Cancun was once a quiet Yucatan village. Midway through the last century, Puerto Vallarta was a place to catch fish. But Yelapa is still Yelapa.
In Yelapa (ye-LOP-uh), you won’t find high-rise buildings, chain restaurants or traffic jams. In fact, you won’t find many vehicles period.
That’s because you can’t drive to Yelapa, a beach town about 20 miles south of Puerto Vallarta on picturesque Banderas Bay. You get here by boat or perhaps helicopter, but paved, marked roads don’t lead to this place.
Since it takes an effort to get here, and a 45-minute boat ride each way, huge crowds don’t overwhelm. Thankfully, many of the people who do visit Yelapa are content to leave it exactly as they found it — and hope to find it the same way next year.
This surprising travel find is a reminder of what Mexican beach towns once looked like. You won’t find too many places like it in North America. It is slow-paced, unspoiled beauty, and once you get past the boat dock, there isn’t a lot of urgent activity.
But many people never see the docks.
Water taxis generally pull right up to the beach. Expect to get your feet wet immediately. This reality of transportation also ensures that people dress in less than their best attire. Most arrive ready for a day on unspoiled sands or the nearby tropical forests.
Chain restaurants and hotels haven’t found Yelapa, or at least have chosen not to invest here. Since there are no motorists, you won’t find so much as a gas station here. Dining and lodging are left in the hands of locals, who offer small operations and no plans for massive expansion.
The vast majority of Yelapa’s visitors are day-trippers from Puerto Vallarta. They’ll be gone by sunset, if not sooner.
Two major options exist for your trip from Puerto Vallarta. The first is a boat for the entire distance leaving from the main port at Los Muertos in Zona Romantica. The round-trip fare per person is about 380 pesos (roughly $20 USD at this writing). A second option for those who want less time on the water (and aren’t carrying luggage) is to take a bus to Boca de Tomatlan and then catch a water taxi to Yelapa. The second option often proves slightly cheaper, but might take more time depending upon your timing in catching the boat.
Plan to make the visit early in the day. Catch one of the first boats. The majority of day visitors will arrive about midday.
After arrival, you might be wondering what there is to do here. Not everyone searching for authentic Mexico wants to lounge on the beach all day.
Walk to the Waterfalls
Take a short hike through the jungle to one of the area’s two waterfalls (cascada in Spanish). The first is a very short walk from the docks. The second takes more time but is likely to be less visited. You’ll navigate the trails while sharing the routes with teams of donkeys that bring in supplies (remember, no cars or trucks here). The first waterfall is adjacent to the Riverview Cafe, a small place with tables for relaxing and lazing away your day.
Another treat on that waterfall trail is a wood-working shop in which native craftsmen create artwork you can purchase. It’s the closest thing Yelapa has to a souvenir shop, but it won’t remind you of a tourist trap. Some of the craftsmen speak English and are willing to share their thoughts about the handicraft.
Beyond hiking into the jungle and climbing the nearby hills, some here enjoy adventure sports such as paragliding. Adrenaline rush aside, the views you’ll achieve probably beat just about any other place on earth where people are trusting their lives to a parachute and harness.
Snorkeling and diving enthusiasts abound in Yelapa, almost all of them on daytime expeditions.
Rent a Modest Yelapa Villa
There are at least a few things that will remind you this is coastal Mexico. One is the fact that if you want to rent a villa here during Christmas holidays or in February or March, you had best book months in advance. Garcia Rentals offers comfortable one- , two- and three-bedroom villas with spectacular views starting at less than $500 USD/week during slow-season (May 1-October 31), and less than $600/week during high-season (November 1-April 30). Garcia requires a two-night minimum stay. The 20 rooms are equipped with wifi, although this is the kind of place where you will want to ignore the outside world to the greatest extent possible.
They also offer (at additional expense) fishing trips, horseback riding, snorkeling/diving excursions and the aforementioned paragliding and parasailing.
If you simply want to relax on the beach, this is a great place to do so. The expanse of sand is fairly wide, and it’s possible to spread out to areas with few other bathers.
Check your dining bills carefully
This is good advice in any place with a lot of transient customers. There can be service charges for occupying a chair on the beach, ordering a certain number of drinks, and more. It pays to ask about prices and fees prior to ordering. As with anywhere else, you’ll pay for the convenience of a beach chair or table with a view.
Another aspect of food prices here: it’s more difficult to get food into a place with no paved roads. That expense might be passed along in the menu prices.
Taqueria Los Abuelos earns rave reviews for a menu that includes seafood choices and the traditional Mexican tacos and chimichangas. Most of the seafood you eat here will be fresh and well-prepared.
Those dishes are expected. But Yelapa is known for a beach-side treat that might surprise: homemade pies. You’ll see vendors walking the beach, offering a variety of flavors. Most go for about $2 USD.
Leave Yelapa better than you found it
Along the trail to the waterfall, you will see a hand-painted sign. Most first-year Spanish students could take a good stab at offering a translation. It reads, “We do not have a public cleaning service. Be responsible for not leaving trash.” One of the reasons you’ll love Yelapa is that it lacks the glitz and bustle of almost any other coastal town you’ve ever visited. But that comes with a price: you won’t find much infrastructure here. Services are limited in all respects. You’ve chosen to come here to get away from the modern world. Don’t bring modern-world problems to this tranquil and still largely pristine place.
Bag your garbage and dispose of it properly. Treat people with kindness and respect. Tip generously, and don’t sweat the small rip-offs you might encounter at local businesses. Prices are still quite moderate for a place with this level of beauty and tranquility.
Some will tell you Yelapa has been discovered. It’s true that more people visit here than ever before — but that number is still manageable. Enjoy the solitude you’ll find in this hidden travel gem. It’s one of just a few remaining places where you can turn back the clock and enjoy the good life without spending a lot of money or enduring the crowds.