Summary
- Boca de Tomatlan is a small fishing village located about 16 km south of Puerto Vallarta, on the mouth of the Tomatlan river.
- Boca de Tomatlan is the main departure point for the water taxis that go to the south shore of Puerto Vallarta, where there are many hidden and exotic beaches that can only be reached by boat.
- The water taxis are safe and reliable, but they are also subject to weather conditions. If the sea is too rough, the water taxis may not operate or may have limited service.
- The water taxis offer a unique and adventurous way to enjoy the natural beauty and cultural diversity of Puerto Vallarta’s south shore, where one can find waterfalls, hiking trails, snorkeling spots, fishing villages, and more.
Exploring the beaches of the South Zone
When you travel to Puerto Vallarta, beaches are one of the main things you have on your mind. Relaxing at the beach, absorbing warmth, enjoying a stress-free day just basking in the waves, drinking your favorite cocktail, eating some exotic dish of shrimp or grilled fish, you fill in the dots.
The beaches close to town can fill up easily, especially during the high season months. If that is the case when you come down to friendly Puerto Vallarta, then a trip down south to the beaches south of Mismaloya might just be what your doctor’s recipe has recommended.
Many great beaches in the southern part of the bay are wonderful exactly because they aren’t accessible by land. You’ll need to catch a water taxi (locally called “pangas”) to get there and the easiest and fastest way to get one is to go to Boca de Tomatlan.
Another option is to start off on the Los Muertos Beach Pier water taxis that take you south.
How to get to Boca
The easiest and cheapest way is to catch a public transport bus to Boca in Puerto Vallarta on the corner of Basilio Badillo street and Constitución street in Old Vallarta (Romantic Zone), the same place and the same bus that also takes you to Mismaloya beach in the south zone.
Now all of the busses in Puerto Vallarta are white, check if they have a sign saying “Boca” if in doubt you can always check with the driver (Va a Boca?”). The bus fare is normally around half a dollar (US/one-way), in Dec. 2021 it was still $10 pesos.
Water Taxi Prices
The following list has the water taxi prices that are the standard in 2022, there is a chance they change a bit depending on the season and from water taxi to water taxi. So do ask before you get on, just to make sure you feel fine with the price and avoid any unpleasant surprises (never happened to me though, but better safe than sorry). The Mexican peso varies but at this time it’s about 20 pesos per USA dollar.
| Price (One-way) | Time to destination | |
|---|---|---|
| Boca de Tomatlan to Colomitos Beach | $50.00 MX pesos | $2.50 USD | 5 minutes |
| Boca de Tomatlan to Las Animas Beach | $60.00 MX pesos | $3.00 USD | 10 minutes |
| Boca de Tomatlan to Quimixto Beach & Town | $80.00 MX pesos | $4.00 USD | 15 minutes |
| Boca de Tomatlan to Majahuitas Beach | $90.00 MX pesos | $4.50 USD | 20 minutes |
| Boca de Tomatlan to Yelapa Beach & Town | $120.00 MX pesos | $6.00 USD | 30 minutes |
If you are planning to visit each beach along the way and would like to combine your trip with a visit to the Arches (Los Arcos) another option is to rent a boat for the day or afternoon. Please contact us if that is something you’d like and we’ll get you a good deal with a reliable and fun panga captain.
Water Taxi Schedule
Boca de Tomatlan to Yelapa
From Boca de Tomatlan to Yelapa the water taxi schedule is the following:
| Departure time | Boat name |
|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | Krista |
| 9:00 AM | Nayeli |
| 10:00 AM | La Gaviota |
| 11:00 AM | La Más Cariñosa |
| 12:00 PM | La Cascada |
| 12:30 PM | Vanne |
| 1:00 PM | La Más Cariñosa |
| 2:00 PM | La Gaviota |
| 3:00 PM | Nayeli |
| 4:00 PM | La Güera |
| 5:00 PM | Kristal |
| 6:00 PM | La Cascada |
| 6:30 PM | Vanne |
Yelapa to Boca de Tomatlan
From Yelapa going back to Boca de Tomatlan the water taxi schedule is the following:
| Departure time | Boat name |
|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | Krista |
| 10:00 AM | La Cascada |
| 10:30 AM | Vanne |
| 11:00 AM | La Gaviota |
| 11:30 PM | Nayeli |
| 12:00 PM | La Más Cariñosa |
| 1:30 PM | Krista |
| 2:30 PM | La Güera |
| 3:30 PM | La Más Cariñosa |
| 4:00 PM | La Cascada |
| 5:00 PM | La Gaviota |
| 5:30 PM | Nayeli |
| 6:00 PM | Vanne |
Map of the South Zone Beaches
The following map shows the beaches of the south zone. You’ll notice I’ve not added the price to Las Caletas, that’s because it is a beach concession and you can only go there through a tour operator (Vallarta Adventures). There are free drinks and activities on this beach and it’d be expensive to provide service if anybody could just land there without restrictions 😉.
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