Day Trip to Hidden Beach at the Marietta Islands

By Sara Alexander

We took the Vallarta Adventures tour. It had the highest ratings especially for cleanliness of restrooms. The islands themselves are pretty nondescript from a distance and the opening to the Hidden Beach is hardly visible from the ocean. There is a moderate swim from the boat thru the tunnel to the Hidden Beach. Everyone has to wear a lifejacket fastened around their waist and has flippers. I found it slow and tiring trying to dogpaddle with the jacket around my middle. About halfway there I rolled onto my back, just floated and waited for the next swell….used the flippers to catch it and ride it. A few of those and I was in the tunnel. Much easier than dogpaddling. There were several crew members in the water making sure you didn’t bump into any of the underwater rocks. There was a large semicircular beach inside the island and no way to reach it other than the water opening. The rock walls were very high and straight and the top was open to the sky. It was like a big round hole had been cut into the island. Stories of UFO’s and bomb testing, but the truth is it’s a natural phenomenon and a national preserve. I used the floating on my back and catching the swells technique and the return was much easier. The tour also includes scuba, snorkeling, kayaking, and paddle boards. We saw whales on the way there and a pod of dolphins on the return.