Playa El Anclote (Punta de Mita)

Playa El Anclote sits at the tip of the Punta de Mita peninsula in Nayarit, Mexico, where Banderas Bay meets the open Pacific. The beach is a long, gently curving stretch of pale, fine sand backed by low dunes and a row of open-air seafood restaurants known locally as the malecón. Because the point breaks offshore, the water inside the bay stays notably calm and shallow for a good distance out, making it one of the safer swimming beaches in the region, while a modest beach break and nearby reef breaks attract surfers and stand-up paddlers just around the point. The exposure is moderate, facing southwest with light onshore breezes most afternoons. This is a working fishing village beach as much as a tourist one: pangas launch directly from the sand near the restaurant row, and those same boats double as the departure point for snorkeling and surfing trips to the Marietas Islands. Amenities are concentrated at the restaurant end, where sun loungers, umbrellas, and restrooms are available to paying customers; the stretch away from the palapas is quieter and less developed. There is no formal lifeguard service. Parking is informal along the access roads into the village, filling up on weekends and holidays. The beach is reachable by taxi or colectivo from Bucerías and Puerto Vallarta in under an hour, or directly from nearby luxury resorts along the point.