Playa La Lancha

A surf beach near Punta de Mita

Playa La Lancha sits on the north-west shore of Banderas Bay, in the stretch of coast around Punta de Mita where several surf breaks lie close together. Surf guides to the area list it among the breaks worth knowing, and it is one of the gentler ones. It is a beach as well as a wave, so a day here can mix time in the water with time on the sand.

The waves

La Lancha is a soft wave rather than a powerful one. The guides that cover the Punta de Mita breaks rate it as a fit for surfers of every level, and describe a slow, forgiving wave that longboards handle best. That makes it a sensible choice for a first session in the bay, or for anyone who wants a relaxed paddle out rather than a hard one. The bottom is mostly sand, though one guide notes patches of reef that show at low tide, so it pays to look before going in. One guide also says the wave works best while the tide is moving rather than at slack water, which is worth keeping in mind when planning the hour you arrive.

When to go

One guide to the Punta de Mita breaks says the surf there is generally best in winter, on swells from the north. That is a statement about the area rather than this beach alone, so treat it as a rough guide and check the forecast for the day.

Getting there

Accounts of the walk in differ, so we do not quote a time. Guests reach the sand on foot, by a path that one guide says runs through mangroves, or by small boat. Of our boarding points, Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz is the closest to the Punta de Mita side of the bay, but we have no confirmed position for the beach and so give no distance here. Boards, the swell on the day and a drop-off spot are things to settle when booking. We'll confirm the plan for the day you choose.