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    Satellite view of Playa Las Cuevas between Sayulita and San Pancho, Nayarit

    Photo by EOX IT Services, Copernicus Sentinel data 2016, CC BY 4.0, via EOxCloudless

    Playa Las Cuevas

    Beach Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit Municipality of Bahía de Banderas Banderas Bay Riviera Nayarit

    A small cove of white sand and weathered boulders north of Sayulita, reached by a jungle path, with a rock arch to Playa Malpaso at low tide.

    From Puerto Vallarta: 50 min by car (59 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

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    Plan your visit to Playa Las Cuevas

    Where to stay near Playa Las Cuevas

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

    Hotels in Playa Las Cuevas Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Playa Las Cuevas

    Day trips and guided outings from Sayulita often include Playa Las Cuevas; 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 Las Cuevas

    • From Puerto Vallarta: about 50 min by road (~59 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 Sayulita, near Playa Las Cuevas

    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 Las Cuevas

    Playa Las Cuevas is a small cove on the open Pacific about two miles north of Sayulita, the first beach you reach when you leave town on the right-hand side as you face the sea. Rocky cliffs close it in on both sides, jungle comes down behind the sand, and the beach is scattered with big, wave-worn boulders. Just beyond its northern rocks lies the longer Playa Malpaso, which runs on toward San Pancho.

    The name, "the caves", comes from the rock formations at its edges. The best known is a natural arch at the north end that links Las Cuevas with Malpaso: at low tide you can walk through it from one beach to the other, but the passage floods at high tide, so keep an eye on the water if you go through. Visitors describe a wild, isolated spot with white sand and clear water, and despite being so close to Sayulita's busy main beach it is often almost empty.

    There is nothing here: no restaurants, vendors or toilets, so bring water and food and carry your rubbish out. Swimming is not recommended, because the shore break can be heavy and this whole stretch of coast is exposed to Pacific swells and rip currents. Most people come for the walk itself, the views from the trail over the cove and Malpaso, a picnic and an afternoon on the rocks.

    How to get to Playa Las Cuevas

    Drive from Puerto Vallarta: 50 min, 59 km

    Las Cuevas is reached on foot from Sayulita, about two miles north of town. The coastal route starts at the north end of Sayulita beach and climbs over the headland through the jungle. The inland route follows Avenida del Palmar across the river, past the campsites and school, to the end of the road; take the dirt path above the shore, cross the seasonal stream and the boulders, cross a cobbled private road and climb to a gate, where a yellow "Camino a la Playa" sign marks the path. About 50 m on, the left fork goes down to Las Cuevas. Construction near Malpaso has changed these trails, so ask locally before setting out.

    Directions to Playa Las Cuevas on Google Maps

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

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

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    From the nearest cities to Playa Las Cuevas

    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 Cuevas: hours, prices and tips

    Best time of day
    Go at low tide if you want to walk through the rock arch to Playa Malpaso; the passage floods at high tide, so watch the water so you are not cut off. Sayulita Life · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Water and snacks: there are no vendors or facilities once you leave Sayulita's main beach. Sayulita Life · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    Swimming is not recommended: the shore break at Las Cuevas can be intense. Erika's Travels · checked Oct 2026

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

    Visiting Playa Las Cuevas: what to see and do

    Walk the jungle trail from the north end of Sayulita and look down over Las Cuevas and Malpaso from the headland.
    Pass through the rock arch to Playa Malpaso at low tide, watching the tide on the way back.
    Explore the boulders and rock formations that give the beach its name.
    Picnic on an often empty beach; there are no services, so bring everything you need.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Playa Las Cuevas

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

    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 Cuevas; 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 2 km more to Playa Las Cuevas, 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 Cuevas.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

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

    Airalo

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    When to go to Playa Las Cuevas warm

    Playa Las Cuevas shares the climate of Sayulita, 2 km away. The best months to visit are March, April, May, and November.

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

    Also close to

    Closest to Playa Las Cuevas

    Near Playa Las Cuevas

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

    Lists with Playa Las Cuevas

    Beaches in Nayarit · 25 Beaches near Sayulita · 42 Beaches near Puerto Vallarta · 40

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.