How was Hidden Beach created?

When the Mexican military used the Marieta Islands for target practice in the early 1900s, little did they know their efforts would lead to the creation of a future tourist destination. But, in fact, repeated bombings on the islands are thought to have created what is now known as Hidden Beach.



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Playa del Amor, commonly known as the Hidden Beach, is a feature of one of the Marieta Islands, located some 22 nautical miles west of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, at the mouth of Banderas Bay. It looks like something out of a fantasy novel: a wide, sandy cavern with the blue waters of the Pacific rushing in.

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Olivine Sand Olivine is an igneous mineral formed from the crystallization of magma. At Papakolea, the olivine erodes out of an ancient volcanic cinder cone that encloses the semi-circular beach. Sand of almost exclusively olivine grains is very rare, and Papakolea is one of only four green sand beaches in the world.

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As its nickname suggests, Secret Beach is not marked with signs nor is it easily accessible. A short but fairly steep trail leading to the beach is located at the end of the first dirt road you'll see on the right hand side when turning onto Kalihiwai Road from Kuhio Highway.

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Two instances of beach thefts have been widely reported in the media: one in Hungary in 2007 and another in Jamaica in 2008. The beach that was stolen in Hungary was an artificially created one on the banks of a river.

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Swimming conditions Whether it's safe to swim at Secret Beach is dependent on water conditions, which vary by season. Swimming is typically safe in the summer months, though rough surf and strong currents sometimes bring about conditions that are dangerous.

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Black sand comes from eroded volcanic material such as lava, basalt rocks, and other dark-colored rocks and minerals, and is typically found on beaches near volcanic activity. Black-sand beaches are common in Hawaii, the Canary Islands, and the Aleutians.

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