"We had heard so much about this “Hidden Beach”, and the photos we had seen were spectacular, so we booked a trip. Maui was the best guide. We saw humpback whales in the morning and afternoon, and one welcomed us with a beautiful show just as we pulled up to the island. The crew knew what they were doing, and were super organized - everything ran extremely smoothly. #1 Tip: Even with life jackets, YOU NEED TO BE A GOOD SWIMMER. From the time you jump in the water, until you need to be back on the boat, you have a total of 30 minutes. The guides swim with you the whole way. You’ll swim under the arch (it’s pretty low, and you will be wearing a helmet), and the quicker you get to the beach, the more time you have to explore. You can’t take your camera, or anything else, onto the beach, but 2 very fun, very professional photographers will be there to do a photo shoot with you. We bought the photo package, and I’m very glad we did. The photos were great - they captured the experience perfectly. We were supposed to go snorkeling, but there were jellyfish in the water, so instead, we toured around the islands, and Maui gave us a fabulous history of the island, along with information about its abundant bird life. We were given some light snacks on the boat, and then we headed back. Overall, a fantastic day, and we were back in town early afternoon."

Rebecca Livingston

"Definetly a spot you have to visit when in punta de mita, nuevo vallarta or vallarta!!! We took a tour that departed from cooperativa punta de mita which was great because from there you are 30 minutes away (compared to 1 hour and a half from vallarta on the speed boat).
Our tour guide was named Chino and he was great at explaining and getting us into the cave and into the Playa del amor/Playa escondida. You can only stay 30min but it is super worth it!! Make sure you’re good at swimming because you are not allowed to use fins."

Zulema Velasco

"Nothing against how important this ecological artifact is or how beautiful the view is when inside. But getting in can be treacherous depending on how high the tide is. First off, the current runs against going in, so it’s quite tiresome to swim in and my experience only included helmet and life jacket (no goggles, no scuba fins). When near the cave entrance, depending on the tide conditions, you may be left holding your breath while fully submerged underwater waiting for the tide to wash out (The tides also become more severe later on the day, hence all the morning only excursions).

Bonking your helmet to the top of the cave is the least of the problems, as there are no air pockets. The water is salty and I was caught off guard by how terribly titanic the scene was. The tide eventually gives way and you’ll be allowed in/out of the blowhole like entrance… my toes have never been so happy to touch sand.

I’m not certain the tide conditions can even be researched ahead of time, as it is an island bay. The timing is allowed by the maximum number of entrance tickets as well as helmets available at a given time. My tour, as accommodating as they were, will not make the assumption that you aren’t a strong swimmer despite the currents. Nor will they look at the disappearing sliver of an entrance and opt to turn away. So pay attention. Make a judgement call. And lastly, have your kids sit in the boat and wait (it’s a max 30 min allowance) if it feels like an adult-adventure experience."

Sung Kim