Playa La Lancha
Playa La Lancha
4.5
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- Tracy FPark City, Utah5 contributionsFun but nerve-wracking walkOverall the beach was really nice. The walk in took about 10 minutes and was not difficult. We rented boogie boards and the kids had a blast. I had read about the crocodiles and I was very nervous during our walk in. On the way out I ended up seeing a very large crocodile (I was actively looking as I was nervous) that was down by the marshy water. It really freaked me out and there is no way I could do the walk again having seen them. There were tons of families coming and going with no incident but it did scare me.Visited December 2022Traveled with familyWritten December 28, 2022
- rubiconForestville, California99 contributionsnice waves and location. I never got a "local" vibe while in the water. A lot of surf schools come here.I think la lancha is one of the best breaks around. However, the property where the access is located was purchased by a larger resort and may soon be closed. There is an alternate access about 400 yards down the road but a longer hike. Wildmex has a shop right in La Lancha, so you can go there, rent a board and surf.Visited September 2019Written April 23, 2020
- Ralph FBucerias, Mexico100 contributionsBeautiful beach, but you can't get there.Playa La Lancha is a great beach, good surfing. However, it is inaccessible. The only access is a mile hike through the jungle and the property owners have closed it off with fencing and guards armed with pepper spray.Visited April 2018Traveled as a coupleWritten March 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
29 reviews
Excellent
18
Very good
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Terrible
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stlouiegirl81
Las Cruces, NM65 contributions
Oct 2022 • Family
La Lancha beach is absolutely stunning. White sand, clean water, beautiful break, The beach itself gets 5 stars. I put one star hoping that others would read this review so they understand the risk involved with how you access this beach.
My family did a surf lesson at La Lancha that my kids loved and caught tons of waves. But after our lesson was complete, we learned that a tourist was attacked by a croc (bit on the calf) while crossing one of the 3 foot bridges in the estuary the day before our visit. Be aware that one footbridge is as wide as my foot with nothing to hold onto, so you have to balance walking over the croc waters.
We also learned that during the wet season (now), the crocs will leave the estuary and swim in the ocean to switch homes, so in addition to a potential croc encounter in the estuary, you should be aware that you can encounter them in the ocean.
As a mom, I wished I had this information before we did this hike. We would have asked to have our lessons at a different beach.
My understanding is that during the dry season, the crocs stay in the estuary and do not move out into the ocean.
I only read one other review here that mentioned crocs, so I thought it was important to share this information for others who are not familiar with the area.
Luckily, the day we hiked the dirt was solid. The other October review I read said the mud was knee deep in places and you slide through. The path was difficult enough to navigate safely under dry conditions. I cannot imagine safely navigating this while sliding in mud.
Other ways you can access this beach without the estuary hike are (1) the four seasons resort has their resort beach here, (2) you can get a day pass to the four seasons, (3) I saw one tour operator arriving via boat, or (4) ask your surf school about beginner surf waves on another beach.
I hope this information helps other tourists who are interested in surfing in the area or who would like to visit the very beautiful La Lancha beach.
My family did a surf lesson at La Lancha that my kids loved and caught tons of waves. But after our lesson was complete, we learned that a tourist was attacked by a croc (bit on the calf) while crossing one of the 3 foot bridges in the estuary the day before our visit. Be aware that one footbridge is as wide as my foot with nothing to hold onto, so you have to balance walking over the croc waters.
We also learned that during the wet season (now), the crocs will leave the estuary and swim in the ocean to switch homes, so in addition to a potential croc encounter in the estuary, you should be aware that you can encounter them in the ocean.
As a mom, I wished I had this information before we did this hike. We would have asked to have our lessons at a different beach.
My understanding is that during the dry season, the crocs stay in the estuary and do not move out into the ocean.
I only read one other review here that mentioned crocs, so I thought it was important to share this information for others who are not familiar with the area.
Luckily, the day we hiked the dirt was solid. The other October review I read said the mud was knee deep in places and you slide through. The path was difficult enough to navigate safely under dry conditions. I cannot imagine safely navigating this while sliding in mud.
Other ways you can access this beach without the estuary hike are (1) the four seasons resort has their resort beach here, (2) you can get a day pass to the four seasons, (3) I saw one tour operator arriving via boat, or (4) ask your surf school about beginner surf waves on another beach.
I hope this information helps other tourists who are interested in surfing in the area or who would like to visit the very beautiful La Lancha beach.
