Playa Camarones
Best for. Travellers staying in central Puerto Vallarta who want a clean, walkable city beach with real lifeguards, gentle swimming water, beach clubs and water toys right off the Malecon.
Best spot. A morning swim while the water is calmest and the sand is quiet, then a long lunch and a lounger at one of the beach clubs, Mangos or the Barracuda and El Solar strip, as the beach fills up.
Know this. This is the busiest beach in the centro, not a quiet cove, so expect vendors, jet skis and a lively crowd by midday. Come early for calm, and go north to Sayulita or Punta de Mita if you are chasing actual surf.
Playa Camarones is the beach most people in central Puerto Vallarta actually end up on, and for once the popular choice is a fair one. It runs along the north end of the Malecon in the 5 de Diciembre neighbourhood, a wide band of golden sand right off the promenade, and it holds Blue Flag status, the international mark for clean water, real facilities and lifeguards on duty. For a city beach a short walk from downtown, that combination is genuinely hard to beat, which is why it is the busiest stretch in the centro.
As a place to get in the water it is a swimmer's beach rather than a surfer's. The waves are usually gentle and the water clear enough for an easy dip, though the entry can be stony underfoot in spots, so bring something for your feet and wade in rather than charge. There are lifeguards, which is a real advantage here, but cover is never a guarantee, the afternoon brings a livelier crowd and more boat and jet ski traffic offshore, and you should still read the water and keep an eye on children yourself. If you came to Banderas Bay to actually surf, this is not the spot, and you are better off heading north to Sayulita or Punta de Mita.
What Camarones does best is the full serviced day with the town at your back. Beach clubs and seafront restaurants line the sand, so you can rent a lounger, order lunch and a drink, and dip between courses, with Mangos Beach Club and the Barracuda and El Solar strip among the names people gravitate to. Vendors will pass through and the water sports crews will offer parasailing and jet skis, so set your budget before you sit down. Come in the morning for the calmest water and the quietest sand, and let the beach fill up around you as the day warms.
Clubs right on the sand
Camarones has a proper run of beach clubs and seafront restaurants, so a serviced day here is easy to arrange.
Unlike the quieter beaches around Puerto Vallarta, Camarones comes with a serviced layer built in. Beach clubs and seafront restaurants line the sand, so you can settle into a lounger, order lunch and a drink, and swim between courses. Mangos Beach Club is the long standing favourite for a relaxed lounger day, while the neighbouring Barracuda and El Solar draw a slightly livelier restaurant and cocktail crowd. Menus, minimum spends, lounger rates and hours are set by each venue and shift with the season, so treat any figure as to be confirmed and check on the day. Tell us how you want to spend it and we will help line up the right spot.
Straight off the north Malecon
Playa Camarones is about as easy to reach as a beach gets in Puerto Vallarta. It runs along the north end of the Malecon in the 5 de Diciembre neighbourhood, so from downtown or the Zona Romantica you can simply walk the seafront promenade to the sand. The bayfront bike path runs alongside it, city buses stop nearby on the main road, and a short taxi or rideshare drops you at the top of the beach.
Because it sits in the heart of the city, street parking is limited and best avoided at busy times, so walking, cycling or a taxi is the simpler choice. Once you are there the beach is fully serviced, with clubs and restaurants renting loungers and umbrellas, restrooms on hand and lifeguards on duty in season. Come in the morning for the calmest water and the easier crowd, wear something on your feet for the stony entry, and set your budget before the lounger and water sports crews come by.
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Camarones has a full run of beach clubs on the sand. Tell us your dates and party size and we will help line up a lounger at the right one for your day.
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Common questions about Playa Camarones
Where is Playa Camarones and how do you get there?
Playa Camarones is at the north end of the Malecon in the 5 de Diciembre neighbourhood of Puerto Vallarta, an easy walk along the seafront promenade from downtown and the Zona Romantica. The bayfront bike path runs beside it and city buses stop nearby, while a short taxi or rideshare drops you at the top of the beach. Street parking in the centro is limited.
Is Playa Camarones good for swimming?
Yes, it is one of the better central beaches for a swim, with usually gentle waves, clear water and Blue Flag status for water quality. It also has lifeguards on duty in season, which is unusual here. The entry can be stony underfoot in places, so wear something on your feet, and always judge the water and watch children yourself since cover is never guaranteed.
Are there beach clubs at Playa Camarones?
Yes, the beach has a proper run of clubs and seafront restaurants on the sand. Mangos Beach Club is the long standing favourite for a lounger day, while the neighbouring Barracuda and El Solar draw a livelier restaurant and cocktail crowd. Rates, minimum spends and hours are set by each venue and change with the season, so treat them as to be confirmed and check on the day.
Is Playa Camarones good for surfing?
Not really. Camarones is a gentle city swimming beach rather than a surf break, and the waves here are usually too soft and the setting too busy for a proper session. If you came to the Banderas Bay area to surf, head north out of Puerto Vallarta toward Sayulita or Punta de Mita, where the more consistent waves are.
When is the best time to visit Playa Camarones?
The dry season from December to April brings the calmest, clearest water and the most reliable sun, and mornings are the best time of day for calm water and a quieter beach. The summer and early autumn rainy season is hotter and wetter, and the water can turn murkier after storms.
