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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico

Mismaloya

Give Mismaloya half a day for the beach and a Los Arcos snorkelling boat; stay one night only if you want the sunset.

Mismaloya is a small Pacific beach community 12 km south of Puerto Vallarta’s Zona Romántica. Allow half a day for the beach and a snorkelling boat toward Los Arcos; stay overnight if you want to enjoy the sunset. Buses from Puerto Vallarta run about every 20 minutes.

Mexico CityAcapulcoAcaxochitlánActopanAculcoAgua PrietaAguascalientesAhuacatlánAhualulcoAjijicAkumalÁlamosAmatitánAmatlán de CañasMismaloya500 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Mexico
Best months
Check
Avoid
Check
Stay
0–1 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
MXN
Money
Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
SIM and data
Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
Emergency
Emergency (police 911 · Tourist assistance / Green Angels 078 · Anonymous crime report 089 · Federal consumer office (PROFECO) 55 5568 8722
Plugs
Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
Tipping
Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
Water
Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
Toilets
Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.

Get in

By air

PVR · Puerto Vallarta airport
Nearest airport.
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

Fed. Hwy 200 runs through Mismaloya. Buses from Puerto Vallarta’s Zona Romántica depart about every 20 minutes and cost MXN 10 (January 2026). Snorkelling boats commonly leave from the beach; agree the route and fare before departure.

See and do

Known for

  • Mismaloya beach and snorkelling
  • Los Arcos boat trips
  • Filming location for The Night of the Iguana
  • El Eden adventure park

Day trips

WhereHowTime
Puerto VallartaBus on Fed. Hwy 200 from Mismaloya.Check
Boca de TomatlánFed. Hwy 200; 4 km (2.5 mi) from Mismaloya.Check
Vallarta Botanical GardensCarretera a Barra de Navidad, Km 24.Check
YelapaWater taxi from coastal piers; service times and fares: check.Check

Sleep

Mismaloya beach
Beachside restaurants are available; accommodation details: check.
Boca de Tomatlán
Casa de Piedra is listed here; current rates and availability: check.

Language

Spanish everywhere, with a Mexican vocabulary; English is common in resorts and upscale Mexico City, much less elsewhere. Millions speak indigenous languages, especially in Oaxaca, Chiapas and the Yucatán.

  • '¿Mande?' means 'pardon?'; 'ahorita' can mean now or much later.
  • WhatsApp runs business: hotels, tours, drivers.

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
  • Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
  • Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
  • Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
  • Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter

Scams and watch-outs

  • Many beach businesses may be cash-only; bring cash and confirm payment methods before ordering.
  • Agree the boat fare and destination before departure.
  • The coastal trail toward Playa Las Ánimas has steep 25–50 m climbs; some sections use a rope.

Wikivoyage describes Mismaloya as safe and family-friendly. Agree boat fares and destinations before boarding; carry cash because some beach businesses may not accept cards.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Mismaloya yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Mismaloya beach and snorkelling
  • Los Arcos boat trips
  • Filming location for The Night of the Iguana
  • El Eden adventure park

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Mismaloya

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

  • Emergency (police911
  • Tourist assistance / Green Angels078
  • Anonymous crime report089
  • Federal consumer office (PROFECO)55 5568 8722

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/mismaloya). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.