South Shore Beaches from Puerto Vallarta
- From Departs from Puerto Vallarta
- 6 hours
- up to 50 guests
- All year
Photos: The Cosmonaut, CC BY-SA 2.5 · David Stanley, CC BY 2.0 · DarkNight0917, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sonoma-rich, CC BY-SA 4.0
A six-hour yacht day from Marina Vallarta down the south shore of Banderas Bay: snorkel at Los Arcos, stop off the bay at Mismaloya, swim at the tiny cove of Colomitos and spend the last hour at Playa Caballo, a beach with no road.
What you do
- Snorkeling
- Swimming
Highlights
- Snorkel along the rock islets and arches of Los Arcos, inside a protected marine park
- Stop off Mismaloya, the village at the mouth of the Mismaloya River
- Swim at Colomitos, a very small cove near Boca de Tomatlán
- Land at Playa Caballo, a beach no road reaches
- The whole 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 runs south from the marina along the shore below Puerto Vallarta, where green hills drop to the water and the small beaches past Boca de Tomatlán are reached by boat or on foot.
The first stop is Los Arcos de Mismaloya, rock islets with arches inside a protected marine park, for a snorkel along the rock. A short run brings the yacht to Mismaloya, the village at the mouth of the Mismaloya River, with the Los Arcos rocks in view. From there the yacht carries on to Colomitos, a very small cove near Boca de Tomatlán, often called the smallest beach in Mexico. The water in the cove is usually still enough for an easy swim, and there are fish to see around the rocks at either end.
The last stop is Playa Caballo, just north-east of Las Ánimas. No road reaches it; guests come by boat or along a coastal trail. It is a quiet place to land, swim and walk the sand before the run back up the bay.
The price is for the whole yacht with its crew. 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 past the city, about 7.6 nautical miles in a straight line to Los Arcos.
After departure: 0:50
Snorkel at Los Arcos de Mismaloya
About 40 minutes around the rock islets: snorkel along the rock or stay on deck. The captain picks the side out of the swell.
After departure: 1:35
Mismaloya
Under a nautical mile to the bay. The yacht stops off the beach for about 40 minutes: swim from the stern and look back at the village, the river mouth and the Los Arcos rocks.
After departure: 2:35
Swim at Colomitos
A short run on along the coast, just past Boca de Tomatlán, to the little cove. Close to an hour in the water: an easy swim inside the cove, then a snorkel to look for fish around the rocks at either end.
After departure: 3:40
Ashore at Playa Caballo
A short hop along the coast to Playa Caballo. An hour to land, swim and walk the sand of a beach that no road reaches.
After departure: 4:45
Return to Marina Vallarta
About 10.6 nautical miles back across the bay in a straight line, a little over an hour at 10 knots; the coastal route is a little longer.
Yachts that run this trip
Questions
Can we go ashore at Mismaloya?
The yacht stops off the bay rather than at a dock, and whether guests can be taken to the sand depends on the yacht's tender and the sea that day. We'll confirm with the captain before your date. A swim from the stern is always the simpler choice.
Why does the trip take six hours?
The route covers about 23 nautical miles in straight lines, a little under two and a half hours underway at 10 knots, the speed we plan with because the yachts' cruising speeds are not published. Add about 40 minutes at Los Arcos, 40 at Mismaloya, close to an hour at Colomitos and an hour at Playa Caballo, and the day comes to just under six hours.
Is there a park fee at Los Arcos?
Los Arcos lies inside a protected marine park. We found no official fee for snorkeling there; the quote lists any fee that applies to your yacht.
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.
Is there food or a restaurant at Playa Caballo?
Sometimes a small beach restaurant is open, but services ashore change with the season, so plan to eat and drink on board. Each yacht's page lists the food and drinks it carries.
Is snorkel gear included?
On most of these yachts, but not every one. Each yacht's page lists what it carries.
What should we bring?
Swimwear, a hat, sunglasses, reef-safe sunscreen, water shoes for landing on the beach, a towel if your yacht does not list them, and any medication you need.
$1,940+ Tax
6 hours · 2 guests