Puerto Vallarta

Top Puerto Vallarta landmarks

Puerto Vallarta trip ideas

hidden beach tour

Badge of ExcellencePuerto Vallarta, Mexico

3 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

Puerto Vallarta Parasailing Experience

215

from $78.00

Likely to Sell Out

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

Scuba Diving with a 5-Star PADI Center in Puerto Vallarta

109

from $119.00

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

Marietas Islands Snorkel Cruise from Puerto Vallarta All Inclusive

from $112.89

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

What's Included

Use of Snorkeling equipment
Bottled water

Private transportation
Lunch

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Shark's tour punta mita
Av. El anclote, Av. Las Pangas, 63732 Corral del Risco, Nay., Mexico
The departure point is at the Punta de Mita Tourism Cooperative in front of the small marina.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Marietas Islands

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Pregnant women are not allowed.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

CESAR_V

Experience was unique! Went with my girlfriend and had the hidden beach for ourselves! The only bad thing is that the authorities only let you be there for certain time, and has nothing to do with the tour company. Of course we would’ve enjoyed being there for longer, it’s so amazing

Reviews

5.0

100 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 100 reviews

Perfect half day trip!

Mark_E, Apr 2024

I was worried about the swim into the island but it really wasn’t bad, and Noah went with us the whole way. Abraham and Noah were professional and friendly. The snorkeling was also great and on the way back, Abraham stopped so we could see a mother and baby whale jumping out of the water. It was a great tour!

Friendly, & Knowledgable Tour Guides

Scott_K, Apr 2024

What a great and easy trip to the hidden beach! Our tour guides not only knew all of the great spots but were absolute photographic geniuses with our iPhones! Well done! Would recommend again!

A memorable swim in a unique place

Lijen_L, Mar 2024

A memorable tour. We didn't get the whale watching I read about in some other reviews, and the snorkeling was just mediocre compared with many other locations we've been to, but the hidden beach swim and photo op was worth the price of admission.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hello Lijen. The whale season ends on March 24th so we can't see more whales because we no longer count the permits after March 24. Snorkeling activity can be very good or very bad depending on the season you visit us. We are very sorry that the conditions were not favorable on the day they made the trip. We work hard to make all our customers come back happy from each trip. We hope that on your next visit the weather conditions will be better so that you can enjoy the trip more.

Unique

CESAR_V, Feb 2024

Absolutely amazing!

David_G, Jan 2024

We booked our trip online with Sharks Tour Punta Mita. We arrived early and were taken out early by Eddie (boat captain) and Daniel (guide). Both made this excursion AMAZING! They took us to the hidden beach where Daniel assisted us swimming into the beach. Daniel was amazing at capturing photos of us inside the beach that we will cherish the rest of our lives. Once back on the boat Eddie expertly navigated us to see numerous whales in the open ocean. These two made this a once in a lifetime experience! Gracias Daniel and Eddie!

Hidden Beach

Padmapriya_A, Jan 2024

The trip was really memorable and fun. Kids loved the speed boat and the snorkeling. It was their first time snorkeling and they felt very safe and comfortable with the guide who was really helpful. The swim to the hidden beach was a little scary but it was worth going there. We had a lot of fun on this trip and got to see some whales too. Really recommend this place and the tour guide.

Unfortunately, our trip...

Brian_M, Jan 2024

Unfortunately, our trip was canceled on two different days because of poor ocean conditions. However, Jaciel was very helpful in keeping us up to date on conditions and the status of being able to depart.

Amazing experience

Yamit_M, Nov 2023

Great tour, very adventurous but sitter helpful guides who helped getting through it. The hidden beach is a unique experience we will always remember with Shark tours

Great experience

DulceMaria_R, Nov 2023

Our guide Daniel, and the captain Eddy, were great. Loved hidden beach, it’s a magical place. The Marieta Islands, really worth visiting,

Great Experience!

Leah_D, Oct 2023

Beautiful little island! Our crew were professional, educated and fun. The snorkeling was amazing too!

Best trip ever.

Gene_F, Sep 2023

These guys are really professional. Best excursion by far. I'd do it again. Awesome snoring. I would recommend this excursion for everyone

more than Worth

AjayMathews_B, Aug 2023

Amazing experience, Great and friendly crew. They gave enough time to experience everything and helped take photos.

