We are not telling you about Los Muertos, Conchas Chinas, or Las Ánimas. Those are great. They're also in every guidebook. Here are five we send our friends to.
Quick disclaimer
"Hidden" in 2026 means "not on the first three Google results." A few of these have been discovered by Instagram, but they're still 90% empty on weekdays. Be respectful, pack out your trash, and don't be the person who writes their initials on a rock.
1. Playa Colomitos
Where: 25-minute boat ride south from Boca de Tomatlán. Vibe: tiny crescent of white sand, two palm trees, water like a swimming pool.
How to get there: Take the local bus to Boca de Tomatlán ($1 USD), then a water-taxi from the pier (~$3 USD round-trip, runs every 30 min). Or hike the coastal trail in 25 minutes — moderate, gorgeous.
Best time: Weekdays before 11am. Sundays it fills up with local families and a guy selling ceviche from a cooler.
2. Playa Madagascar (Quimixto)
Where: Past Las Ánimas, before Yelapa. Boat or hike only.
Vibe: long stretch of fine sand, a tiny village (Quimixto), a 20-minute jungle hike to a waterfall you can swim under.
How to get there: Water-taxi from Boca de Tomatlán to Quimixto (~$10 USD round-trip). Walk the village to the beach. Optional horse rental to the waterfall ($10).
Heads up: bring cash. No ATMs. The handful of palapa restaurants only take pesos.
3. Playa Caballo
Where: Between Yelapa and the Marietas Islands, accessible only by private boat.
Vibe: our personal favorite. Curved bay, jungle to the waterline, zero infrastructure. Pack your own food and water.
How to get there: charter a small panga from the Marina ($150 USD for the day, fits 6) or join one of our private boat tours that stop here.
Why we love it: on most weekdays you'll be the only group there. Like the bay 50 years ago.
4. Playa Destiladeras (the north end)
Where: 30 min north of PV, past Bucerías. The road-end most people stop at is the south. Walk 15 minutes north along the sand.
Vibe: long open Pacific beach, decent surf, fewer vendors. Sunsets here are the best in the bay.
How to get there: Uber from PV (~$15 USD). Or rent a car for a day. Public bus to Punta de Mita stops nearby (45 min from PV center).
Pro tip: Don Pedro's restaurant is touristy on the south end, but a tiny ramen-style cabana 200m north makes a $4 USD ceviche that ruins you for everywhere else.
5. Playa Mayto
Where: 2.5 hours south of PV by car, past El Tuito.
Vibe: 8km of completely empty Pacific beach. There's one small hotel, a sea-turtle sanctuary, and nothing else.
How to get there: Rent a car. Drive south on the 200, turn west at El Tuito, follow the dirt road. Yes, dirt road. Yes, normal sedans make it (slowly).
Why bother: if you've ever wanted to walk a mile on a beach without seeing another person, this is your place. Do an overnight at the Hotel Mayto if you can.
If you only have a half-day, Colomitos. If you have a whole day, Caballo. If you have a full weekend, Mayto.
What about the famous ones?
For the record, the popular beaches are popular for a reason:
- Los Muertos — the social heart of PV. Worth a sunset visit even if you don't swim there.
- Conchas Chinas — gorgeous tide pools at the south end, very accessible.
- Las Ánimas — boat-only, beach club, fun group day.
- Yelapa — touristy but legit. The waterfall and the pies are real.
Want help getting to any of these? Drop us a line — we'll point you in the right direction or set up the boat.