Guides / Towns & villages
Yelapa: Puerto Vallarta's village with no road
How to get to Yelapa, what to do in the village and on the beach, the waterfall and tips for your visit from Puerto Vallarta.
Yelapa · Banderas Bay · Updated October 2026
Fact sheet
- Where
- Southern end of the bay, Jalisco
- Access
- By sea only
- From Los Muertos
- 45 min to 1 h by water taxi
- Don't miss
- The waterfall and the beach pies
- Bring
- Cash and grippy sandals
Yelapa is a coastal village at the southern end of Banderas Bay, in Jalisco, surrounded by jungle and with no road access. You get there by sea, and that's part of its charm: car-free lanes, a wide crescent-shaped beach and a waterfall a short walk away.
How to get there
There are three ways: on a tour from Puerto Vallarta, by water taxi from the Los Muertos Pier (about 45 minutes to an hour) or by boat from Boca de Tomatlán, the shortest ride. There's no pier at the beach: boats pull up to the shore, so be ready to get your feet wet.
What to do
Walk through the village and up to the waterfall, eat by the sea, swim in the bay and try the homemade pies sold on the beach, a local tradition. For more hiking, trails lead to other waterfalls deeper in the jungle.
Tips
Bring cash (not every place takes cards), grippy sandals for the walk, reef-safe sunscreen and dry clothes for the ride back. In the rainy season the waterfalls carry more water and the scenery is greener.
How to go
If you'd like to go with us
Our Yelapa & Colimilla tour includes breakfast on board, an hour of water activities at Colimilla and about three hours at Yelapa beach with lunch included and free time for the village and waterfall.
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