READ THIS FIRST
Nothing here is a tour.
No schedule to join. No strangers on the dock. The route is decided between us before you board, and again with your captain once you are on the water.
My part is matching the place to the vessel. The wrong pairing is how a beautiful coastline becomes four hours of being hungry in the sun.
THE DECISION THAT SHAPES THE DAY
Where you eat decides
which vessel you take.
A TABLE ASHORE
Yelapa · Quimixto · Las Ánimas
You eat on the sand. Aboard, we keep it light — ceviche, chilled fruit, something cold on the crossing.
WHY THE BOAT IS YOURS ALONE
The difference is not the yacht. It is the permission.
Change your mind at sea
Whales on the way north, so you stay. The anchorage is full, so you move around the point.
Leave when you say
Seven, to reach the Marietas before the pangas. Four, for the light.
No one else aboard
No shared platform, no queue for the tender, no microphone.
Food composed, not sold
A partner chef where there is nothing ashore. Not a cooler of sandwiches.
BEFORE YOU PLAN THE DAY
Crossing times
PRIVATE YACHT CROSSINGS TO DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS IN BAHIA DE BANDERAS
DESTINATION
NEAREST MARINA
ONE WAY
ASHORE
DAY
Los Arcos
Los Muertos
≈ 25 min
Nothing
4–6 h
Las Ánimas
Los Muertos
≈ 45 min
Restaurants
6–8 h
Quimixto
Los Muertos
≈ 60 min
Restaurants · waterfall
8 h
Yelapa
Los Muertos
≈ 75 min
Restaurants · village · waterfall
8–9 h
The Marietas
La Cruz
≈ 60 min
Hidden beach · permit
8 h
Hidden beaches
Any
Varies
No infrastructure
Composed with you
At cruising speed, in ordinary conditions. Departures from Marina Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta and La Cruz shift these times. I will tell you which marina makes sense before you choose a vessel.
THE STARTING POINT
Private charters begin at 1,500 USD, IVA included.
Destination, vessel and hours move the number. Itemised before you confirm — never after.
QUESTIONS I AM ASKED MOST
Before you decide where to go
Can we visit more than one destination in a day?
Often, yes — Los Arcos on the way south to Las Ánimas is a natural pairing. The Marietas are not: the crossing is long enough that the islands are the day.
Is there food at these beaches, or should we eat aboard?
Yelapa, Quimixto and Las Ánimas have kitchens on the sand. Los Arcos, the Marietas and the hidden coves have nothing at all — no restaurant, no bathroom, no water.
This is why I recommend the vessel after you tell me where you want to go, how many are coming, and how long you have. Destination, party size and hours together decide which boat makes sense — and whether a galley and a chef aboard are necessary or simply pleasant. Nobody should spend the best hours of their day hungry, an hour of open water from the nearest kitchen. That pairing is my part, and I get it right before you pay for it.
Do we need a permit for the Marietas Islands?
Yes. The islands are a protected UNESCO biosphere reserve with a capped number of daily visitors and a list of authorised operators. It is arranged before your date is held. Access to the interior beach is separately restricted and never promised in advance. Read more about a visit to Marietas here.
Which destination suits young children?
Las Ánimas. Short crossing, shallow water, shade and a kitchen a minute from the sand. Yelapa involves a step into ankle-deep water from a tender; the Marietas crossing is long and open.
What if the sea is too rough for the crossing we planned?
The captain decides, and the captain is right. Usually the day is rerouted — the south shore is sheltered when the north is not. If conditions are unsafe or the port closes, you reschedule at no cost or take a full refund, less processing fees. Safe but cloudy is not grounds, and I say so in advance.