If you’re visiting Puerto Vallarta and love a good hike, the coastal trail from Boca de Tomatlán to Las Ánimas Beach is a must-do!
It’s one of my favorite day trips and is extremely budget friendly.
This coastal hike combines lush jungle paths, stunning ocean views, and charming beach stops, ending at the lively yet tranquil Las Ánimas Beach.
You’ll pass by 6 gorgeous beaches along the way (and some of them feel like the Caribbean or Thailand).
So if you want to do it on your next trip, here is exactly what to expect and some helpful tips before you head out.
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Getting to Boca de Tomatlán
Boca de Tomatlán, a small fishing village, is the starting point for this hike. Here’s how you can get there:
By Bus (most popular option)
From the Zona Romantica neighborhood in Puerto Vallarta, catch a bus at the intersection of Basilio Badillo and Constitución (not far from the Pancake House).
You will see people forming a lineup in front of the two side-by-side OXXOs.
Buses to Boca usually depart every 15-30 minutes.
The ride takes about 30-40 minutes and costs 10 pesos (~$0.50 USD). This is the most budget-friendly option!
By Taxi or Rideshare
Taxis and rideshares like Uber are readily available in Puerto Vallarta.
A ride to Boca de Tomatlán costs approximately 250-400 pesos (~$13-$22 USD), depending on your starting point.
Uber is usually less expensive than a taxi (I wrote a whole blog post about using Uber in Mexico here).
By Panga Boat
You can take a water taxi (panga boat) directly from from the Los Muertos Pier downtown Puerto Vallarta) to Boca de Tomatlan.
Boat ride is about 45 minutes and will probably coast between 500 and 600 pesos per person.
Arrival in Boca
Once you’re In Boca, walk down the hill and there’s a public washroom if you need (it’s 10 pesos).
To get started, Turn left at the little river and find the walking bridge – cross that to find the start of the trail.
At this point, the trail is pretty well marked the whole way – you can’t really get lost as you’ll just be following the coastline.
There is a map just after you start, and I recommend taking a photo to help you remember the beaches.
A little further past the map is a great outlook at the mouth of the bay – it’s a great spot for photos, and we even saw whales waving at us in the distance.
Pro tip: you can do this as a guided hike! (we did this and loved it). It’s affordable, and they help with everything (directions to the bus stop, getting on the bus, taking photos along the trail, and getting the water taxi back).
What to Expect on the Trail
Trail Length
In total, the hike is about 4 km or 2.5 miles one way and with stops for swimming and photos and taking our time to enjoy, it took us about 3 hours.
As you can see in the photo, it was about 2 km and 1 hour to get to Playa Colomitos.
I promise, it gets a lot easier after this!
Conditions
The hardest part of the hike is the first section to get you to the first beach – Playa Colomitos.
So don’t get discouraged! By the 4th beach it starts to be less hilly and more flat.
I would probably rate this hike as moderate – with some easier sections. It’s not super difficult, but it’s definitely not a leisurely walk.
We saw all ages on this trail, but I would probably not recommend it for kids under 7.
You can expect:
- Elevation gains
- A lot of uneven terrain
- Roots and spots where you have to use the rocks as makeshift stairs
- Narrow sections
- A few places we had to scramble through the boulders.
But as long as you’re mobile and aware of your footing, you should be fine, and just take your time.
If you’ve never hiked in your life you may find it difficult.
I should mentioned this hike is not stroller or wheelchair friendly.
Trail Terrain Photos
Here are some photos showing you the types of terrain you can expect on the hike from Boca de Tomatlan to Las Animas Beach.
Watch my video which gives you a better idea of the trail conditions and scenery:
Trail Highlights
Lush Jungle Paths: The trail winds through tropical foliage, providing plenty of shade and so many viewpoints of the beautiful water below you!
Hidden Beaches: Along the way, you’ll pass several secluded beaches – these were my favorites:
- Colomitos Beach: the first beach and one of the smallest beaches in Mexico, known for its emerald-green waters.
- Playa Madagascar: this was my favorite swim spot
- Playa Caballo (wish we had planned to swim here but we were hungry so we kept going)
Wildlife! We heard and saw a few macaw birds too!
Footwear Tips
As far as shoes, recommend sandals with straps that have some grip and a little stability or even some water hiking shoes – just not flip flops unless you’re an avid hiker.
Chris wore flip flops and it was a little sketch in some places.
I wore my reef sandals and they were perfect – since they’re waterproof as well. I’ll link them below.
I wouldn’t recommend shoes as you’ll be walking through the sand.
What to Bring/Pack
- Small backpack (this is my tan one) or daypack
- Water (snacks if you get hungry)
- Ocean-friendly sunscreen
- Towel (and wear your swimsuit)
- Hat
- This hat clip was very handy, too
My Best Tips for Doing this Hike:
Eat a hearty breakfast: try the Pancake House or load up some pastries at Eulo’s Bakery (both right around the corner from the bus stop).
Start early – catch the 9 or 9:30am bus at the latest, earlier would be better.
There are no bathrooms along the trail. I recommend using the bathroom in Boca before you start (10 pesos per person). There are bathrooms at Playa Caballo and Las Animas.
Bring some cash – a couple of the beaches have vendors selling cold drinks and fresh fruit
Most of the restaurants at Las Animas Beach accept credit cards – but double check before you order in case you don’t have cash.
A water taxi back to Boca from Las Animas is about 100 pesos per person (unless you do the guided hike, in which your water taxi cost is already included).
More Ideas to Experience this Hike:
You could do this hike in reverse! You would take a water taxi from Boca to Los Animas, have lunch and then hike back to Boca.
If you just want a secluded beach for a day – I would get a private water taxi straight to Playa Caballo for a few hours. There’s a nice restaurant called Casitas Maraika for a lovely lunch.
Once in Las Animas, you can also hire water taxis to take you even further to Quimixto or Yelapa if you’re not done beach hopping!
Where to Stay in Puerto Vallarta
On this trip we stayed at Pinnacle 179 – it’s adults-only, has an incredible rooftop pool and is only a 5-minute walk away from the bus stop that takes you to Boca!
Checks prices and availability here
