Booking choice: The Las Caletas day tour, from $109 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Las Caletas, Yelapa and Majahuitas all lie on the roadless south shore of Banderas Bay. Las Caletas is a private cove leased by Vallarta Adventures and run as a beach club. Yelapa is a fishing village with a waterfall, and Majahuitas is a small beach between the two that several boat days use for lunch.
The real choice is between an organised day with everything included and a looser day with more local colour and a lower price.
The quick answer
Pick Las Caletas for an easy, all-inclusive family day: buffet lunch, open bar, kayaks, paddleboards and the kids' parks, with about 4 hours on the island. Pick the Yelapa and Majahuitas day for a village walk to the waterfall and a BBQ lunch on the beach, for less money. For Yelapa with a party-boat feel, the Chica Locca cruise is the best rated.
How do Las Caletas and Yelapa compare side by side?
Las Caletas is one long stop at a private beach club; the Yelapa day splits its time between a village, a waterfall walk and a beach lunch.
| Las Caletas | Yelapa & Majahuitas | Chica Locca cruise | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From (adult) | $109 | $79 | $129 |
| Length | 7 hours | 7 hours | 6 hours |
| Time on land | About 4 hours on the cove | About 2 hours in Yelapa, 1 at Majahuitas | Beach stop, then Yelapa |
| Food | Buffet lunch | Breakfast on board, BBQ lunch at Majahuitas | Breakfast, fajita lunch, snacks |
| Drinks | Open bar | On board; extra on the beach at Yelapa | Open bar |
| For kids | Kids' park 4 to 11, teen cove | Child rate 4 to 11 | Child rate 4 to 12 |
| Fees at check-in | MX$40 port fee + $20 access fee | MX$40 port fee + $20 access fee | None listed; photos extra |
| Rating | 4.5 (847) | 4.4 (792) | 4.8 (2,558) |
Leaning towards the cove? Check your date for the all-inclusive Las Caletas day.
Check dates for the Las Caletas day tourWhat is a day at Las Caletas like?
A private beach club in a palm grove: hammocks, a buffet, bars, kayaks and paddleboards, snorkel gear, cooking and mezcal sessions and two adventure parks.
Once you land, you choose what to do; nothing is guided unless you join a class. It is organised and comfortable, with up to 250 guests a day, so it is not a wild beach. See the Las Caletas price guide for what is in the ticket.
What is the Yelapa and Majahuitas day like?
A boat ride with a light breakfast, about two hours in Yelapa to walk through the village to the waterfall, then about an hour at Majahuitas for snorkelling and a BBQ lunch.
Drinks on Yelapa beach and horse rentals cost extra, and the listing asks for moderate fitness: the village paths are sandy, uphill and uneven. Guests often say the walk through the village was more interesting than the waterfall itself, and some found the day rushed.
Where does Majahuitas fit in?
Majahuitas is a small beach between Las Caletas and Yelapa, used as the lunch and snorkel stop on several boat days rather than as a destination on its own.
The Yelapa and Majahuitas day ends there with a BBQ lunch, and the luxury yacht and snorkel trip spends about 1 hour 20 minutes there with a deli lunch and premium open bar, on a catamaran capped at 40 guests.
Prefer a smaller boat? This catamaran takes at most 40 guests to Majahuitas, with a premium open bar. Minimum age 10.
Explore the luxury yacht to MajahuitasWhich has better snorkelling?
Both are hit and miss: Las Caletas has gear available all day in its own cove, while Yelapa-day guests report anything from lots of colourful fish to very few.
At Las Caletas, the floating platforms, kayaks and paddleboards make the cove easy to use even when the beach has waves. In the rainy season, visibility across the bay can drop, so treat snorkelling as a bonus on either day.
Which is better with kids?
Las Caletas, clearly: it has a Kids Adventure Park for ages 4 to 11, a Teen Adventure Cove for older children and one base for the whole day.
The Yelapa day suits older children who can manage the uphill walk to the waterfall. Read Las Caletas with kids for the age and height limits.
Travelling with children? The day tour includes both kids' parks and lunch for everyone.
Check dates for the Las Caletas day tourAre there other ways to see Yelapa?
Yes: the Chica Locca cruise combines a snorkel stop at its own beach with a visit to Yelapa, and the same company sells a day pass to its beach club.
The Chica Locca Yelapa cruise is the best-rated day on the bay here, at 4.8 from 2,558 reviews, with breakfast, a fajita lunch and an open bar; the waterfall in Yelapa is about a 15-minute trail walk. The Playa Chica Locca day pass ($99) skips Yelapa for about 5 hours at a pool and beach club.
Want Yelapa with a party-boat feel? Breakfast, open bar, water toys and the waterfall walk in one day.
Explore the Chica Locca Yelapa cruiseWhich should you choose?
Match the day to your group: comfort and kids point to Las Caletas, curiosity and a smaller budget point to Yelapa.
- Families with children under 12: Las Caletas.
- Couples who like to wander: the Yelapa and Majahuitas day.
- Groups who want a party: the Chica Locca cruise.
- Tightest budget: the Yelapa day, from $79.
- Want a small boat: the luxury yacht to Majahuitas.
Decided on the village? Check dates for the Yelapa day with the waterfall and a BBQ lunch.
Check dates for the Yelapa and Majahuitas dayFrequently asked questions
Can you visit Yelapa and Las Caletas on the same day?
Not on one ticket. The Las Caletas day stays at the cove, and the Yelapa days stop at Yelapa and Majahuitas or Playa Chica Locca.
Is Yelapa cheaper than Las Caletas?
Yes. The Yelapa and Majahuitas day is from $79 against $109 for Las Caletas, but drinks on Yelapa beach and horse rentals are extra, and the same MX$40 port fee and $20 access fee apply.
Do both tours leave from the same place?
Both Vallarta Adventures days check in at the Puerto Magico maritime terminal in Puerto Vallarta. The Chica Locca cruise checks in at its own office at Puerto Magico.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Las Caletas Beach Hideaway Day
- Round-trip boat from Puerto Vallarta (Puerto Magico) or Nuevo Vallarta
- About 4 hours on Las Caletas: snorkel gear, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards
- Buffet lunch and open bar; cooking lesson, margarita class and mezcal tasting
Yelapa Waterfall & Majahuitas Beach BBQ
A real village, a waterfall and a beach BBQ
Yelapa & Bay Cruise with Drinks and Lunch
A party yacht with breakfast, lunch and water toys
