ArboursAbroad contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase using one of the affiliated links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. See our Disclosure Policy for more information.
Looking for a dreamy secluded beach with crystal clear waters, great snorkeling, and no salespeople haggling you as you enjoy the ocean? Look no further than Playa Amapas in Puerto Vallarta.
When we found this beach, I was stunned it was so close to town, yet few visitors were there, and no a single other tourist was around. The only people at the beach were locals, and not the ones trying to sell you everything from shrimp on a stick to a llama trinket.
Playa Amapas might just be the best-hidden gem in Puerto Vallarta, and it’s surely to satisfy the dreamy beach vacation you’re craving.
Amapas Beach Puerto Vallarta
A hidden beach right near Puerto Vallarta’s most popular beach, Los Muertos?! Yes, please! Playa Amapas is the perfect escape for the crowds, venders, and restaurants often found along Puerto Vallarta’s beaches.
When we lived in Puerto Vallarta, we visited Playa Amapas a number of times. It’s super easy to access, is really close to town, and offers a bit more of a dreamy, relaxed beach feel than it’s overcrowded neighbors.
In this guide to Playa Amapas, we’re sharing how to find this secret beach, what to pack, and things to watch out for safety-wise at Playa Amapas Puerto Vallarta.
Playa Amapas Puerto Vallarta Quick Facts
Location | just south of Los Muertos Pier | 20.594893, -105.241123
Best For | relaxing escape from tourism + snorkeling
Beach Vibe | quiet and relaxed with rocky sand
What is Playa Amapas?
Playa Amapas is a small, secluded beach in Jalisco, Mexico just south of the Romantic Zone in Puerto Vallarta.
It’s accessible by a 5-minute walk from the Los Muertos Pier, and is the perfect place to plan a full beach day in Puerto Vallarta.
Playa Amapas gets its name from the Amapa trees that surround this beach.
Depending on tide and the season, the waves at Playa Amapas can be too big to even get in the water, or non-existent at all. We’ve been there for both, and even with the big waves, the shade and just sound of the beach is a nice escape!
Where is Las Amapas Beach in Puerto Vallarta?
Las Amapas Beach or Playa Amapas is at the very end of Los Muertos Beach in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta.
It’s easy to access, though not many people actually visit here because it’s more inconvenient than just setting up your beach day at Los Muertos Beach.
Playa Amapas Puerto Vallarta Map
Why Visit Playa Amapas? Is It Worth It?
First off, yes!! It’s definitely worth visiting Playa Amapas. The two highlights of this beach are the snorkeling and beach lounging!
We really like this beach because it’s the perfect relaxing escape from the constant vendors other beaches in Puerto Vallarta have.
And I personally especially like the beach for the shade you can escape into. Getting diagnosed with skin cancer at 32 made me much more aware of finding shade, even on my beach days!
The sand at Playa Amapas isn’t as fine as other beaches in the area, and in fact, after a storm, the beach can be quite rocky.
But honestly, the water is the iconic blues and teals and is often crystal clear, which makes the sometimes rocky patches worth it in my opinion!
How Do You Get To Amapas Beach?
Getting to Playa Amapas is really quite easy. From the Los Muertos Pier in the Romantic Zone, head all the way down the beach until it ends. You’ll be walking south, down towards the blue umbrellas.
When the beach ends, climb the stairs up to the viewpoint, Mirador Punto Muerto. From there, go back down the stairs, and you’ll be at Playa Amapas.
The walk from Los Muertos Pier to Playa Amapas is only about 5-7 minutes, and all but the short stairs are walking along the Los Muertos Beach.
What Should I Pack For The Beach?
Luckily there are big trees at Playa Amapas, and with those trees comes shade! So you don’t have to pack your own shade here.
With that said, if you want to be closer to the water, and away from where everyone is walking along the beach, you should pack an umbrella.
Other than that, the following are what we recommend.
- Snorkeling gear or goggles
- Sun hat
- Sunscreen
- Small cooler with snacks and beer
- Coozies
- Small, packable towel
- Water bottle
- Sun glasses
People Keep Walking Past Playa Amapas, Where Are They Heading?
Glad you asked! If you continue past Playa Amapas, the path leads to another beautiful, semi-secret beach in Puerto Vallarta — Conchas Chinas Beach.
I say semi-secret here because at Conchas Chinas, there are restaurants, vendors, and villas. So while it’s not secret, it’s also not as crazy as other beaches like Los Muertos or Playa Camerones in Puerto Vallarta.
