Los Arcos de Mismaloya: Majestic and Impressive

Several thousand years ago, Los Arcos de Mismaloya did not exist as such, as they were part of the mountain that we currently see along the coast of the bay.

This mountain, formed of rock-solid granite, wore out with time, as the strong waves constantly hit against it. In this way, the earth was slowly eroded until one day, the part that connected land to the closest arch to the shore sunk in the sea, leaving the four rocks that we see today as islands.

Within each rock or “arch” there is a mysterious tunnel created naturally, of a height of approximately 25 m, which offers an excellent opportunity to observe the powerful movement of the waves, either up-close or afar, while it crashes against the rocky formation.

One unique trait of the place is a vertical underwater wall that runs downwards for 250 m on the west side of the rocks, where you may find several drops ideal for professional divers, like El Cañón or La Quijada del Diablo.

In this impressive photograph, you can appreciate the largest arches, as well as the stillness of the warm waters of the Mexican Pacific.

In the other hand, it is actually known that around Los Arcos de Mismaloya are found some of the deepest waters of the Banderas Bay, reaching more than 1,000 m in depth.

Photo by Danya Soto.