Pizota and Cabo Corrientes from Puerto Vallarta
- From Departs from Puerto Vallarta
- 8 hours
- up to 50 guests
- All year
Photos: RichardMills65, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Intersofia, CC BY 2.5 · Vaquemami, CC BY 4.0 · tceagle, CC BY-SA 3.0
An eight-hour motor yacht day from Marina Vallarta to the far end of Banderas Bay: past Yelapa to the quiet cove of Pizota for a swim and lunch at anchor, then out to the lighthouse on Cabo Corrientes before the long run home.
What you do
- Snorkeling
- Swimming
Highlights
- Reach the far southern shore of the bay, where the villages are reached by water
- Anchor at Pizota for a swim off the stern and a snorkel in usually clear water
- Lunch on board in a quiet cove
- See the early-1900s lighthouse on Cabo Corrientes, the point that ends Banderas Bay
- The whole motor yacht and its crew for your group
About this trip
This is a route we designed from places we have checked, not a set tour sold by one boat. It goes further than most bay trips: along the southern shore, where the villages have no road and are reached by water, to the point of land that closes the bay.
The yacht runs south to Yelapa and slows off its beach for a look. A little further along the coast lies Pizota, a small village and cove where the yacht anchors for an hour and a half. The water off Pizota is known for its clarity, and in settled weather it suits a swim off the stern or a snorkel near the rocks. Pizota is a village, not a resort, so lunch is served on board.
From Pizota the yacht heads west to Cabo Corrientes, the cape that marks the southern end of Banderas Bay, and holds off the point so you can see the lighthouse that has stood there since the early 1900s, near the village of Corrales. Then it turns for the marina, about 29 nautical miles away in a straight line.
This is a long day with more than four hours under way, so we list motor yachts only. Rough weather can close the leg to the cape; the captain decides on the day and turns back at Pizota if the sea calls for it. The price is for the whole yacht with its crew, and what is on board (snorkel gear, paddleboards, drinks, food) differs from yacht to yacht.
Itinerary
After departure: 0:00
Board at Marina Vallarta
Meet your crew at the dock for the safety briefing. The yacht leaves the marina and runs south along the coast, about 15.4 nautical miles in a straight line to Yelapa.
After departure: 1:20
Past Yelapa
About 20 minutes off the village beach. The anchorage is deep and open to the sea, so the yacht slows for a look rather than going ashore.
After departure: 1:40
Anchor at Pizota
About 2.4 nautical miles further west along the coast. The yacht anchors off the cove for about an hour and a half: swim off the stern, snorkel near the shore in settled weather, and have lunch on board.
After departure: 3:25
Out to Cabo Corrientes
About 12.4 nautical miles west to the cape, a little over an hour at the speed we plan with. The yacht holds off the point for about 20 minutes for a view of the lighthouse.
After departure: 4:50
Return to Marina Vallarta
About 29 nautical miles back across the bay in a straight line, around two and a half hours at 12 knots, often less on a faster yacht.
Yachts that run this trip
Questions
Why does the trip take eight hours?
The route covers about 59 nautical miles in straight lines, a little under five hours under way at 12 knots, the speed we plan with because the yachts' cruising speeds are not published. Add about 20 minutes off Yelapa, an hour and a half at Pizota and 20 minutes at the cape, and the day comes to a little over seven hours, which leaves room for a longer course and a slower sea. Faster yachts spend the spare time at anchor.
Can we go ashore at Yelapa or Pizota?
This route stays on the water at both, and the time goes to the swim at Pizota and the run to the cape. For a day ashore at Yelapa, with the walk to its waterfall, choose a shorter route that stops there.
Is there food at Pizota?
Plan on lunch and water from the yacht. Pizota is a small village, and the pages we read disagree on whether anything is open there. Each yacht's page says what food and drink it carries.
Does the weather affect the trip?
Yes. The cape sits where the bay meets the open Pacific, and the water inside the bay is usually calmest in the morning, so the day starts early. If the sea is rough the captain may skip the cape and turn back at Pizota.
Are there park fees or permits?
None of the stops lies inside a marine park, and we found no fee for anchoring off Yelapa or Pizota. We'll confirm before your date if any landing or anchoring fee applies.
Why are there no sailing catamarans on this trip?
At sailing speeds the round trip alone would take most of the eight hours, with no time left at Pizota. The route is listed for motor yachts only.
Which marina do we leave from?
This trip boards at Marina Vallarta. Some of the yachts listed here are based at Marina Riviera Nayarit in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and come round to Marina Vallarta to pick you up.
$2,600+ Tax
8 hours · 2 guests