Playa Los Muertos
The city's most popular beach, and the social heart of Old Town. Come for the atmosphere, not the solitude.
Playa Los Muertos is the main beach of Zona Romántica — a lively stretch of golden sand fringed with beach clubs, restaurants and vendors, anchored by the distinctive Los Muertos pier. It's where the city comes to swim, eat and watch the sunset.
What it's like
Busy and sociable. Beach clubs rent loungers and umbrellas and serve food and drinks to your seat, and a steady procession of vendors walks the sand selling jewellery, hats, sarongs, grilled fish, hammocks and massages. The vendors are part of the experience rather than a nuisance: a smile with "no, gracias" is entirely normal and respected, and prices are negotiable — the first quote is rarely the last. It's narrower and far livelier than the wide resort beaches of the Hotel Zone — that's the appeal, or the drawback, depending on what you want.
The pier
The modern Los Muertos pier, at the southern end of the beach, is both a landmark and the departure point for water taxis to the south-shore villages like Yelapa and Las Caletas. Even if you're not catching a boat, it's the spot for sunset photos.
Where to sit, section by section
The beach is long enough that its character changes as you walk. Roughly, from north to south:
- North end (toward the river): quieter, fewer clubs, more locals and families. The easiest place to just put a towel down.
- Middle: the busiest stretch — beach clubs, loungers, constant vendor traffic, volleyball. This is the postcard Los Muertos.
- South end, around the pier: the heart of the LGBTQ+ beach scene, with the liveliest clubs and daytime music.
How the beach clubs work
You don't need to book, and you do not normally pay a separate fee for a lounger. You take a bed, a server comes, and you order food or drinks — that's the arrangement. There's rarely a formal minimum, but don't occupy a bed and order nothing. Tip roughly as you would in a restaurant. If you'd rather not spend anything, the sand is public: bring a towel and sit anywhere.
Safety in the water
Los Muertos faces the open Pacific and has genuine rip currents. Watch the flags: green calm, yellow caution, red don't swim, black closed. If you're pulled out, swim parallel to the shore rather than against the current. Don't swim after drinking: most incidents involve people doing just that at red flags. See is Puerto Vallarta safe?
Practical notes
- Best light is late afternoon; the beach faces west, so this is a sunset beach.
- Don't leave valuables such as phones and bags unattended on the sand — opportunistic theft is the commonest problem.
- For calmer, clearer water, Conchas Chinas is a short ride south.