Trail from Boca de Tomatlán to Las Ánimas

The best-known and most diverse trail is the one that takes us from Boca de Tomatlán to Las Ánimas. Along this road you will find jungle, mountains, beaches, small wooden bridges and even very peculiar little hotels.

First, we must get to Boca de Tomatlán, which is about 25 kilometers south of Puerto Vallarta on Highway 200. On the way, you can stop at several viewpoints and even at the famous “most beautiful Oxxo of all” and buy there snacks and water needed for this trail. Upon arrival in Boca de Tomatlán, you can park on the streets or in private parking lots for an amount of approximately 100 pesos.

You will have to walk upstream and cross the pedestrian bridge to the south and continue following the rustic signs that you will find on the way. Thus begins the 4-kilometer journey to Las Ánimas. Don’t worry, your return can be, and it is suggested that it be by boat (panga).

You may also like: The Magic of Nature

If your style of hiking is admiring nature and taking photos here and there, the trip will last no less than two and a half hours. If you are one of those who like to exercise and run when you can, it will only take an hour. Now, if when you get to Colomitos beach, which is less than 2 kilometers away, you want to take some time in the sea and eat a snack, that’s fine, but save your energy as more than half of the journey is missing.

After climbing the small mountain after Colomitos, you will see some beaches below your trail, and then you will reach others that you will walk on yourself. The last and largest beach before reaching your destination is called Playa Caballo. Do not despair, because you will walk on the sand for more than 300 meters. With no shade. But after going through the hotel at the end, countless restaurants await you in Playa Las Ánimas. You will have reached your destination.

Do not be afraid to review all your options and ask to see the menu in each restaurant as well as negotiate the return boat transfer in your consumption bill. Well done, you deserve a good meal, a good drink and a lounge chair on the beach while you rest and recover.

This was the first trail my wife and I did when we arrived in this region. It is also the one we have done the most times. On all these occasions, we have lived the experience as a group, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly, including running sections, taking pictures, or forgetting about our cell phones and cameras. The choice is yours, since the path will be there for you to walk as many times and as you wish.