Amapas

The hillside just above Old Town — bay views, quiet streets, and a steep walk home.

By Sam Med · Last updated September 2026

Banderas Bay, Mexico. Photo: Andrew Milligan sumo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Amapas climbs the hillside immediately south of Zona Romántica, between Old Town and Conchas Chinas. It's largely residential — condos and villas stacked up the slope — and prized for one thing above all: the views over Banderas Bay.

What it's like

Quiet, green and vertical. There's little commercial life within Amapas itself — a few small shops, almost no restaurants or bars — so it's a place to stay rather than to visit, with the restaurants and beach of Old Town a walk downhill and Conchas Chinas a short ride south. Many rentals here have terraces and pools looking straight out over the bay — the sunsets are the selling point.

Staying in Amapas

Pros: views, quiet, more space for the money, still walkable to Old Town.
Cons: the walk back is steep.
Best for: longer stays of a week or more, where the space and a kitchen start to matter more than convenience; couples; repeat visitors who already know the city and now want quiet; groups renting a villa; and anyone renting a condo with a view.
Not for: first-timers on a short trip, or anyone with mobility difficulties.

Amapas is where you stay when you want Old Town's food and beach but a quiet terrace to come home to — as long as you're happy with the climb.

Getting up and down the hill

This is the practical question that decides whether Amapas works for you. The streets climb steeply from Old Town, and the walk is asymmetric: five to ten minutes down to the beach, fifteen to twenty back up in the heat. Options:

Walk down, taxi up. What most people settle into. Rides are short and cheap.
The coastal bus runs along the main road below, useful if your rental is near it.
Some buildings have lifts from street level to the upper floors — worth asking before booking.

See getting around for fares.

Amapas or Conchas Chinas?

They're neighbours and easily confused. Amapas is closer to Old Town and mostly about the view; Conchas Chinas is further south, quieter still, and has the rocky swimming coves. If walking into town matters, choose Amapas. If the water matters, choose Conchas Chinas.