Playa La Nopalera (Nopalera Beach), Marietas Islands

Boat access only

No road or trail reaches Nopalera, so guests arrive by boat or not at all. It should not be confused with the Hidden Beach, which lies on Round Island (Isla Redonda) and has a page of its own.

Getting there by yacht

The distances below are straight lines to the centre of the island group, so the run to this particular beach may differ a little. From Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz it is about 12 nautical miles; from Paradise Village and Marina Nuevo Vallarta about 16.5; from Marina Vallarta about 18.8; and from Opequimar about 19. At an assumed 20 knots, those legs take roughly 36, 50, 56 and 57 minutes each way. A sailing yacht takes longer, and the sea state on the day can change the route.

What is there

Pack a mask and snorkel: the municipal tourism board ranks Nopalera with the best beaches on the islands and describes its water as transparent and full of life. The board places it among the park's sites alongside Playa del Amor and the Puente de Piedra, the stone bridge. At least one island day trip lists Nopalera as a stop together with the blowhole and that bridge, so it can be part of a longer loop of the islands.

What to know before you go

The islands are a protected national park with set opening days, a fee and rules for every boat. Those are laid out on the Islas Marietas National Park page rather than repeated here. Whether guests may step ashore on this beach, and where a boat may lie off it, is set by the park, and we have not found it in writing. We'll confirm both, with any fee, before you book.