Written October 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ambassador769471
Meridian, ID18 contributions
Oct 2020 • Family
My daughter and family wanted to try out a new beach. The hike was suppose to have been about a 10 minute hike. Well - first of all this walk is definitely not for someone who is not in good shape or does not have proper hiking apparel. That was my first mistake - as we hiked this during the “rainy” season. The path got to be so muddy that we end up having to take off our shoes and walk barefoot through mud. (Knee deep at times) Also the mosquitoes were in rare form - so make sure to wear and bring mosquito repellent.
One last important factor was that the walking path was next to a river that has crocodiles. We had to wade through a water path - and honestly I was pretty nervous. Thankfully no croc sightings!
When we finally reached the beach- it was just gorgeous!! Lots of surfers and young people. I’m sure I was the oldest there. There are no amenities - so come prepared. There is little to no shade.
I found the locals to be very friendly and warm. One gentleman during the hike back help carry my 5 year old granddaughter across a very rough watery mud area.
For me - I’m glad I experienced this “jungle tour” but can certainly attest that I will not be back.
If you are young or young at heart and adventurous; then this is the place for you!
One last important factor was that the walking path was next to a river that has crocodiles. We had to wade through a water path - and honestly I was pretty nervous. Thankfully no croc sightings!
When we finally reached the beach- it was just gorgeous!! Lots of surfers and young people. I’m sure I was the oldest there. There are no amenities - so come prepared. There is little to no shade.
I found the locals to be very friendly and warm. One gentleman during the hike back help carry my 5 year old granddaughter across a very rough watery mud area.
For me - I’m glad I experienced this “jungle tour” but can certainly attest that I will not be back.
If you are young or young at heart and adventurous; then this is the place for you!
Written October 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jill C
Chicago, IL183 contributions
Dec 2021 • Friends
Fantastic beach for surfing and enjoying the sun. Not crowded and the surfing was great for beginners and also more experienced surfers!
Written December 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bruce B
Toronto, Canada153 contributions
Mar 2020
The beach at La Lancha is very natural. Not many tourists. You have to walk through the jungle to get there. There is a well worn path. Not difficult. GREAT surf for all skill levels. Great for body surfing.
Written July 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Erika H
Santa Ana, CA10 contributions
Aug 2019
We had Vallarta Adventures take us to Lancha Beach for a day of surfing. It was a really fun day. The waves were perfect for beginner/intermediate surfers. The beach itself is small...no restaurants or vendors or bathrooms.
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joseluis D
48 contributions
Aug 2019
Very nice beach, the best surfing spot in puerto vallarta. Hard to reach, specially if you are carring surf boards, water, food (this beach has nothing you must take everything with you), but well worth it. If oyu are in Puerto Vallarta and surf, this is the place to go to.
Written August 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bill m
Forestville, CA10 contributions
Jan 2019 • Solo
Two trails lead here one is under scruinity by some rent a cops hired by a resort development company which wants to take over the access. Lots of politics here. Let’s hope they keep this beach open
Written February 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John_Ro2756
Stockholm, Sweden9 contributions
Jan 2019 • Solo
The place is really really crowded and basically a pain in the a**. First, Its totally taken over by surf schools that bring a ton of beginners by boats & cars from the nearby towns, and have them floating in the middle of the line-up on their giant foam boards. When you try to take off there's gonna be a ton of clueless kooks on getting on your way. But there are also skilled locals who get really nasty if you know how to surf, and they'll band against you and block you making sure you won't catch anything. The vibe sucks. If it's low tide, there are huge rocks right at the take-off point, covered in urchins.
Written January 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CASWilliams
25 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
Excellent surf, a couple shady spots, nice clean sand, fun walk through the woods to get there. Loved it!!!
Written May 15, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth M
San Francisco, CA87 contributions
Mar 2022
Great beach with soft sand and not too many people. Beginning surfer friendly. You can take the bus here from Puerto Vallarta if you're staying there. Nearby surf shop Wild Mex. Renting board and borrowing rashguard about $25 for the day. Can park near surf shop and walk on a little trail to beach. Maybe bring sneakers for the walk (some people do it in flip flips or sandals, but you might be more comfy in sneakers).
Written April 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Another_Vaca
Calgary, Canada37 contributions
Where can I rent from
Joseluis D
48 contributions
In the parking lot there is wildmex, rent surf boards paddle boars leassons all you need
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Excellent Reviews | 18 |
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Very Good Reviews | 8 |
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