Islas Marietas Tour: The Complete Planning Guide

The Islas Marietas Tour is one of the most-booked day trips out of Banderas Bay, and also one of the most misunderstood — a lot of visitors book a "Marietas tour" expecting a guaranteed walk onto Hidden Beach, only to find out later that landing permits are limited and not every tour includes one. This guide covers what you actually need to know to plan the trip correctly: how the permit system works, what's typically included, how much time you'll spend on the water depending on where you start, and what to pack.

What the Islas Marietas actually are

The Islas Marietas are a small volcanic island group about 8 km off the coast of Punta de Mita, protected since 2005 as a national marine park. The park protects the surrounding reefs, the seabird colonies that nest on the cliffs, and the interior of one particular island where erosion (possibly helped along by decades of historical military use of the islands as a bombing range) opened up a roofless crater now known as Hidden Beach, or Playa del Amor.

Because the whole area is a federally managed marine park, a few rules apply no matter which operator you book with: no fishing, no anchoring on reef, no touching or standing on coral, and no landing outside of the approved, permitted access points.

How the permit / timed-entry system works

Access to the interior of Hidden Beach is capped daily by park authorities and is not open to the general public without a permit. Licensed tour operators hold reserved blocks of permits and rotate small groups through in short windows — typically around 20–30 minutes per group — so the crater doesn't get overcrowded and the fragile shoreline isn't damaged.

What this means for booking

• Not every "Marietas tour" includes Hidden Beach access. Some are snorkel-and-cruise trips around the islands only. If you want to actually walk on Playa del Amor, confirm it's included before you pay.
• Book ahead in high season (roughly December–April), when permits sell out days in advance.
• Entry can be seasonally restricted or paused entirely for a stretch to protect nesting seabirds; the window shifts year to year, so check current availability close to your travel dates rather than assuming last year's schedule.
• Tide matters too — the swim-through tunnel that leads into the crater can be impassable at high tide, so operators build flexibility into departure times and won't promise an exact landing time.

Getting to Hidden Beach: the swim-through tunnel

There's no dock, no stairs, and no dry entrance to Playa del Amor. Boats anchor a short distance offshore, and guests snorkel or swim through a narrow rock tunnel to reach the interior beach. It's a short swim — usually well under a minute of actual swimming — but you should be a comfortable swimmer in open water; most operators supply life vests for anyone who wants extra buoyancy, and guides typically escort first-time swimmers through.

Snorkeling and wildlife

Even on tours without a Hidden Beach landing, snorkeling around the Marietas is usually the main event, and for a lot of visitors it ends up being the strongest part of the day. Expect a gentle slope from the surface down into clear water on a good day, with parrotfish, angelfish, moray eels tucked into crevices, and rocky ledges packed with birdlife overhead — blue-footed boobies are the signature species here, along with frigatebirds and pelicans. Sea turtles show up often enough that guides can usually point toward recent sighting spots, though nothing is guaranteed on a given trip. Visibility is generally strongest November through May; summer rains (roughly July–October) can reduce clarity with runoff from the mainland. If your trip falls between December and March, keep an eye out on the crossing itself — humpback whales pass through Banderas Bay during this window and boats often pause briefly for sightings.

Best time of day — and time of year — to go

Nearly every operator departs in the morning, usually before 9am, and for good reason: the sea is calmer, the light is better for photos inside the crater, and the afternoon sea breeze that regularly picks up around Banderas Bay hasn't kicked in yet. Booking the earliest available departure is a reasonable default if you have a choice. Seasonally, November through May offers the clearest water and the most reliable weather window; December through March adds whale season on top of that, which is worth factoring in even though it's a bonus, not a guarantee.

Departure points and travel time, compared

Departure point	Approx. crossing time	Typical tour length
Punta de Mita / La Cruz de Huanacaxtle	15–25 minutes	Half-day
Nuevo Vallarta	30–45 minutes	Half-day to full-day
Puerto Vallarta / Marina Vallarta	60+ minutes	Full-day, often combined with Los Arcos

If your hotel is in Puerto Vallarta proper, ask whether the tour offers pickup that transfers you closer to Nuevo Vallarta or Punta de Mita for departure — some operators do, which cuts down significantly on time spent just getting to and from the islands.

What to pack

• Reef-safe (mineral) sunscreen — chemical sunscreens with oxybenzone/octinoxate are restricted in the park.
• Swimsuit worn under your clothes, plus a dry change of clothes for after.
• Water shoes or strapped sandals for the rocky tunnel entrance.
• A waterproof phone case or dry bag.
• Cash for the park fee (if not bundled into your ticket) and crew tip.
• Motion sickness tablets if you're sensitive — open water crossings, especially longer ones from PV, can get bumpy in the afternoon wind.

