Yelapa: Tour or Do It Yourself?

A boat-only village with waterfalls and no cars. Lovely — and often cheaper to reach on your own.

Independent guide · Last updated September 2026

Yelapa is a small fishing village at the southern end of Banderas Bay, reachable only by boat. No cars, a slow pace, a beach, and a couple of waterfalls a short walk inland. It's a classic Puerto Vallarta day trip — and one of the ones you can most easily arrange yourself.

Tour vs water taxi

Organised tours bundle transport, sometimes lunch and a guide, and are hassle-free. But a public water taxi from the Los Muertos pier gets you there for a fraction of the price, on your own schedule, and lets you stay as long as you like. If you're comfortable finding your own lunch and walking to the falls, DIY wins on both cost and freedom.

Rule of thumb: book a tour if you want it organised and social; take the water taxi if you want it cheap and unhurried.

What to do there

• Walk to the upper waterfall (bigger, quieter) or the easy town falls.
• Eat fresh fish on the beach; try the famous Yelapa pie sold by roaming vendors.
• Just sit — the point of Yelapa is that there's no pressure to do anything.

Practical notes

Bring cash (limited card acceptance), check the return boat times before you relax too far into the afternoon, and wear shoes you can walk the trail in. See getting around for the Los Muertos pier.

Getting there step by step

The DIY route is simpler than it sounds. Walk to the Los Muertos pier in Zona Romántica, buy a ticket at the booth for the public water taxi to Yelapa, and ride roughly 40–45 minutes down the south shore. Boats run a set number of times a day, so the key is noting the last return departure before you get comfortable — miss it and you're staying the night (which some people do on purpose). There are also water taxis from Boca de Tomatlán, a short bus ride south of town, which are quicker and cheaper if you don't mind getting to Boca first. See getting around for buses and the pier.

The two waterfalls

Yelapa has two. The town waterfall is a short, easy walk from the beach through the village — pretty, but small and busy in high season. The upper waterfall (Cascada del Cielo) is a longer, steeper hike inland, bigger, and far quieter; you can usually swim in the pool beneath it. If you only do one, the upper falls reward the effort. Wear proper shoes, not flip-flops, and take water.

Staying overnight

Yelapa changes character after the day-trippers leave on the last boat. With no cars and limited electricity in places, the evening is genuinely quiet — stars, surf, and a handful of small palapa-roofed guesthouses and rentals. If the slow, off-grid feel appeals, one night here is a very different experience from the day visit. Book ahead, bring cash, and don't expect reliable Wi-Fi.

What to know before you go

• Bring cash — card acceptance is limited and there's no reliable ATM.
• The beach vendors selling Yelapa pie are a local institution; try a slice.
• Expect to pay a small fee at the upper waterfall trail.
• It can rain hard in the green season (June–October); trails get slippery.