Lo de Marcos has got to be the chillest town on the Riviera Nayarit, aka the part of the Mexican coastline extending up from Puerto Vallarta up to the touristic town of Guayabitos.
La Riviera Nayarit is known for having resorts (Punta de Mita), waves (Sayulita and San Pancho), and is also a great escape for Mexican vacationers in Guayabitos where they can enjoy the coastline in a more family-friendly atmosphere. Between these main stops, there is the small town of Lo de Marcos, a fishing village that is the perfect escape from the tourism.
GETTING HERE
To get to Lo de Marcos, it’s beyond easy on public transportation! It is only about 10 km south of the bustling town of Guayabitos, so you can pretty much just orient yourself towards there.
From Puerto Vallarta, hop on a bus headed towards Guayabitos. You can cross the bridge right in front of the Puerto Vallarta airport and wait for a Green Compostela bus. Alternatively, you can go to the Puerto Vallarta bus station and buy directly to Lo de Marcos.
From Sayulita or San Pancho, you can take any bus going towards Guayabitos and get off in Lo de Marcos.
THINGS TO DO
If you are looking to get off the beaten path to come visit here, you probably don’t need a huge list of things to do! Generally, after getting off the bus on the side of the highway, you will just want to stroll into town to the garden.
The town garden and stage are painted in vibrant murals, so it’s really nice to take photos and of course see the “Lo de Marcos” letters. Here you can also read a little summary of how Lo de Marcos got it’s name — it literally means, “that belonging to Marcos” and it refers to the fact that most of the town was once the land of a man named Marcos.
You can continue to stroll a little further down until you get to the beach. The beach of Lo de Marcos is the perfect size, surrounded by a large rock at the north and south end which gives the beach privacy and tranquility.
At the southern end, you can also climb around the tide pools and enjoy the views from the end of the beach. Here you will also find locals renting umbrellas and chairs, renting kayaks or paddle boards, and even the occasional surfboard!
That’s right, surfers, although I didn’t get to witness it in my short visit, Lo de Marcos has waves most consistently in winter (Nov- March) and the rental shack told me about a nice point break that is right on the beach, as well as a nearby wave accessible by boat! If you are looking to get away from the crowds of Sayulita on a larger swell day, this might be the place.
WHERE TO STAY AND EAT
While Lo de Marcos makes for a perfect daytime getaway while you're staying in a busier beach town, you might just want to stay here for the peacefulness and the lower cost!
The only hostel in town (Hosteria Chata) has lower reviews on booking.com, so I wouldn't recommend that as your top choice. Instead, you can book a private space at Casa Lorinda or search Airbnb for your own budget room.
As far as food goes, you can find a bunch of street food, a handful of supermarkets with fresh produce, and palapas selling seafood at the southern end of the beach.
IN CONCLUSION
I had an awesome day visiting Lo de Marcos with my mom and we both really appreciated the natural beauty and calmness of the pueblo in comparison to neighboring spots. I am definitely excited to visit again (when there's surfable waves!) and update this blog accordingly.
If you're looking to travel around in the region, feel free to read my posts about Sayulita, San Pancho, Punta Mita, and the Jalisco coast for my tips on seeing these places on a budget.
