Yelapa, Mexico

The perfect hideaway from the hustle and bustle. Unplug here.

Yelapa!  I love this sea side village.  I look forward to my next visit the moment I board the water taxi to leave this somewhat primitive oasis.  If you are not into bugs, early morning roosters, spotty cell service, or a jungle that turns up its volume at night, then maybe a short day trip here is more your style. Though for me, Yelapa reminds me so much of the Mexico I remember as a child. I never get tired of this place.

Getting There

My favorite part of Yelapa is that there’s no traffic. Automobiles can not fit on the streets and they are unable to drive you here, there are no roads that lead to Yelapa. The only way to reach Yelapa is by private boat or water taxi.  You can catch a water taxi at Puerto Vallarta’s Playa De Los Muertos Pier or you can hop on a water taxi in “Boca'' De Tomatlan.  I prefer to take a taxi from Puerto Vallarta to Boca and then pray that I have to wait for the next water taxi so I can enjoy some seafood tacos and beers at La Casita, which is conveniently overlooking the pier. Beware…. the water taxis stop running around 5p.m. so you can’t wait all day to get over to Yelapa.

Boca de Tomatlan

Once you arrive in Yelapa the water taxi typically makes 3 stops, there is a pier on the left and a pier on the right side of the bay or you can get off directly on the beach.  If the beach is your choice, be prepared to hop off the boat directly into the ocean and manage your way through the surf with your bags.  The pier on the right hand side is the closest to the main pueblo of Yelapa. 

Main Pier

You will not find any chain restaurants or chain hotels in this beautiful pueblo.  Most of the restaurants and lodging choices are run by the locals here, with only a few that are rented out for business space to non residents. Yelapa is known as “comunidad indígena, Yelapa is a grant or reservation set aside and protected for its indigenous people. Outsiders (even other Mexican citizens, like myself) may not buy any land but they may long term lease it”.

**Big Reminder**  If you have been to Mexico before then you are aware Pesos are king. Though in Yelapa, it is even more important because there’s not one ATM here. Most people take the water taxi back to PV and find an ATM when they need more pesos. Credit cards as well as American currency are not accepted in most places in Yelapa, this includes the water taxis. I keep enough pesos stashed separately, just to make sure I can pay my fare on the water taxi to get back to PV.

AIRBNB stay

As of late we find our accommodations on  AIRBNB. There are plenty to choose from and most places have some type of ocean view.  I have stayed on the beach side and the town side of Yelapa. To be honest, I prefer the town side for my accommodations.  I only say this because after the sun sets, there are very few street lights. Mix poor lighting with food and many many drinks, nobody wants to walk around too far after a great night like that. I’m just saying……..maybe you think differently. Fun Fact: Yelapa did not have electricity until this very century, 2003 was the year that this pueblo finally had lights.

This little pueblo is so inviting and offers such absorbing views of the ocean around many street corners.  The fact that walking is the only form of transportation here can be overwhelming for some but I look forward to it.  Walking back and forth carrying groceries or my beach bag leads me to feel like I belong here. The people that live here are welcoming and modest, but they do seem to know just how wonderful they have it. They have come to hanging bags all around to make it easy for you to dispose of your garbage. Yelapa is clean, help keep it that way.

Wheelbarrows are used as transports.

Homemade tamale delivery.

If you have done any research on Yelapa then you are aware of the famous “Pie Lady”. If you’ve never heard of her then let me share her with you. This charming lady strolls the beach calling out “pie, pie, pie”, all you need to do is catch her gaze and she’ll find her way over to you. Right there on the beach, sunscreen on, waves crashing is the perfect time to have a slice of pie. When she arrives she’ll open up her plastic container then you choose your favorite.  I've seen her with coconut, chocolate, lemon, lemon meringue, custard, and raisin spice.  Typically I choose coconut or lemon meringue.  These pies hold up to using your hands only, rather like a sandwich. I love pie! I love pie on the beach! 

Yelapa has the appealing Sierra Madre Occidental jungle as it’s luscious backdrop.  This area has a diverse setting for plants and animals and we explored it by taking the Yelapa Waterfall Trail. This trail is a 2.5 mile easy lightly trafficked out and back that leads to a secluded waterfall. You can follow the trail that is marked by hand painted signs that follow the river. I would plan to go earlier in the day because the heat can be intense as well as the bugs are slightly less annoying earlier in the day. This hike is mostly flat and takes you through many small rustic settlements. At the end of the dirt trail you will come to rocks that you must maneuver over and around down to the waterfall. I was glad I had on trail shoes for this portion of the hike as well as to travel the trail. There are a lot of horse apples along the trail, some visitors pay to travel to the waterfall by donkey.

Once we climbed down to the waterfall we spent a few hours simply enjoying this secluded spot. There was only one other couple who arrived after us and left shortly after their arrival.  The water here is cooler than one may imagine but it felt so refreshing after a hot dusty hike. Tip: There are two waterfalls associated with Yelapa. There is a waterfall in the pueblo of Yelapa itself and from the main part of town it’s about a 10 minute walk uphill.  This is the waterfall most tourists visit if they come to Yelapa for a day trip and that explains why many vendors line the road to this waterfall.

We have been coming to Yelapa for years but it wasn't until 2018 that we found out there is an annual croquet tournament that has been happening for over 30 years. Once we learned of this tournament we made a pledge to come back and play in this tournament at least once.  The group of people who run the Yelapa Croquet Association are open to new members. They even allowed us to join without any croquet know-how. This was such a fun experience and now I can say honestly, I’ve played a croquet tournament in Yelapa Mexico. Not many people can say that.

There is so much more to Yelapa than my post can convey, nevertheless, if you need constant stimulation and a booming nightlife this is not your spot.  The people in Yelapa are gracious hosts. The restaurant scene is pleasant and after a few days you will notice the same people over and over, both staff and visitors. I described Yelapa as a primitive oasis but what I truly meant is, Yelapa is a pristine undeveloped refuge. I can’t wait to go back.