Marietas Islands tour from Nuevo Vallarta

Photos: Christian Frausto Bernal, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ferfive, CC BY 4.0 · interentals.com, CC BY-SA 4.0 · terri_bateman, CC BY 2.0 · terri_bateman, CC BY 2.0

A six-hour yacht day from Nuevo Vallarta to the Marietas Islands National Park: snorkel, look for blue-footed boobies, then swim off Punta de Mita on the way home.

Price follows the partner boat

Date

Guests

The Marietas Islands take only boats authorised by CONANP, and no yacht in our fleet holds that permit today, so we arrange the trip on an authorised partner boat.

Check availability

What you do

  • Snorkeling
  • Swimming
  • Paddleboarding

Highlights

  • Snorkelling and swimming in the Marietas Islands National Park
  • Blue-footed boobies on the islands
  • A last swim off Punta de Mita on the way home
  • Humpback whales in the bay in winter

About this trip

The Marietas are two volcanic islands off Punta de Mita, at the mouth of Banderas Bay, protected as a national park. Blue-footed boobies are its best-known bird, there are reefs and tropical fish to snorkel over, and humpback whales come into the bay in winter, most reliably from December to March.

This is a day we have designed from Marina Nuevo Vallarta: across the bay to the islands, time there to snorkel, swim and paddle where the crew judges it safe, and a stop off Punta de Mita on the way home. Inside the park its rules apply: a life jacket in the water, eco-friendly sunscreen put on at least 30 minutes before you swim, no alcohol and no single-use plastics.

Hidden Beach (Playa del Amor) is not part of this trip as priced; the first question below explains how entry works.

The price is for the whole yacht with its crew. The park fee is charged per person and paid separately. What is on board differs from yacht to yacht; each yacht's page lists it.

Itinerary

  1. After departure: 0:00

    Board at Marina Nuevo Vallarta

    Meet your crew at the dock, around 9 am, and head west out of the marina channel across the bay. The times here are for a motor yacht.

  2. After departure: 1:05

    The Marietas Islands

    Around two and a half hours in the national park: snorkel and swim, paddle where the crew judges it safe, and have lunch at anchor if your yacht serves one.

    Marietas Islands

  3. After departure: 3:40

    Swim stop off Punta de Mita

    About 6 nautical miles back to the mainland, then half an hour at anchor in the shelter of the point for a swim or a paddle.

    Punta de Mita

  4. After departure: 4:35

    Return to Nuevo Vallarta

    About 14 nautical miles back across the bay to the marina, a little under an hour.

Questions

Does this trip include Hidden Beach (Playa del Amor)?

Not as priced. Hidden Beach takes 116 visitors a day, opens Wednesday to Sunday, and is entered only with an authorised operator, by swimming in from the boat at low tide when the sea allows. Children under 4 are not admitted, and operators turn away non-swimmers. Whether entry can be added for your date and yacht, and at what cost: We'll confirm.

How long is the boat ride from Nuevo Vallarta to the Marietas Islands?

The islands are about 16 nautical miles from Marina Nuevo Vallarta. At the 16 knots we plan on for a motor boat, the crossing takes around an hour.

Are there park fees?

Yes. The national park charges 125 Mexican pesos per person per day. Children under 12, seniors and people with disabilities are exempt, and Mexican nationals and foreign residents pay half.

Can children and non-swimmers come?

Yes. Anyone who prefers to stay dry can watch the birds and the water from the deck. Hidden Beach has stricter limits, given in the first question.

When is the best time to go?

Any day but Monday, all year: the park is open Tuesday to Sunday. Summer is the rainy season; whenever the sea is too rough, the captain moves the trip.

Which marina do we leave from?

Marina Nuevo Vallarta. The trip runs on a partner boat authorised by CONANP, and we confirm its berth at the marina with your booking.

What should we bring?

Swimwear, a hat, sunglasses, eco-friendly sunscreen, a towel if your yacht does not list them, ID if you qualify for a reduced park fee, and any medication you need.

How do I book, and what if I have to cancel?

A 50% deposit confirms your date and the balance is due 7 days before the trip. If we cannot run the trip because of weather or a mechanical problem, you get a full refund or a new date. Otherwise the deposit is not refundable, but it can be moved to another date within 6 months on the same yacht. Terms vary by yacht and we confirm them in writing before you pay.

Is the crew's tip included?

No. Tipping the crew is customary and at your discretion. Mexican sales tax and marina or dock fees are outside the price on some yachts; the quote we send lists them.

Price follows the partner boat

Check availability