Mismaloya
A small cove 12 km south of town: the beach where Puerto Vallarta became famous, and the closest boats to Los Arcos.
Mismaloya is a small, U-shaped cove on Highway 200, about 12 km south of Old Town, where the road leaves the city and the jungle comes down to the sea. John Huston filmed The Night of the Iguana here in 1963, and the ruins of the set still stand on the point. Today it's a working beach: palapa restaurants on the sand, fishermen's pangas, a large resort and, since 2026, a new pier. The name comes from the Nahuatl michmaloyan, "the place where they catch fish by hand".
At a glance
| Where | On Highway 200, about 12 km south of Old Town, between Conchas Chinas and Boca de Tomatlán |
|---|---|
| Getting there | City bus from Old Town, 25–30 minutes; taxi 20–25 minutes |
| The beach | A small cove with a freshwater stream, rocky reefs at each end, restaurants and boats |
| Offshore | Los Arcos, granite islets protected since 1975 |
| Water quality | Rated fit for swimming in spring and summer 2026, unfit in summer and winter 2025 — check the latest round |
The beach
The cove is short and enclosed, with reefs at both ends and a stream that reaches the sea in the middle. Local guides describe the water as generally calm, good for swimming, snorkelling along the rocks, kayaks and paddleboards. The sand is lined with seafood restaurants and vendors; as on most Mexican beaches, the chairs and shade usually belong to a restaurant and come with ordering something. Fishermen still launch their pangas from the beach, and they double as water taxis and snorkelling boats.
The large building at the edge of the bay is the Barceló Puerto Vallarta, a 316-suite all-inclusive. It opened in 1989 as La Jolla de Mismaloya, beside the old film set, and Barceló bought it in 2005. The beach in front of it is public, like every beach in Mexico.
The new pier
Work on a pier and a short seafront walk finished in March 2026, and the project was inaugurated in April. The Jalisco government's public works ministry spent 82.2 million pesos on it: a pier where three boats can moor at once, a linear park of about 350 m, a paved walkway, an entrance arch and a lookout. It makes boarding a boat for Los Arcos easier than wading out to a panga. Not everyone welcomed it: local critics argued that moving rocks and sand for the works damaged the cove.
The Night of the Iguana set
Filming began in September 1963 and lasted 72 days; MGM released the film in August 1964. The production built sets and crew quarters on the rocky point at the south end of the cove, and the shoot — and the press that followed it — is often credited with putting Puerto Vallarta on the international map.
The ruins are still there, but the site is no longer open to the public. The path is a small trail under the arch at the south end of the beach. Recent visitor reports describe fencing and dogs, and at least one person posing as security and asking for money; the property's ownership has been in legal dispute, and a 2022 proposal to restore the set as a heritage site went nowhere. Look at it from the beach or from a boat, and don't pay anyone for "entry".
Los Arcos from Mismaloya
The granite islets of Los Arcos sit about half a mile offshore. A 1975 federal agreement protects them — in practice, a ban on fishing — although, despite what many tour listings say, no national park was ever decreed. They're the closest good snorkelling to town. Many boat trips leave straight from Mismaloya beach and now from the pier, which makes it a much shorter ride than a tour from the marina. Agree the price, the time at the arches and whether masks and life jackets are included before you get in. More on choosing a boat in snorkelling.
Up the river: El Edén and Predator
At the beach, a cobblestone road turns inland along the Mismaloya river into the Sierra Cuale. It leads to El Edén, a riverside restaurant with natural pools, open in the daytime, where parts of Predator (1987) were filmed; a helicopter shell and a Predator sculpture are left over from it. A canopy tour runs from the same spot, with 12 lines advertised from about US$53. The road is rough: a 4×4 is advisable in the rainy season, and taxis from the beach are the usual way up. For other zipline parks, see ziplines.
How to get there
By bus. The orange-and-white city buses marked Mismaloya (route C01) leave from the corner of Basilio Badillo and Constitución in Old Town, by the OXXO, and run frequently. They pass Conchas Chinas and the Garza Blanca resort, stop at Mismaloya and end at Boca de Tomatlán. Ask the driver to let you off at Mismaloya, then walk down from the highway. The fare is the standard city fare, in cash; see buses.
By taxi. About 20–25 minutes from Old Town. Recent quotes run from MXN 150 to 250 one way; agree the fare first. See Uber and taxis.
Combining it. Mismaloya fits easily with the botanical garden, further down the same road, or with a water taxi from Boca de Tomatlán to the boat-only beaches of the south shore.
Water quality
Mismaloya is one of the ten Puerto Vallarta beaches that COFEPRIS, Mexico's health regulator, tests before each holiday season. Its results swing more than most:
| Season | Result | Enterococci (NMP/100 ml; limit 200) |
|---|---|---|
| Summer 2025 | Unfit | 497 |
| Winter 2025 | Unfit | Above 200 |
| Easter 2026 | Fit | 29 |
| Summer 2026 | Fit | 46 |
Check the most recent round before swimming, and as a general precaution stay out of the water just after heavy rain; how the tests work is explained in beaches.
Before you go
- The road south is a cliff-side two-lane highway. Landslides near Conchas Chinas closed a lane in July 2024, and in January 2026 protesters blocked it at the Los Arcos bend, over fencing around the protected area.
- Access is a live issue. Local press reported in April 2026 that new property buyers were closing some access points around Mismaloya. The beach itself is public; if a path is blocked, use the main access by the hotel.
- Bring cash for the restaurants, the boats and the bus.
Who it suits
Mismaloya works best as a half day: a swim and lunch on the sand, a boat to Los Arcos, a look at the film set from below. It's busier and more built-up than the boat-only coves further south, and quieter than Los Muertos. If you want a beach you can't drive to, carry on to Boca de Tomatlán and take a water taxi.
Frequently asked
Where is Mismaloya?
On Highway 200, about 12 km south of Puerto Vallarta's Old Town, between Conchas Chinas and Boca de Tomatlán. It is a small cove at the point where the road leaves the city.
How do you get to Mismaloya from Puerto Vallarta?
Take the city bus marked Mismaloya (route C01) from the corner of Basilio Badillo and Constitución in Old Town, about 25 to 30 minutes, or a taxi, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Can you visit the Night of the Iguana set?
Not any more. The ruins still stand on the point at the south end of the cove, but the site is closed to the public and its ownership has been disputed. See it from the beach or from a boat, and don't pay anyone for entry.
Is Mismaloya beach safe for swimming?
The water is usually calm, but its health rating varies: COFEPRIS rated it unfit in summer and winter 2025 and fit in spring and summer 2026. Check the latest round, and avoid swimming after heavy rain.
Can you go to Los Arcos from Mismaloya?
Yes. Los Arcos is about half a mile offshore, and boats leave from the beach and the new pier. Agree the price and what is included before you board.
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