Park rules to know before you go

This is a strictly managed marine park, and the rules are actively enforced, not just posted and ignored:

• No touching coral, rocks, or marine life.
• No standing on reef structures, even in shallow water.
• No chasing or cornering turtles or rays for photos.
• No feeding fish.
• No removing anything — shells, sand, rock — from the islands.
• Group sizes and time inside Hidden Beach are limited and monitored by guides.

Small panga vs. large catamaran: which to book

Two very different boat experiences are sold under the same "Marietas tour" label, so it's worth knowing the difference before you compare prices. Small pangas (6–12 passengers) are the standard out of Punta de Mita and La Cruz de Huanacaxtle — faster, more flexible about where they stop, and closer contact with your guide. Larger catamarans and multi-deck tour boats (20 to 100+ passengers) are more common departing Nuevo Vallarta or Marina Vallarta, often bundled with an open bar, buffet lunch, and onboard music. If you want a quiet, nature-focused morning, lean toward the smaller-boat operators; if you want a full social day out with a Marietas stop as one part of it, the larger catamarans are built for that.

A quick history recap, because it explains the rules

It helps to know why this particular stretch of ocean is regulated so tightly. The islands were used for military target practice for much of the 20th century, which is the likely explanation for the unusually shaped crater at the center of Hidden Beach. Protection efforts gained momentum after diver and conservationist Jacques Cousteau documented the area's marine richness in the late 1960s, and the islands were formally declared a national park in 2005. That history is why the permit system, the sunscreen rules, and the no-touch policies aren't just suggestions — the park's whole management approach is built around undoing decades of damage and keeping the recovery intact.

Combining Marietas with other Banderas Bay activities

Because the crossing from Puerto Vallarta or Nuevo Vallarta takes real time, many operators build a second stop into the day. Los Arcos marine park, a set of eroded granite islets closer to Puerto Vallarta, is the most common pairing — it adds another strong snorkeling site without adding much extra travel time on the way back. December through March, some operators route in a way that increases the odds of a whale sighting along the way, though this should never be treated as guaranteed; whale movements aren't predictable enough for any operator to promise a sighting.

Is it worth doing with kids?

Mostly yes, with one specific thing to check first. The boat ride and the snorkeling stops around the archipelago are manageable for most kids old enough to sit through a couple of hours on the water, and life vests are standard. The part to ask about directly is the swim through the tunnel into Hidden Beach — it's short, but it's a real open-water swim, sometimes with mild current, and many operators set a minimum age or require an adult to swim alongside younger children. If you're traveling with non-swimmers, confirm this specific detail before booking rather than assuming the whole group can do it.

Marietas or Los Arcos, if you only have one day for the water?

A common question for travelers with limited time in Puerto Vallarta. Los Arcos is closer to town — a short crossing from Boca de Tomatlán or Marina Vallarta — and delivers reliable snorkeling without the longer haul out to Punta de Mita. The Marietas take more time to reach (unless you're departing from Punta de Mita itself), but offer something Los Arcos doesn't: permitted access to a beach you genuinely can't see from anywhere else in the bay. If your schedule allows it, many full-day operators combine both stops into a single trip.

Booking checklist

Before you book, confirm: whether Hidden Beach landing is included, the departure point and pickup options, whether the park entrance fee is included in the price, group size (smaller pangas vs. larger catamarans give a very different experience), what gear is provided versus rented, and the cancellation policy in case of weather or tide restrictions. For other ways to explore the bay by boat, browse our Things to Do guides.

FAQ

Is Hidden Beach access included in every Marietas tour?

No. Some tours are snorkel-and-cruise trips around the archipelago only, without a landing permit for Playa del Amor. If walking onto Hidden Beach matters to you, confirm with the operator before booking that a permitted landing is included.

How far in advance should I book?

In high season (December through April), book at least a few days ahead — landing permits are limited per day and popular operators sell out. In slower months you often have more flexibility, but booking 1–2 days ahead is still a safe habit.

Which departure point is fastest?

Punta de Mita and La Cruz de Huanacaxtle are closest to the islands, often a 15–25 minute crossing. From Puerto Vallarta or Marina Vallarta, expect over an hour each way, which is why most PV-departure tours run as full-day trips.

Can the tour be cancelled or changed due to weather or tide?

Yes. The tunnel into Hidden Beach can be impassable at high tide, and rough seas or storms can affect crossings. Reputable operators build in flexibility and will reschedule or substitute the itinerary rather than force an unsafe landing.

Do I need snorkel gear?

Most tours include mask, snorkel, and fins as part of the package, but bringing your own well-fitted mask is worth it if you have one — rental masks are one-size-fits-most and can leak.