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    A small sandy cove with dark rocks running into the sea at Playa Los Venados, south of Lo de Marcos, Nayarit

    Photo by Camila Glez, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Playa Los Venados

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

    A small, quiet bay just south of Lo de Marcos where big waves break into curtains of spray and the south end is calm, with a lookout on the hill.

    From Puerto Vallarta: 1 h 5 min by car (75 km by road) How to get there ↓

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    Plan your visit to Playa Los Venados

    Where to stay near Playa Los Venados

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Playa Los Venados.

    Hotels in Playa Los Venados Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Playa Los Venados

    Day trips and guided outings from Sayulita often include Playa Los Venados; 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 Los Venados

    • From Puerto Vallarta: about 1 h 5 min by road (~75 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 Sayulita, near Playa Los Venados

    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 Los Venados

    Playa Los Venados is a small bay on the Riviera Nayarit coast just south of the village of Lo de Marcos, in the municipality of Bahía de Banderas. It is one of the little beaches that sit around Lo de Marcos's main beach, together with Las Minitas, its immediate neighbor, and El Atracadero, all set among green hills and oddly shaped rocks. The sand runs for a little under 300 meters between rocky points, with tropical forest behind it.

    The beach is best known for its surf. When the swell is up, the waves break hard and throw up curtains of spray, a sight that draws people who like a bit of drama on the shore. The southern end is the opposite: sheltered, with calm water good for wading, sitting and watching the sea. On that side the sea meets the slope of the hill, and you can climb a little way for wide views over the bay and the turquoise water.

    It stays quiet partly by choice. Residents of Lo de Marcos have tried to keep it as it is, and it is one of the least visited beaches on this coast, with no hotels on the sand and few services. A few vacation homes and bungalows sit in the hills nearby, and Lo de Marcos, a short walk or drive away, has restaurants, small hotels and a trailer park. Expect a simple, natural setting, and judge the waves before you go in.

    How to get to Playa Los Venados

    Drive from Puerto Vallarta: 1 h 5 min, 75 km

    Lo de Marcos is on federal Highway 200 between San Pancho and Rincón de Guayabitos, about 52 km and just over an hour by car from Puerto Vallarta airport. In the village, follow the street that leads to the main beach; one or two blocks before the sand, a sign points left toward Los Venados. You can also walk or drive the dirt road called Camino a Las Minitas, which runs southwest from the village toward Las Minitas and Los Venados.

    Directions to Playa Los Venados on Google Maps

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

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

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    From the nearest cities to Playa Los Venados

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

    Before you go to Playa Los Venados: hours, prices and tips

    Rules
    The surf can be strong, with waves breaking into curtains of water; for a calm dip, stay at the sheltered south end of the bay. Posta · checked Oct 2026

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

    Visiting Playa Los Venados: what to see and do

    Watch the big waves break into curtains of spray when the swell is up.
    Wade and relax in the calm water at the south end of the bay.
    Climb the hillside on the south side for views over the bay.
    Walk over to neighboring Las Minitas and on to the main beach of Lo de Marcos.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Playa Los Venados

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Playa Los Venados.

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

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Sayulita often include Playa Los Venados; 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 12 km more to Playa Los Venados, 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 Los Venados.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

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

    Airalo

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    When to go to Playa Los Venados warm

    Playa Los Venados shares the climate of Sayulita, 12 km away. The best months to visit are March, April, May, and November.

    Playa Los Venados 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 Los Venados, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Playa Los Venados

    Near Playa Los Venados

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

    Lists with Playa Los Venados

    Beaches in Nayarit · 25 Beaches near Sayulita · 42 Beaches near Puerto Vallarta · 40 Beaches near Compostela · 13

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.