THIS is Mexico’s hidden beach – a bucket (and spade) list wonder that can only be reached by swimming through a tunnel in the rocks.

Sited in the UNESCO-recognised Marietas Islands National Park, it is one of Mexico’s natural treasures.

To reach the hidden beach, you first have to book a boat tour out to Marietas Islands National Park, a 45-minute journey from Punta Mita, in the south of Riviera Nayarit.

When the boat arrives, you’ll be wondering where on earth the beach – officially Playa del Amor (yes, that’s Love Beach) – actually is.

It’s invisible from the outside and no boats are permitted to enter the tunnel to preserve its natural beauty.

Upon arrival, you’re invited to jump off the boat and swim close to the entrance. As the beach is hidden underground, you have to swim through a passage that leads you to the shore.

You rapidly reach a wide sandy cavern where the aquamarine waters of the Pacific lap the beach. 

(Don’t worry if you don’t fancy the swim – there are other boat trips which sail round the islands, although you won’t get to see the beach itself.)

Marietas Islands is a wildlife sanctuary, home to the incredibly rare blue-footed booby that can only be found in two parts of the planet: here and the Galapagos Islands.

The crystal-clear waters and coral reefs are ideal for snorkeling. Frequent visitors are turtles, dolphins, and humpback whales. On the shore, visitors can spot barber butterflies, parrots and steel swallows.

For more information, visit www.RivieraNayarit.com