↑ ↓ to move ↵ to open esc to close
    Panorama of the wide sandy shore of Playa El Borrego in San Blas, with low hills on the horizon, Nayarit

    Photo by Ferfive, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Playa El Borrego

    Beach San Blas, Nayarit Municipality of San Blas Banderas Bay Riviera Nayarit

    San Blas's town beach: almost 3 km of soft sand at the end of Calle Azueta, with seafood palapas, beginner surf and sunsets.

    From Tepic: 50 min by car (57 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

    See everything nearby ↓

    Plan your visit to Playa El Borrego

    Where to stay near Playa El Borrego

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Playa El Borrego.

    Hotels in Playa El Borrego Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Playa El Borrego

    Day trips and guided outings from San Blas often include Playa El Borrego; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Sayulita Yelapa & Secluded Private Beach ALL INCLUSIVE Adventure ★ 4.8 (2,559) · From US$135
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Playa El Borrego

    • From Tepic: about 50 min by road (~57 km)
    • Nearest airport: Tepic (TPQ), 1 h 5 min by car to San Blas
    Rent a car at TPQ Flights to TPQ

    Route, map and directions ↓

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

    Tours from Sayulita, near Playa El Borrego

    Yelapa & Secluded Private Beach ALL INCLUSIVE Adventure ★ 4.8 (2,559) 6–7 h From US$135
    Marietas Islands National Park: Full Day ALL INCLUSIVE Tour ★ 4.8 (772) 6 h From US$130
    Horseback Riding in Sayulita Through Jungle Trails to the Beach ★ 4.9 (215) 2 h From US$79
    Hike and Yoga Jungle Experience in Mexico ★ 5.0 (175) 2 h 30 min From US$30
    Sayulita Taco Tour ★ 5.0 (159) 2–3 h From US$54

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

    About Playa El Borrego

    Playa El Borrego is the beach of San Blas itself, the old Spanish port on the north coast of Nayarit that became a Pueblo Mágico in 2023. It starts where Calle Azueta ends, a short walk from the town center, and runs for almost three kilometers of soft sand along the open Pacific. It is one of the most visited beaches in San Blas, yet it has no large hotels or resorts: the beachfront is a string of simple palapa restaurants and bars.

    Conditions change with the season and the swell. On calm days the water is gentle enough that Mexican travel writers compare it to a giant swimming pool and recommend it for families, and the slope into the sea is moderate. At other times there are decent waves and rip currents; the beach has warning flags and a lifeguard, and it is considered a good place to learn to surf, with boards for rent on the streets between the plaza and the sea and at beachfront restaurants. The more famous breaks of Matanchén Bay, among them Stoners and Las Islitas, are a short drive south.

    The palapas serve fresh seafood, with pescado zarandeado, the grilled whole fish of Nayarit, as the house specialty, and you can rent chairs and umbrellas or ride a horse along the shore. A path leads out to a small lighthouse that juts into the sea, with the sound of the waves breaking all the way, and the sunsets are a local ritual. Toward evening the jejenes come out, the tiny biting gnats of the San Blas coast, so bring repellent.

    How to get to Playa El Borrego

    Drive from Tepic: 50 min, 57 km

    From the center of San Blas, walk or drive to the end of Calle Azueta, where the beach begins. San Blas is about 69 km from Tepic, roughly 45 minutes by car, via the Tepic to San Blas highway or the free road through Jalcocotán. From Puerto Vallarta it is about three hours by the coastal highway.

    Directions to Playa El Borrego on Google Maps

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

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

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

    Before you go to Playa El Borrego: hours, prices and tips

    Best time of day
    Sunset is the classic time here, but the jejenes come out in the late afternoon: bring repellent, sunscreen, a change of clothes and shoes that can get wet. Posta · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    No guide needed. Surf lessons are optional; boards can be rented in town and at beachfront restaurants. Wikivoyage · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    Swimming can be treacherous when there are waves: beware of rip currents and follow the warning flags and the lifeguard. Lonely Planet · checked Oct 2026

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

    Visiting Playa El Borrego: what to see and do

    Eat pescado zarandeado or garlic shrimp at a palapa on the sand.
    Take a beginner surf lesson or rent a board in town.
    Walk the path out to the little lighthouse that juts into the sea.
    Ride a horse along the shore or rent a chair and umbrella for the afternoon.
    Stay for the sunset, with repellent at hand for the jejenes.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Playa El Borrego

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Playa El Borrego.

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

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from San Blas often include Playa El Borrego; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at TPQ (Tepic): about 1 h 5 min by road to San Blas, then 2 km more to Playa El Borrego, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Tepic (TPQ), about 1 h 5 min by road from San Blas, the base for Playa El Borrego.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

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

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from San Blas: download a map of the way to Playa El Borrego 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.

    When to go to Playa El Borrego warm

    Playa El Borrego shares the climate of San Blas, 2 km away. The best months to visit are March, April, May, and December.

    Playa El Borrego 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 San Blas

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: San Blas

    Aerial view of San Blas and its long beach on the Pacific, Nayarit warm
    Nayarit San Blas

    San Blas is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Playa El Borrego, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Playa El Borrego

    Near Playa El Borrego

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

    Lists with Playa El Borrego

    Beaches in Nayarit · 25 Beaches near San Blas · 10 Beaches near Tepic · 7 Beaches near Compostela · 13

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.