We offer boat tours out of Los Muertos Pier and Los Peines Marina in Puerto Vallarta, as well as from the pier and beach in Boca de Tomatlan. There are pros and cons to each. Here is a quick and easy breakdown to help you make the best decision for you and your group.
Pros of Leaving from Puerto Vallarta
- Closer and more convenient for people staying in Vallarta.
- Sightseeing along the malecon and city as you head to the southern shores or towards La Cruz by boat.
- If you’re staying in the Romantic Zone or Centro, the pier is within walking distance.
Cons of Leaving from Puerto Vallarta
- Los Muertos pier can be tricky boarding for people of limited mobility. If the sea is turbulent, the pier can be challenging, although the marinas are calm with nice, floating docks.
- The marinas charge an exit tax of $2-$4 USD depending on the marina.
- You will see a little less for the time purchased because a chunk of time is spent getting to the less populated places only accessible by boat.
Pros of Leaving from Boca de Tomatlan
- It’s more accessible as people can embark and disembark from the pier or the beach.
- The taxi or bus ride to Boca de Tomatlan is very pretty and skirts along the coastline for some stunning views.
- All your time aboard will be spent seeing gorgeous and interesting sites since Boca de Tomatlan is the last pueblo that is accessible by vehicles. From the moment you leave Boca, everything you see and do is only accessible by boat.
- A more leisurely pace and more time to enjoy the restaurants and activities since there’s no extra time needed traveling from and returning to Vallarta.
- More chance of seeing marine life when a little farther away from the city.
Cons of Leaving from Boca de Tomatlan
- If you aren’t staying in Boca de Tomatlan, leaving from Boca does require a taxi ride. (I do have personal drivers who are trusted, responsible, and great people, and I’m happy to share their contact information.)
- It can make for a longer day as a result of the taxi ride.
There’s no one right answer. For the first 3.5 years in business, we operated exclusively out of Boca de Tomatlan. Now, with more boats and trusted captains out of Vallarta, I’m happy to offer a convenient choice.
I encourage people to leave from Boca de Tomatlan, as you will see and experience more than leaving from Vallarta. At the same time, if you have a tight schedule and care more about enjoying time on the boat versus seeing and exploring as much as possible of the less accessible southern shores, leaving from Vallarta may be the best fit for your special day.
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