Mismaloya Beach

Mismaloya is a fishing village about 15 minutes south of Vallarta, where the mountains drop straight into the sea. The beach sits in a cove roughly 300 meters long, next to the mouth of the small Mismaloya River, with jungle all around and Los Arcos just offshore.

Much of Vallarta's fame started here: in 1963 John Huston filmed 'The Night of the Iguana' with Richard Burton, Ava Gardner and Deborah Kerr. The set and crew quarters were built on the hill on the south side of the cove. Only ruins remain today, and a mast topped with an iguana on the boardwalk recalls the film.

Palapa restaurants on the sand serve seafood and Mexican food, and local fishermen rent out pangas. People swim, snorkel, kayak and paddleboard.

Getting there: Along Highway 200, about 15 minutes south of Vallarta. Buses to Mismaloya leave from the corner of Constitución and Basilio Badillo in the Romantic Zone.

When to go: November to April usually brings calmer, clearer water. Mornings are less crowded.

Cost: Free (palapa restaurants, loungers and boat rides cost extra).

Tips: The film-set ruins aren't always open; respect fences and signs. If you take a panga to Los Arcos, agree on the price before you get in.

Accessibility: Coarse sand; no information on ramps.