Playa de los Muertos is Puerto Vallarta’s best-known beach, in the lively Zona Romántica. Its striking name contrasts with the upbeat atmosphere and comes from local history and legend. Three popular origin stories: • Old cemetery: The site reportedly held the town’s first graveyard; efforts to rename it “Playa del Sol” failed because residents kept the original name.
• Pirate attack: A legend claims pirates clashed with locals, leaving many dead on the shore.
• Ambush of miners: Another tale says indigenous attackers ambushed a convoy from the Cuale mines, spilling blood near Las Peñas ranch.
Today it’s a vibrant, historic, and scenic beach.