis from Boca de Tomatlán get you there, and the coastal trail can be walked alone. Guided six-hour hikes along the hidden beaches to Las Ánimas are also offered. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide Take Me To Puerto Vallarta · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    If you hike: shoes with good grip, plenty of water (there is nowhere reliable to buy it between Boca and Las Ánimas), sun protection, repellent, a swimsuit and cash for the water taxi and lunch. Take Me To Puerto Vallarta · checked Oct 2026

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

    Visiting Playa Las Ánimas: what to see and do

    Swim and snorkel off the 600-meter crescent of sand, usually calm with gentle swells.
    Eat fresh seafood under a palapa at one of the beachfront restaurants.
    Hike the coastal trail from Boca de Tomatlán past Colomitos and Playa Caballo, two to three hours one way.
    Try parasailing, a banana-boat ride or a horseback ride on the beach.
    Spend a few hours at the adventure park in the hills behind, with zip lines and hanging bridges.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Playa Las Ánimas

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Playa Las Ánimas.

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

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Sayulita often include Playa Las Ánimas; 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 42 km more to Playa Las Ánimas, 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 Las Ánimas.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on swimming or surfing at Playa Las Ánimas, 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 Las Ánimas 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 Las Ánimas warm

    Playa Las Ánimas shares the climate of Sayulita, 42 km away. The best months to visit are March, April, May, and November.

    Playa Las Ánimas 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 Las Ánimas, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Playa Las Ánimas

    Near Playa Las Ánimas

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

    Lists with Playa Las Ánimas

    Beaches in Jalisco · 20 Beaches near Puerto Vallarta · 40 Beaches near Sayulita · 42 Beaches near Talpa de Allende · 17 Beaches near Mascota · 16

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.