CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons (Flickr upload)Wildlife· Islas Marietas· Mexico
Islas Marietas National Park
20° 41.9′ N · 105° 35.1′ W
Two uninhabited volcanic islands (Isla Larga and Isla Redonda) plus the islets El Morro and La Corbeteña at the mouth of the bay, nicknamed the 'Galapagos of Mexico' for their seabird colonies. Blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds and red-billed tropicbirds nest on the cliffs, and the water around them holds manta rays, turtles, dolphins and winter humpbacks.
Practical
Federal national park (declared 2005), UNESCO Man and the Biosphere reserve (2008) and Ramsar site (2004), managed by CONANP; about 7.9 km southwest of Punta de Mita, 15 minutes by boat from Punta Mita or about an hour from Puerto Vallarta. Water around the islands is 70 to 110 ft deep (Wikipedia). Marine area 1,311.85 ha. RULES: no fishing, hunting or extraction; anchoring is no longer permitted (Noonsite); landing on the islands is restricted to a single regulated beach. Coral was badly damaged by Hurricane Lidia in October 2023 and is recovering under CONANP controls (Banderas News, May 2024). Navionics charts were reported in 2014 to omit the Marietas entirely; keep a careful visual and radar watch. Tour-boat traffic is heavy in the morning. See 'Islas Marietas Day-Use Moorings' for private-yacht access.
Best for
Seabirds, snorkeling and a day trip from Punta de Mita
Nearby
- Islas Marietas Day-Use Moorings0.5 NM away
- Islas Marietas Dive Sites1 NM away
- Islas Marietas Snorkel1 NM away
- Playa del Amor (Hidden Beach, Islas Marietas)1.1 NM away
- El Morro Dive Site (Islas Marietas)4.1 NM away
- Banderas Bay Blast and Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club5.7 NM away
- El Anclote Restaurants (Punta de Mita)5.7 NM away
- Playa El Anclote (Corral del Risco)5.7 NM away