The official and long-running links we use ourselves, grouped so you find things fast. Every outside link was opened and checked on October 14, 2026; schedules and details change, so confirm before you go.
For the short answers on each topic, start with our Yelapa visitor guide.
Before you come
- Apps: WhatsApp (Casa guests get a group with our host family) and Google Translate.
- Phone: turn on Wi-Fi calling; cell service in Yelapa is spotty.
- Cash: pesos from a bank ATM in Puerto Vallarta; Yelapa has no ATMs (converter below).
- Light: a flashlight for each person; there are no streetlights.
- Bags: soft duffels travel best on the boats; keep passports and medicine in a daypack.
- For the trails and water: sandals with straps, insect repellent, sunscreen, and a dry bag for the boat.
- Sleep: earplugs, since music sometimes carries across the bay until about 10 PM.
Map and areas
Tap a point for directions. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors, checked October 14, 2026.
- Our Yelapa map: the beach, town, river, and trails
- OpenStreetMap: Yelapa, the free community map
- Yelapa.info, the long-running community site, for history and background (some pages are older)
Getting here
Yelapa has no road, so every trip ends with a boat: the public water taxi from Boca de Tomatlán takes about 30 minutes, and from Los Muertos Pier in Puerto Vallarta at least 55 minutes. Plan every boat in daylight.
- Go2Yelapa water taxi times, public water taxis from Boca de Tomatlán and Los Muertos Pier
- Ferry Vallarta, the seasonal Puerto Vallarta to Yelapa ferry (operator site; check that the season has started)
- Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR), the airport operator's page
- Mexican Navy port status map, whether Puerto Vallarta is open or closed to small boats (Spanish)
- Our guide to the boat from Puerto Vallarta and getting to Casa Gratitud
Weather and storms
Yelapa is driest from November to April. Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs May 15 to November 30, and storms can close the port to small boats, so check these before you travel.
- National Hurricane Center, eastern Pacific, storm outlooks and advisories (NOAA)
- Mexico National Weather Service (SMN), forecasts and tropical cyclone notices (Spanish)
- Jalisco Civil Protection, state alerts (Facebook, Spanish)
- Our hurricane season guide and best time to visit, month by month
Beaches, swimming, and tides
The main beach has gentle waves most days. Tides in the bay are modest, and a Puerto Vallarta tide table works for Yelapa.
- Puerto Vallarta tide times (Tide-Forecast.com)
- Mexican Navy tide station and 2026 tide tables for Puerto Vallarta (Spanish)
- Visit Puerto Vallarta: Yelapa beach, the tourism board's page
- Our beaches, swimming, and tides guide
Waterfalls and hikes
Cola de Caballo, the town waterfall, is about 15 minutes uphill from the beach; the second waterfall is about a 90-minute hike up the river.
- Our Yelapa waterfalls guide, both routes and what to bring
- Horseback and mule rides
Food and coffee
Each place below had recent reviews or a 2024 to 2026 write-up showing it open when we checked; small places change hours by season, so the Google Maps link shows current hours.
- On the beach: Sirena Morena, Domingo's
- Village tacos and dinner: Tacos Los Abuelos, Pollo Bollo, Tacos y Más, El Pescador
- By the river: Gloria's, El Manguito (upriver, on the way to the second waterfall)
- Coffee: Café Bahía (by the town pier), Café Eclipse, Café Pacífica (mornings)
- Pie: the pie ladies walk the beach; keep small bills handy.
- Groceries: three small markets in the village carry basics; for anything specific, shop in Puerto Vallarta before the boat.
- Our where to eat guide has what each place is known for.
Things to do
Swim, paddle, hike to the waterfalls and the lighthouse, ride a horse, take a yoga class, or spend a day on a boat.
- Things to do in Yelapa
- Animals and bugs of Yelapa, with a search box for every bird, lizard, sea creature, and bug
- Birds of Yelapa, 60 species by habitat with Spanish names and the best months to look
- Pura Vida Wellness Retreat, retreats, yoga, pool, and juice bar on the beach (ask about a day pass)
- Our yoga, massage, and retreats guide
- Day trips from Yelapa: Majahuitas, Quimixto, and Las Ánimas
Health and services
Yelapa has a public health center with a doctor and nurse for basic care, two pharmacies, and volunteer help for animals; hospitals are in Puerto Vallarta, a boat ride away.
- Centro de Salud de Yelapa, the village health center (Secretaría de Salud Jalisco): vaccinations, checkups, and first care, on the village side of the river
- Farmacia PVR, Yelapa branch, the pharmacy in the village
- Beach pharmacy, on the main beach next to Tienda Erika
- Serious illness or injury: care is in Puerto Vallarta, by boat; the health center can help arrange one
- Pets: no vet lives in Yelapa. The Yelapa Animal Project, a volunteer rescue, runs visiting spay and neuter clinics and helps with animal emergencies; Puerto Vallarta has full vet clinics.
- Protección Civil y Bomberos Cabo Corrientes, the municipal civil protection and fire service, +52 322 193 2593
- Emergencies: dial 911 anywhere in Mexico (gob.mx: 911)
- Hospital CMQ, 24-hour hospitals in Puerto Vallarta
- US Consular Agency in Puerto Vallarta (US Embassy)
- Government of Canada: Mexico travel advice, including the Canadian consular office in Puerto Vallarta
- US State Department: Mexico travel advisory
- Our health and safety guide, the Yelapa clinic, pharmacy, vets, and hospitals
Money and phones
Yelapa has no ATMs, and most places take cash pesos only, so get pesos from a bank ATM in Puerto Vallarta before the boat. A common guideline is about 1,000 to 2,000 pesos per person per day.
Peso converter
- Banco de México: current peso notes and coins (Spanish)
- Cell service in Yelapa is spotty. At Casa Gratitud, two internet providers and a backup generator keep you connected; turn on Wi-Fi calling on your phone.
Services for Casa Gratitud guests
Our host family is your help on the ground: boat excursions (fishing, snorkeling, and whale watching), pre-stocking the kitchen, cooking, and laundry. Ask in your WhatsApp group, where they quote and arrange everything.
Community and events
- Yelapa friends, the busiest Yelapa Facebook group, for questions and what's happening in the village (Facebook may ask you to sign in)
- Puerto Vallarta Experience Share, a large Puerto Vallarta travel group where Yelapa questions come up often
- The Gathering in Yelapa, the village's big November weekend
- Our season events calendar, Yelapa and Puerto Vallarta, October to April
Beyond Yelapa
Puerto Vallarta is a boat ride away, with day trips, festivals, and one of Mexico’s best-known LGBTQ+ scenes.
- Puerto Vallarta events calendar, the official tourism board calendar, and our season events guide
- Day trips from Puerto Vallarta and the tourism board's towns near Puerto Vallarta
- Vallarta Botanical Garden
- LGBTQ+ travel in Puerto Vallarta (official tourism board), Vallarta Pride, and our LGBTQ+ travel guide
Living in Yelapa
Thinking about a longer stay or a home of your own in Yelapa? Start here.
Plan your stay
Casa Gratitud is our ocean-view home on the hillside above the bay, open October through April. See rates and availability, or ask us anything.