Playa del Amor, the “Lover's Beach” more typically called the Hidden Beach, is a secluded sandy cavern on one of the islands that make up Marietas Islands National Park, located on the north end of Bahía de Banderas, an hour northwest of Puerto Vallarta and only fifteen minutes from Punta Mita, Nayarit.
How Do I Get There? Boat excursions depart regularly from Puerto Vallarta, the journey takes about an hour. The boat ride is a great chance to partake in some whale-watching with humpback whales regularly glimpsed in the waters. Many boats also stop enabling passengers to dive into the waters and do some snorkelling.
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.
A recent study by scientists from Australia, India, and South Africa have found evidence that the world's first beach came into existence 3,2 billion years ago. This archaeo-historic site is in the Western Singhbhum district, Jharkhand, Eastern India.
Beaches Were Formed 3.3 Billion Years AgoThe team realised that the earth's most ancient rocks rose from the first-ever beach. This study was concluded that the Singhbhum craton of Jharkhand first came above sea around 3.3 billion years ago and is one of the most ancient beaches on earth.
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.
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.
#1 Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera CancunYou can find one of the best Secrets resorts adults-only in Mexico on one of the best beaches in the world: Maroma Beach. And staying at Secrets Maroma will give you easy access to this slice of paradise.
Reduces the risk of premature deathWell, it turns out that living near the beach can prevent premature death in several ways. In one piece of research, it was found that immersing in cold water (swimming, wading, and diving, for instance) several times per week led to higher white blood cell counts.
But if you're stuck wondering if it's safe to travel to Cancun, our answer is a definite yes! Since Cancun brings so much revenue to Mexico, they've got a vested interest in safety and security within the Hotel Zone. Even outside of that area, Cancun is still known as a safe city with a low crime rate.
TRAVEL ADVICE: IS CANCUN SAFE? If you're thinking about a vacation and wondering, “Is Cancun Safe?” … the short answer is: the Yucatán Peninsula, including Cancun, Tulum, and the Riviera, is the safest area of Mexico in 2023, according to the US State Department.
Latest update:There's a high rate of violent crime in Mexico, especially after dark. Kidnapping and extortion are serious risks (see 'Safety'). We advise: Exercise a high degree of caution in Mexico overall due to high levels of violent crime.