A beautiful sandy beach that's hidden away in a cave, on an island, and can only be reached by a secret entrance?
Sounds like something out of a film.
However, that's exactly what Mexico's hidden beach offers.
Nicknamed Playa del Amor, the breathtaking sandy hotspot is tucked away in the Marietas Islands, just off the coast of Riviera Nayarit in Mexico.
The beach is located in a large crater that opens up to the sky, meaning you can't see it if you're on land, or even at sea. Oh, and the only way to reach the beach is to swim through a tunnel hidden amidst the rocks.
However, there's some good news for explorers, as locals now know where the entrance is - and there are some boat trips available for those who want to see it for themselves.
Once you get close enough, visitors are asked to jump off the boat and swim up to the entrance. The tunnel itself isn't completely underwater, so you can come up for air, not to mention it's ideal for both snorkeling and diving.
There are some restrictions in place from authorities looking to protect the landscape.
For a start, only a maximum of 117 visitors can head to the island each day - and their visits must be staggered, so you only get about 20 minutes at the beach itself.
You can't just show up on the day - you'll need to pre-book your place on the designated boats that head over to the beach.
The Marietas Islands National Park is renowned for its diverse offering of plants and wildlife.
In fact, they act as a sanctuary to heaps of endangered bird species, as well as quirky species such as the blue-footed booby. This peculiar bird can only be found in the Marietas Islands, or the Galapagos Islands.
Meanwhile, the national park has also been known to attract the likes of turtles, dolphins and even humpback whales not to mention it has some rare coral reefs.
It's therefore no wonder that the Marietas Islands have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Want to find out more? Visit the official Riviera Nayit website.
- We know that travel isn't a viable option at the moment - but we want to keep providing you with inspirational content for the day that we can all book holidays again. You can read more about our decision here.
