If you’re staying by Playa Rinconcito, like I was, it’s worth taking the walk through the punta cometa paths to play Mermejita. Go up the steps from Playa Rinconcito and round to Mermejita or avoid steps by going via Cam. Mermejita from Rinconcito street:

The paths provide some rare shade on the walk, and can be taken to the point (for a small fee requested at certain points) for the best sunset views in the area, or simply pass by those points and continue (at no cost) to the next beach along.

Why bother? This beach is bigger but also quieter, maintaining a more secluded and tranquil atmosphere compared to the busier tourist beaches. While there are a couple bars to the left side when you enter, if you go right and continue down a little, you’ll mostly have the place to yourself to enjoy the sun and sand. Speaking of sand, at Playa Mermejita you will notice patches of darker sand caused by natural concentrations of minerals such as magnetite, a natural phenomenon that also sets this beach apart. One thing to note is that Mermejita is widely recognised as having powerful riptides and strong currents and undertows, making it unrecommended for swimming.

For those of us who struggle with the daytime heat, just before sunset is the time to head out for the evening, with sunset being the opening show, and Playa Mermejita also has better sunset views than Playa Rinconcito.

Mermejita also has less light pollution than most of the other local beaches, so it’s a great place to do some night sky viewing!

Making fires on the local beaches is banned (so as not to destroy any turtle nests or disturb their return to the sea). But we still had fun bringing the fire element to life in different ways.