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    Playa Olas Altas in the Zona Romántica with the hills south of Puerto Vallarta behind, Jalisco

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

    Early-morning light over Banderas Bay from Playa Olas Altas, Jalisco

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

    The footbridge at the mouth of the Cuale River, at the north end of Playa Olas Altas, Jalisco

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

    Playa Olas Altas

    Beach Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco Municipality of Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay

    Zona Romántica beach from the Cuale River mouth south to the Los Muertos pier: calmer than Los Muertos and a favorite with Mexican families.

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

    Near here

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    Plan your visit to Playa Olas Altas

    Where to stay near Playa Olas Altas

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Playa Olas Altas.

    Hotels in Playa Olas Altas Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Playa Olas Altas

    Day trips and guided outings from Sayulita often include Playa Olas Altas; 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 Olas Altas

    • From Puerto Vallarta: about 5 min by road (~5 km)
    • Nearest airport: Puerto Vallarta (PVR), 41 min by car to Sayulita
    Rent a car at PVR Flights to PVR

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Puerto Vallarta, near Playa Olas Altas

    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 Olas Altas

    Playa Olas Altas, High Waves Beach, is the stretch of sand in Puerto Vallarta's Zona Romántica that runs from the mouth of the Cuale River south to the pier at Playa Los Muertos, in the old Emiliano Zapata neighborhood. Guidebooks call it the handiest beach to the town center: you can walk onto it from the Malecón by crossing the river. It shares its name with Calle Olas Altas, one of the main streets of the neighborhood, which runs a block inland.

    Despite the name, the waves are usually modest, and Olas Altas is a popular swimming beach for Mexican families and domestic tourists. It is effectively the northern extension of Los Muertos but draws fewer sunbathers, so it feels a little more relaxed, though it fills up on holidays, when snack stands and shaded tables appear on the sand. Facing the beach near the Lázaro Cárdenas square are open-air stalls selling beach gear, small grocery shops and bar-restaurants that open onto the sand, and the remodeled Los Muertos pier, lit up at night, closes the view to the south.

    The north end, by the river mouth, has a small seaside lookout platform and the footbridge over the Cuale. Sea turtles nest on Vallarta's city beaches, mostly between August and December, and nesting areas here are marked with signs; if you see a turtle laying eggs, keep at least 10 meters away, avoid white lights and call the lifeguards or Profepa. Sunset over the bay, with the pier lit up, is the best time to come.

    How to get to Playa Olas Altas

    Drive from Puerto Vallarta: 5 min, 5 km

    Olas Altas is in the Zona Romántica, just south of the Cuale River; from the Malecón and downtown you walk across the river and you are there. The south-shore buses to Mismaloya and Boca de Tomatlán leave from Basilio Badillo and Constitución, a few blocks inland, and the El Tuito buses from Carranza and Aguacate, so the beach is also an easy stop on the way to the south shore. Taxis and ride-hailing apps can drop you on the streets behind the beach.

    Directions to Playa Olas Altas on Google Maps

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

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

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    From the nearest cities to Playa Olas Altas

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

    Before you go to Playa Olas Altas: hours, prices and tips

    Entry
    Free: it is a public beach. Garza Blanca Resort travel guide · checked Oct 2026
    Best time of day
    Sunset, when the lights come on along the Los Muertos pier. Wikipedia (citing Fodor's) · checked Oct 2026
    Best season
    Sea turtles nest on Vallarta's beaches mainly from August to December, sometimes from mid-July. Visit Puerto Vallarta · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    If you see a nesting turtle, stay at least 10 m away, use no white light or flash, and call the lifeguards at (322) 178-8800 or Profepa at (322) 222-0703. Visit Puerto Vallarta · checked Oct 2026

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

    Visiting Playa Olas Altas: what to see and do

    Walk from the Malecón across the Cuale River footbridge straight onto the sand.
    Swim alongside local families on a calm day.
    Eat or have a drink at a bar-restaurant facing the beach near Lázaro Cárdenas square.
    Watch the lights come on at the Los Muertos pier at sunset.
    See the sea-turtle nesting zone signs in season and keep your distance from any nests.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Playa Olas Altas

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Playa Olas Altas.

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    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Sayulita often include Playa Olas Altas; 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 36 km more to Playa Olas Altas, 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 Olas Altas.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on swimming or surfing at Playa Olas Altas, 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 Olas Altas before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    Photos

    When to go to Playa Olas Altas warm

    Playa Olas Altas shares the climate of Sayulita, 36 km away. The best months to visit are March, April, May, and November.

    Playa Olas Altas 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 Olas Altas, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Playa Olas Altas

    Near Playa Olas Altas

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

    Lists with Playa Olas Altas

    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.