So much to do ...
Sailing, fishing, whale watching, snorkelling, scuba diving, visit remote beaches or take a trip to Marietas Islands a bird sanctuary with its private beaches and ancient pirate caves.
Fishing and Other Boat Excursions
If you are interested in going on any type of boat excursions we encourage our guests to use the services of Yelapa Adventures. Visit there website www.yelapaadventures.com They are fully licensed for all types of marine excursions; they have 3 great boats all with new eco friendly energy efficient motors. They speak good English and operate their business with honesty and integrity. Gerardo and his son Jay have a wealth of experience and they work very hard to insure your excursion is a success. Some examples of what they offer are:
· Fishing – They can take you out for a few hours on one of the 2 “Pangas” or an all day trip with their deep sea boat “Canto del Mar” and go after the big fish.
· Marieta Islands – Take a day trip to the “Las Marietas”, go snorkelling, visit the remote beaches and maybe see some whales along the way.
· Whale Watching – There is often an opportunity to go out and see whales in the bay, you can get up close and personal with some of the largest animals on earth.
· Pizota – Take a short boat trip around the corner to Pizota you will most likely have the beach to yourself and enjoy snorkelling in the crystal clear waters.
· Tecomata Water Fall – Just a few minutes past Pizota is Tecomata and a 45 minute jungle hike into a pristine waterfall with a great swimming hole.
They can customize your day and do any combination of trips. There are other remote beaches and little villages to explore all down the south coast of Banderas Bay.
When you are in Yelapa you will most likely be approached by other boat owners trying to pressure you into going on a trip with them, they can be very persuasive. Before you commit we urge you to talk to Jay or Gerardo, you will always find their prices fare and their services second to none. We have never had a complaint from any of our guests that have used their services, in fact if you check out “Trip Advisor” you will find great reviews for “Yelapa Adventures”. We know you will not regret going on any type of excursion with them.
Judy and I recently went out fishing with Yelapa Adventures, Jay and Johnny. We had a great day check out this slide show "FISHING WITH YELAPA ADVENTURES" ... when you view a slide show please click on show info for details about each photo.
A few days later Jay, Johnny and Jay's father Gerardo went way out and had a record breaking day .... if you want to see some big fish check out this slide show "YELAPA ADVENTURES HAVE A RECORD DAY" ... when you view a slide show please click on show info for details about each photo.
A day trip to Pizota and Tecomata Water Fall with Yelapa Adventures is something worth doing ... if you enjoy a little hike and an out of the way experience off the beaten trail. The boat ride to Pizota is a quick 10 minutes with cystal clear waters and two sandy beachs, great snorkling area. A few minutes further is the Tecomata pier. You get off here and there is a rustic beach (rocky beach) front cantina that serves cold beer. The hike I would rate as easy to medium and takes about 30-40 minutes from the cantina. Some of the trees and jungle along the little creek are amazing. The water fall itself is surrounded by the jungle with a deep pool for swimming and diving .... very refreshing. This is a quick slide show to give you a better idea of what it looks like "Tecomata Waterfall". If you do this day trip I would recommend you pack a lunch and take along some bottled water. Note: you can buy pre-made sandwiches at Cafe Bahia right at the pier just before you leave.
New this year is an opportunity to go on an inland tour of rural Mexico try out Brad's new "Backroad Cultural Safari" We recently joined Brad on one of his tours. The key points of the tour were the views from Yelapa Tapa, Breakfast in Chacala, touring an authentic Mexican Raicilla Taverna. Our visit to the Ranchero Pueblo of El Algodon was great we were able to visit a true artist that makes rawhide lariats and other authentic rawhide items. Then we went to this fantastic destination Hacienda El Divisadero a Ranchero Style Resort in the middle of Cabo Corrientes. Check out their website www.haciendaeldivisadero.com. We were joined our tour by a very nice couple from Alaska, Steven and Lynn and we all really enjoyed our day. The tour was fun, educational, good pace and we saw a little bit of everything. We ended our day cooling off under the water fall at Agua Caliente. Brad really knows the area and the people. We would rate it as a must do if you want to see the real Mexico, beyond the beach resorts and tourist areas. To see more check out our slide show and comments "BACKROAD ADVENTURE" ... when you view a slide show please click on show info for details about each photo.
Or in and around Yelapa there is always hiking, nature treks, horseback riding, parasailing or kayaking.
The "Village Waterfall" or "La Cascada" is always a great place to visit although it is best before and after the day trippers from PVR are in town. The "La Cascada y Bosque Restuarant" is a great place for lunch or a cool drink while you take in the sites and sounds of this natural splendor. We enjoy the beauty and tranquility so much we did a special "SLIDE SHOW" ... when you view a slide show please click on show info for details about each photo.
For the bird enthusiasts this area of Western Mexico offers a variety of interesting species, check out "Bird Watching". Part of their website has a slide show with great photographs by Frank Mc Cann and actual bird sounds check out the "Bird Show" with this direct link.
We recently went on a great day trip to The Botanical Gardens of Vallarta we caught the 10:00 water taxi to Boca walked up the hill and got on a bus to the Gardens. We had an interesting and enjoyable day with a great lunch in an amazing restaurant. We bought some plants for Mar y Sol and headed home. The cost for water taxi/bus return was $120 pesos each and admission to the Gardens was $50 pesos. Well worth it. For more info check out www.vallartabotanicalgardensac.org
If you are interested in Yoga check out www.yogainyelapa.com the fantastic new Yoga Studio is open and waiting.
Then of course you could always just lie back on the beach and do nothing. Enjoy the many sites and activities with a cold one in your hand. People watching can be very interesting too.
While relaxing on the beach you will have a unique opportunity to indulge in one of YELAPA's most delicious traditions ..... "Home Made Yelapa Pie" baked fresh and served by the infamous "Pie Lady" check out this article in "Banderas News" by Ken Hoffman ..... your vacation is not complete without some "Yelapa Pie".
For those that want to make this an educational trip Spanish Language Lessons are available at YESI "Yelapa English Spanish Institute" just up the hill from Mar y Sol.
Also there are many more retreats, workshops and clinics in YELAPA whether it be Drum Making or Creative Writing. Again more info can be found at www.yelapa.info click on the "Links" tab.
If you want to learn a little Spanish before you go down to Mexico try www.spanishprograms.com you can quickly pick up some of the basics for free.
Keep in mind we are here to assist you in any way we can to make you stay more enjoyable. 
