Hiking from Boca to Las Animas

The hiking trail from Boca de Las Tomatlan runs mostly along the ocean and is very scenic with a couple of gorgeous beaches along the way.  It is approximately a two hour hike.   Although experienced hikers won’t consider it difficult, don’t attempt it if you don’t like strenuous hikes –there is a fair amount of up and down and the trail is a bit difficult in places.  To begin the hike, take a bus, taxi, or car to Boca de Tomatlan about 10 miles south of town (past Mismaloya).  Once you get to Boca, turn down the quarter mile road that leads to the water (you have to look for the Bay – the exit isn’t very well defined).  As you go down the road off the highway you will curve left.  You can park along this road or straight ahead along the water.

Hiking to Colomitos Beach

There are two ways to get to the trail on the other side of the river.  Either wade across the shallow water at the end of the road (the quickest way), or go back up river about 300 yards and cross the two quaint footbridges that get you to the path on the other side of the river.  Once you are on the other side of the river, head to your right on the concrete path by the numerous casitas next to the river.   The path stays next to the river.  Eventually the path becomes a dirt path and you follow this through the mountainside all the way to Colomitos Beach.  Once out of the area with the casitas, we managed to get ourselves on a lower dirt path close, but high above the water that led us into to hard slogging.  By climbing higher up, we eventually found a much better, more defined dirt path.  We suggest you keep an eye out for this as you leave the area of the casitas, because the higher path is a much better path if you can find it.  It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get to Colomitos, a beautiful secluded beach in a tiny bay with a private villa overlooking it.  You will normally have the beach all to yourself.  There is said to be good snorkeling along the rocks on the left, but the day we were there the water wasn’t real clear and we didn’t spot any fish.

Hiking To Los Caballos Beach

The hike to Los Caballos Beach will take another 45 minutes.  Start the hike from Colomitos to Los Caballos Beach by crossing to the other side of Colomitos Beach and climbing the brick steps.  At high tide you may have to wade through the water.  The steps are easy to find.  The path has steps cut into the stone and is well defined.   You continue along a good trail and eventually come to a set of small wood slat bridges suspended off the side of the mountain.  We recommend you pass one by one on these because they aren’t the strongest looking things!  Continue hiking for a while and you will come to a pretty beach with a  private resort overlooking it which is largely deserted.  To get through you more or less walk through the patio of the resort.  The people running the resort weren’t bothered by this.  Keep on walking and you will come to two houses along the water.  Although it feels a little funny, you walk through their patios continue along the trail.  You could walk along the beach itself, but there are large rocks and it would be a lot harder.  The day we were there, there was no one home in the houses.   From this point on, you walk mostly on the beach until you get to Los Caballos Beach.  Los Caballos is fairly wide, several hundred yards long, and fringed with palm trees.  It is one of the prettier beaches you will ever experience and you see very few people on it.  It is a great place to stop and spend part of your day.

On To Las Animas Beach

From Los Caballos Beach you walk about half a mile to get to Las Animas Beach.  Animas, although pretty, is much more commercialized.  It is loaded with restaurants right along the beach.  This is the only spot on the hike with restaurants where you can purchase food and drinks.

Homeward Bound – Back To Boca

Once you are ready to head back, you have several options.  You can hike back on the same trail.  It is far easier to take a water taxi back to Boca though,  and it only costs $6 a person.  If you have a few people, it is economical to take a private boat back to Boca.  We hired one for $25.  To get a private boat, ask at the beach or one of the restraurants.  The price is the same no matter how many people you have and the panga can hold 8 or 9 people.   It’s only about a 10 minute boat ride back to Boca.