Excellent, unique excursion

Adam_H, Jul 2023

We had a wonderful tour of the Marietas Islands! Our two guides/captains were both wonderfully helpful and attentive. The meeting point is easy to find, and people in the tourism office are helpful. The boat ride is a smooth and comfortable 15 minutes to the hidden beach. The swim is manageable for adults of moderate fitness, and our guide helped the group members who needed a bit of a tow. You wear life vests around your waist the entire time and stick very close to your guide. You swim through a cave for approximately 50m, but it is large enough in most parts not to feel at all claustrophobic. You have to be comfortable jumping off the side of the boat to enter the water, and climbing up a ladder to get back into the boat. These were both a bit stressful for older members of our party, but the guides were very helpful. Hidden Beach is magnificent in its oddity, with beautiful clear water and soft sand. It’s small, but admission is so limited that it is not crowded. Only 120 people per day are allowed to enter, and the area is closely guarded by park rangers. Although you only get 15-20 minutes there, it doesn’t feel rushed. You next stop at several spots around the island where the boat draws very close to the rocks to allow you to enjoy the crazy-looking blue footed boobies from the boat. Eventually you make your way to a cordoned-off area for snorkeling. Our guide helped us find beautiful tropical fish and eels, and also helped those who needed snorkel tutoring. This is not an especially exotic snorkel experience, as there are limited types of coral and wildlife. But it is beautiful and comfortable, in pristine and warm water. The final stop is at a beach at the foot of a sharp cliff, where you swim for a few minutes before heading back to shore. All provided materials (boat, life vest, helmet, snorkel) were clean and sturdy. The life vests are worn backward around your waist, which is much more comfortable for swimming and snorkeling. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and proactively helpful. We had ample cold water and gatorades provided to drink between stops. The guides also took excellent photos and videos for everyone in our group at each of the stops on our own phones. They even stopped the boat several times on our way back to shore to point out sea turtles swimming nearby. Apply generous reef-safe sunscreen before you embark, as you are not allowed to use sunscreen once you enter the island area. Also, although the guides carry a large plastic jug to keep phones dry in, everyone also keeps their phones inside the waterproof plastic lanyard bags. These can be purchased from vendors in the meeting area for $100MX. Flippers are not allowed for the swim or the snorkel, nor are any kind of water shoes allowed. The ground is soft everywhere, so this is not a problem. Just take flip flops and leave them on the boat. Several good lunch options are available very near the launch point, as well as a small shop for snacks and cold drinks. Don’t miss this experience - it’s really special.

Beautiful & Well Worth Seeing!

Jennifer_D, Mar 2023

Wonderful tour! Pablo was a great guide. The swim to the hidden beach was exhausting but well worth it! Beautiful, magical spot. We also got to do some snorkeling and see some whales. Even saw some whales fully breaching out of the water! I would highly recommend this experience!

Awesome experience

Daniel_W, Feb 2023

Awesome experience. Great guides full of knowledge. It is a pretty tough swim into the hidden beach so definitely make sure you are a good swimmer. Highly recommend the activity though.

Hidden beach is worth the visit

Cheryl_S, Jan 2023

It was a fantastic tour, and the swim to the hidden beach was pretty special. The guides were great at pointing out the different marine life and birds. We even got to see some whales. The boat was small, which means for a smaller groups, something I prefer.

Wonderful tour to the hidden beach

Rodney_T, May 2022

We felt very well cared for on our tour - the boat captain and guide did an excellent job of adapting the tour to the conditions on the water that day and made it a wonderful experience for our group of 4, while also accounting for the different physical capabilities of our group.

Worth every penny

Amanda_C, May 2022

Our guide and captain did an amazing job and were very knowledgeable. Loved the small size of the tour. We saw huge boats and can’t imagine the experience would be as favorable as the smaller intimate group size.

Don't miss this!

Jeffrey_M, Apr 2022

Great experience. If you're in reasonably good swimming shape this shouldn't be missed. Secluded beaches, tropical reef snorkeling, rare birds... What's not to like?!

Payed too much. Unfortunate drowning.

Laura_M, Apr 2022

First of all, we overpaid for this excursion. $350 for a 2 hour panga ride with access to the island is ridiculous. Just show up at the Sociedad Cooperativa in Punta de Mita and you can book a panga and negotiate a price. Second, a gentleman on our panga most likely suffered a heart attack and then drowned during the swim to the Hidden Beach. Not anyone's fault, but upsetting for everyone who was there. Our guide went first so no one was watching to make sure all the swimmers were okay. The two guides on the beach did not know correct CPR. They insist you wear life jackets (backwards and around your middle) and broken helmets, which I thought made it harder to actually swim. We were told to jump off the boat and start swimming. It felt rushed since we were only being allowed 30 minutes on the island. We were not warned that the water got much colder when you swim into the cave. There was a current and choppy water, plus a large rock in the channel you have to avoid. Before the unfortunate accident, we saw mother and baby whales, blue footed boobies, pelicans and their chicks, plus many other birds, and a blow hole. They took pictures of everyone on the bow of the boat in front of an interesting formation on the island. We never got to snorkle because after the drowning we returned to the marina. Mexico is wild and amazing but everything you do is at your own risk.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Hello, the cost that we handle is related to the area where the trip is taken and is direct with the cooperative. Due to park rules, only pangas are allowed to enter the hidden beach. What is allowed in hidden beach is only 30 minutes, we cannot spend more time inside since they are park rules. We regret the bad conditions of the helmets but it is not our company's equipment since only the Park Rangers are the ones who are authorized to give us the helmets and we do not have permission to use our own helmets that are in better conditions. We are very sorry that you had a bad trip because of the incident that happened. We always see for your safety and obey the rules of the park and the marina.