Hiking to Playa del Barro

For those who like short and easy trails and little-crowded beaches, we have Playa del Barro, which is at least an hour away from Puerto Vallarta. On highway 200, to the north and after leaving San Francisco behind, just after kilometer 114 marked on the highway, there is a town on the left side, Las Lomas.

Following that way, we will go next to the elementary school without turning for 2.4 kilometers or something like 10 minutes. In order not to get lost, we must follow the signs to either Playa del Burro or Punta Monterrey. I suggest entering all the above data in Google maps.

If we are driving, we must be careful since rain or lack of maintenance can offer an uncomfortable road. There are usually cars parked at the end of this dirt road, which is quite uneven and has steep slopes. This is 300 meters before reaching Punta Monterrey. There, we will look for a place to park to begin the walk of less than a kilometer along the trail to the left. This path is wide and although it is steep, it is not very demanding.

The beach will be very easy to locate. We will have to bring food and shade, since it is an isolated beach. The surf may not be the best or the safest, but it does have its advantages. At the end of the beach, at the foot of the cliff, the wall offers mud that can be extracted by taking a little sea water to moisten it.

There are those who cover their entire body, others only the face. This benefit usually encourages people to get rid of part or all of their clothing to hide behind the mud, although there are those who do it without covering themselves with anything, taking advantage of the privacy and distance of this beach.

The beach is wide and with few people, so if the presence of other people bothers you, getting away and finding a quiet spot is very easy.

Let’s not forget that the return is on foot, on a trail and surrounded by vegetation, so do not wait for the sunset unless you are looking to have a nocturnal experience in the jungle. Not to mention, you have to drive in the dark down the same winding road we came from.

With all of the above, it is worth mentioning that the beach is appropriate for camping as long as we manage to carry enough food to stay up all night. But I will have to confirm this later with some audacious friends who don’t mind the inconveniences of nocturnal isolation. I hope I don’t forget to arrange to carry my telescope.