Yelapa tours from Puerto Vallarta are one of the easiest ways to see this car-free fishing village on the south shore of Banderas Bay. Yelapa has no road in, so every visit starts with a boat, and you can book a group tour that handles everything or take a water taxi and plan the day yourself. This guide compares the two, as of October 23, 2026, and shows when a night in Yelapa beats both.
Wondering whether the village is your kind of place first? Our post on whether Yelapa is worth visiting covers who loves it and what a day there feels like.
What Yelapa tours from Puerto Vallarta include
Most Yelapa tours are full-day boat trips that pair the village with a second stop along the coast, often Majahuitas, a small cove reached only by boat. A typical tour bundles the boat, a guide, snorkel gear, and a meal.
One example: Vallarta Adventures' Yelapa and Majahuitas tour runs about 7.5 hours. It includes a guided walk through Yelapa's lanes, snorkeling, paddle boards and kayaks, and a barbecue lunch on the beach at Majahuitas. The walk to the Cola de Caballo waterfall is offered only part of the year, so check the tour page for the months. The operator suggests swimwear, a towel, walking shoes, biodegradable sunscreen, and extra cash for dock fees and souvenirs.
Other companies around the bay run similar trips, including private charters. Itineraries, departure points, and inclusions vary, so confirm them on the tour company's own page before you book.
Going on your own by water taxi
You can also do Yelapa as a DIY day trip on the public water taxis (pangas). They run all year, and the go2yelapa transport page keeps the current schedule and fares.
- From Boca de Tomatlán, a small village at the south end of Puerto Vallarta, the ride takes about 30 minutes, with boats through the day.
- From the Los Muertos Pier in the Romantic Zone, the ride takes at least 55 minutes, with fewer departures.
A relaxed DIY day looks like this: a morning boat, a walk uphill through town to the Cola de Caballo waterfall, a seafood lunch under a beach palapa, a slice of pie, a swim, and an afternoon boat back with daylight to spare. Our boat guide explains both piers and how to reach Boca, and our waterfalls guide covers the easy walk and the longer jungle hike.
There is also a larger tourist ferry from Marina Los Peines. As of today, Ferry Vallarta says it is paused for the low season and will announce reopening dates.
Tour or water taxi: which suits you?
A group tour suits you when:
- You have one free day in Puerto Vallarta and want it planned for you
- You want snorkeling, gear, and lunch in one booking
- You'd like a guide to show you the village
- You want to see two places, such as Yelapa and Majahuitas, in one trip
A water taxi suits you when:
- You want more hours in Yelapa itself and your own pace
- You'd rather pick your own lunch spot on the beach
- You plan to swim, read, and wander with no group to meet
- You might decide to stay the night once you get there
Either way, keep a few habits: bring cash pesos (Yelapa has no ATMs), wear shoes that handle sand and rocky paths, and plan your return boat in daylight.
Turn the tour into a stay
The day boats and tour groups usually head back by mid-afternoon, and that is when Yelapa settles into its slower rhythm. Staying over gives you the sunset from the beach, dinner in the village, and quiet mornings before the first boats arrive. It also leaves time for things a tour can't fit, like the longer hike to the upper waterfall or a morning kayak along the cove.
From a base in Yelapa, you can still visit the coves nearby. Our guide to day trips from Yelapa covers Majahuitas, Quimixto, and Las Ánimas. Casa Gratitud guests can also ask our host family for boat outings for fishing, snorkeling, or whale watching in their WhatsApp group, and the family will arrange it. From mid-December through March, humpback whales visit the bay, and our whale season post has the details.
If you're still choosing an area, our guide to where to stay in Yelapa compares the beach, the village, and the hillsides.
Plan your stay
A tour gives you a taste of Yelapa, and a few nights give you the whole village. Casa Gratitud is a three-level, ocean-view house in the jungle above the bay, with terraces, a full kitchen, and a host family who meets you at the pier. It sleeps 6 comfortably and up to 8 with rollaway beds, and it rents October through April. Check dates and rates and book direct at yelapacasagratitud.com.