A good Yelapa map does two jobs: it gets you from Puerto Vallarta to the right pier, and it helps you find the beach, the village, and the waterfall once you're here. Yelapa has no roads for cars, only footpaths, lanes, and the sand, and phone signal can come and go, so the best map is the one you saved before you left. This guide covers which offline map apps to use, the places worth pinning, and a few tips for finding your way on foot, as of November 2, 2026.
Start with our Yelapa map
Our Yelapa map of the beach, town, river, and trails is a zoomable map of the whole cove. Tap a point for a short note and a link that opens the spot in Google Maps. It shows how the four parts of Yelapa fit together: the main beach on the east side, the river mouth in the middle, the village on the west side, and Playa Isabel at the point.
Use it to get your bearings before the trip, then save the same places in an offline app on your phone.
Download an offline map before the boat
Do this in Puerto Vallarta, on hotel or café Wi-Fi, before you head to the pier. Each app's steps change from time to time, so follow the official help page linked here for the current steps.
| App | Works on | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | Android and iPhone | Download an area and the app guides you offline as long as the whole route is inside it. Steps: Google Maps help. |
| Apple Maps | iPhone with iOS 17 or later | Save a map of an area and get directions offline. Steps: Apple Support. |
| Organic Maps | Android and iPhone | A free app built on OpenStreetMap data that works fully offline. Download it from organicmaps.app. |
Draw your download area wide enough to cover both Puerto Vallarta and Yelapa, so the piers and the village sit in one saved map. Our travel tools page has an offline peso converter and the Google Translate offline Spanish steps, which are worth setting up at the same time.
The places to save on your Yelapa map
Star these before you go, and they'll be there when the signal isn't.
| Place | Why save it |
|---|---|
| Los Muertos Pier, Puerto Vallarta | Water taxis to Yelapa leave from here, in the Romantic Zone. |
| Boca de Tomatlán | The shorter boat ride: at least 30 minutes to Yelapa, against at least 55 from Los Muertos. |
| Yelapa town pier, by Café Bahía | Where most water taxis land, on the village side of the cove. |
| Main beach (Playa Yelapa) | Palapa restaurants, swimming, and kayaks on the east side. |
| The river mouth | Where the Río Tuito meets the sea, between the beach and the village. |
| Cola de Caballo waterfall | The town waterfall, about 15 minutes uphill through the village. |
| Faro de Yelapa (the lighthouse) | A steep walk above the main beach with a wide view of the cove. |
| Playa Isabel | A small, quiet beach at the west end of the cove. |
| The village pharmacy | Good to know where it is before you need it. |
Boat times and ride lengths can change, so check go2yelapa transport the day you travel. Our guide to getting to Yelapa from Puerto Vallarta by boat walks through each option.
Finding your way in Yelapa on foot
- Think in landmarks. Directions here go by the pier, the river, the church, and the beach restaurants, so pin those and you can follow almost any local tip.
- Know where the river is. The river mouth splits the main beach from the village, and how you cross depends on the water. Our Yelapa beaches guide explains the crossing through the year.
- Bring a flashlight. There are no streetlights, and the paths get dark after sunset.
- Ask anyone. Yelapa is small, and people are happy to point the way.
Where Yelapa sits on the bigger map
Yelapa is a car-free village in Jalisco on the south shore of Banderas Bay, reached by boat from Puerto Vallarta. Our where is Yelapa guide covers the airport, the time zone, and the villages nearby. If you want to explore along the coast, the day trips from Yelapa guide covers Majahuitas, Quimixto, and Las Ánimas.
Choosing your spot on the map
Where you stay shapes how you'll use the map, since the beach, the village, the river, and the hillsides each have their own feel. Our where to stay in Yelapa guide compares the areas and what to check before you book a vacation rental.
Checked November 2, 2026. App steps, boat times, and small businesses change, so confirm with the sources below before you go.
Sources
- Google Maps Help, download areas and navigate offline
- Apple Support, how to download maps to use offline on your iPhone
- Organic Maps, official site
- OpenStreetMap, Cascada de Yelapa (Cola de Caballo), Faro de Yelapa, and Playa Isabel
Plan your stay
Casa Gratitud is a three-level, ocean-view house in the jungle above the bay, with two king bedrooms, a full kitchen, fast Wi-Fi, and terraces facing the water. Our host family meets guests at the town pier, so the first spot on your map is an easy one. See the house at yelapacasagratitud.com and check dates and rates.