The Nuevo Vallarta Mayan resort has a nice beach over a ½ mile long. The sand on the Pacific side is of the coarse brown variety, not the powdery white stuff of the Caribbean. However the swimming is great, with moderate sized waves that are perfect for playing and body surfing. If the wind comes up the waves are a total blast. The beach is a great place for a morning walk , beach volleyball game , or to launch a your parasailing experience. If you want some real surfing, you can head up the coast just a few miles to Sayulita.