Staying Safe At Playa Amapas
Lifeguards And Flags
This beach in Puerto Vallarta is a secret, small beach. As such, there are no lifeguards on duty here, and likewise, no flags to tell you if it’s safe to enter the water.
Before you get to Playa Amapas, be sure to check the flags along Los Muertos Beach. If the flags are green, you’re good to swim. If they’re yellow, I wouldn’t go in deep. And if they’re red, absolutely stay out of the water.
Hidden Rocks
Playa Amapas is tucked into a little cove, and has a lot of rocks surrounding both sides of the beach. These rocks are also right in the middle of the beach, but are underwater when the tide is in.
Do not run and dive into the waves at this beach! There are many rocks you could hit if you do! Instead, just wade in and then swim around from there!
Keeping Your Belongings Safe at Playa Amapas
There are a few places that you can kind of hide your belongings in the rocks as you get in the water. However, we’ve never felt completely safe to just leave our belongings behind.
There’s a lot of foot traffic walking along this beach as people walk to other nearby beaches, so it’s hard to trust just leaving a bag on the sand.
If you’re visiting with someone, we’d recommend going in one at a time. Alternatively, if there are other people at the beach, you can ask them to watch your stuff as you go in together. People in general are good, and aren’t there to steal your stuff.
Playa Amapas Puerto Vallarta FAQs
Can I swim at Playa Amapas?
Yes, this beach is great for swimming. However, with that said, we’ve been there a few times where the ocean was just too rough to swim at this beach safely with the rocks all around. In those cases, we recommend just dipping in the pools of water created by the crashing waves near the cliff.
Is there snorkeling at Playa Amapas?
Yes! Bring your own snorkel gear and swim around the rocks ocean edge! The snorkeling isn’t anything that’s world class, but it’s still fun to see all the fish and sea creatures hanging around these rocks!
Is there shade at Playa Amapas Puerto Vallarta?
Yes. The beach is literally named after the amapas trees that surround this beach. There are many places to sit and escape the sun at Playa Amapas.
Is it hard to get to Playa Amapas?
Nope! Just walk all the way down Los Muertos Beach, past the blue umbrellas, then up and the stairway over the rocks and down the other side.
How long does it take to get to Playa Amapas?
It takes 5-7 minutes of walking on the beach from Los Muertos Pier to reach Playa Amapas.
Is there food and drinks at Playa Amapas?
No. This is more of a secluded and secret beach in Puerto Vallarta, thus there are no vendors or restaurants. You will need to bring your own drinks and food here.
What Makes Playa Amapas So Great?
Playa Amapas is our favorite beach to go to when we want an actual beach day in Puerto Vallarta.
With it being further south in the Banderas Bay than other beaches in Puerto Vallarta, the water is much cleaner. Some say this is because it’s further away from the rivers joining the ocean. But, I think it’s partially that, and partially that the water isn’t fed from the waste of the hotels and resorts found further north.
Another huge part of why this beach is one of my favorite beaches in the area is because of the shade provided at the beach. I’m more of a sit and enjoy the beach but not be in the water all day type of person. And, likewise, I don’t want to be smoking hot in the sun all day either.
Amapas Beach provides shade — and that’s a huge plus in the beach going category for me!
Lastly, in our experience at Playa Amapas both in high season and low season, we didn’t have all the vendors and people haggling with us. It’s a beach that offers more of a relaxing feel without all the extra bits the touristy places just on the other side of the rocks brings.
If you choose to visit Playa Amapas, we hope you enjoy your time there! Don’t forget about these 5 tips to staying safe in the sun. I think tip five will really surprise you! (coming soon)
And if you want to learn about other beaches both in and near Puerto Vallarta, check out some of our Puerto Vallarta beach posts below or head to our Puerto Vallarta Travel Guide here!
More On Puerto Vallarta
- Finding the Best Taco in Puerto Vallarta
- Puerto Vallarta Excursions
- Where To Get Craft Beer in Puerto Vallarta
- Colomitos Beach Hike | another great secret beach south of Puerto Vallarta
- Is Puerto Vallarta Safe? | scams and safety tips for visiting Puerto Vallarta
Save + Share
If you found this post helpful, a great way to show this post was useful to you is to share it with others! It’s basically like giving us a virtual high five! We hope you enjoy Playa Amapas in Puerto Vallarta – it’s one of our favorite beaches!
