Yelapa, Mexico is situated in a cove on the Pacific coast about an hour boat ride away from Puerto Vallarta. There are no roads, cars, or ATMs in this town. In fact, some might call this secluded beach town frozen in time, which is why I found it so appealing. Most people take day trips from Puerto Vallarta to Yelapa but we opted to stay in town for two nights to get the full experience.
SEE ALSO: Sayulita, Mexico: The Ultimate Guide to Mexico’s Laid-Back Surf Town
If you’re looking to reconnect with the simple things in life, hike to a secluded waterfall, and experience a one-in-a-lifetime boat tour, then Yelapa is for you! I’ll walk you through where to stay, where to eat, and things to do in Yelapa, Mexico!
Things You Need to Know About Yelapa
- There are no cars in Yelapa. The only way to get there is via a water taxi.
- There are no ATMs in Yelapa so make sure you bring plenty of cash.
- Yelapa is famous for its pie (yep that’s right.) There are women who sell fresh, delicious pies right on the beach. I recommend the coconut or lemon pie!
- If you get seasick make sure to take Dramamine before boarding the water taxi.
How to Get to Yelapa
Yelapa is a small beach town in the state of Jalisco on the pacific coast of Mexico. The closest major city is Puerto Vallarta, which can easily be reached by water taxi. Here are two ways to reach Yelapa.
- Take a 30min water taxi from Boca de Tomatlan.
- Take a 45min water taxi from Playa Los Muertos Pier in Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone.
HELPFUL HINT: The water taxi should cost 350 pesos for a roundtrip ticket (which I would suggest) or 175 pesos one way.
Where to Stay in Yelapa
I found Airbnb to have the best options for places to stay in Yelapa. I’ve linked a few of my favorites, including the one we stayed in hosted by Miramar Yelapa. You can either stay in town, on the main beach, or on the opposite side of the beach. I recommend the opposite side of the beach, which is where we stayed. It’s much less touristy and closer to my favorite restaurants.
HELPFUL HINT: If this is your first time using Airbnb make sure to sign up with this link to receive $65 off your first stay!
Where to Eat in Yelapa
I had some fantastic meals in Yelapa. The most memorable being coconut pie and grilled fish kabobs with papaya salad. Most mornings we would wake up and make our way over to Cafe Bahia for breakfast burritos and pancakes before heading to the beach. While we only spent two nights in Yelapa we tried a number of restaurants.
Feel free to find your favorite spots to eat in Yelapa, or take a look at some of mine!
BREAKFAST + SNACK SPOTS
- Cafe Bahia (great breakfast, loved the burritos)
- Cafe Eclipse
LUNCH + DINNER SPOTS
- Tacos Los Abuelos (the BEST dinner, great margaritas, closed on Sundays)
- Restaurant Pollo Bollo (traditional Mexican bbq)
- Tacos Y Mas
- Ray’s Place
- Yelapa Yacht Club
What to Do in Yelapa
Book a Snorkeling + Whale Watching Boat Ride
One of my favorite things we did in Yelapa was take a snorkeling/whale watching tour with Miramar Excursions. As I mentioned earlier, our Airbnb host runs this business with her husband and they do a fantastic job. We spent five hours touring the coast of Mexico, snorkeling, eating ceviche, and drinking the famous Pacifico.
Hike to A Secluded Waterfall in Yepapa
Yelapa has two waterfalls you can hike to. The most popular one is located in town, less than a 10 minute walk away from the Airbnb we stayed at. The more secluded waterfall is a 2.5-mile hike from town (here are instructions.) If you have the time I would recommend hiking to the second waterfall. Not only is it stunning but we had the whole place to ourselves!
HELPFUL HINT: Make sure to look over these instructions, wear a bathing suit, pack a lunch, sunscreen, water, and towel.
Go Dancing at Yelapa Yacht Club
Every Wednesday and Saturday night at the Yelapa Yacht Club there is an outdoor dance floor with a live band. Enjoy dancing under the stars at this one-of-a-kind club.
Let me know if you plan on visiting Yelapa anytime soon! I hope this Yelapa Travel Guide helps you plan your next Mexico vacation. As always travel planning questions are welcome in the comments. I’m happy to help with trip-related advice.