Fodor's Expert Review El Anclote

The most accessible beach at Punta de Mita and considered to be surf central is El Anclote, whose name means "the big anchorage." Just a few minutes past the gated entrance to the tony Four Seasons and St. Regis hotels, the popular beach has a string of restaurants—once simple shacks but today of increasing sophistication and price. This is a primo spot for viewing a sunset. The surf is calmed by several rock jetties and is shallow for quite a way out, so it's a good spot for children and average to not-strong swimmers; however, the jetties have also robbed sand from the beach. There's a long, slow wave for beginning surfers; you can rent boards and take lessons from outfitters in town. Most of the jewelry and serape sellers and fishermen looking for customers have moved—or been moved—off the beach to more official digs in buildings along the same strip or facing the Four Seasons. Accessible from El Anclote (or the adjacent town of Corral del Risco), more than half a dozen great surf spots pump year-round; most are accessible only by boat. Punta de Mita is the northernmost point of Banderas Bay, about 40 km (25 mi) north of Puerto Vallarta. Facilities: Fishing, snorkeling, surfing, paddle surfing; food concessions, showers, parking. Best for: snorkeling; surfing; sunset.