Discover Yelapa
by Danú Hernández |
This small village that can only be reached by water is located a little south of Boca de Tomatlán, only 40 minutes by speed boat from Playa Los Muertos. You will not find a single car here; in fact, the streets are only a meter and a half wide. One of the main attractions is a waterfall on the river that flows through town to join the ocean. I must warn you that the streets are not labeled, but all you have to do is ask for the path to the waterfall and along the way you will find the following: Paseo en Lancha  Even the boat ride to Yelapa is an adventure all its own, traveling along the coast, you will pass the famous Los Arcos rock formations, the beaches at Mismaloya, Las Animas and Quimixto, and if you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of some whales during high season. The cost is $220 pesos per person roundtrip. The services of “La Güera,” “Rayando el Sol,” and “Beautiful Sea” can be found on Los Muertos beach at the end of Francisca Rodriguez Street in the Romantic Zone.
Restaurante Chicos Bar and Grill This restaurant on the beach offers table or cabana service, whichever you prefer. The menu is mainly seafood, such as a grilled fish fillet for $95 pesos. All dishes include rice and beans or salad and vegetables, tortillas and Mexican salsa, and a complimentary drink during high season. They also have onsite kayak and snorkeling gear for hourly rental. Quom Health Clinic Located right on the beach, massage therapists from Centro Médico Holistico de Vallarta (Vallarta Medical Center for Holistic Medicine) offer therapeutic techniques such as axial alignment, for physical and spiritual healing; Cosmo therapy, to increase vitality and strength; and Leisure massages to cleanse the immune system for channeling energy, among others. Each of these services costs $40USD per hour. La Casa De La Imaginación  Here volunteers from around the world unite with the sole purpose of providing the children and adults of Yelapa something to do with their free time. They provide recycled products along with paint, brushes and all kinds of things to let imaginations soar and create original masterpieces. La Fábrica de Don Javier  For 35 years Don Javier and his family have been serving the village of Yelapa by creating products made out of dead wood: vases, plates, cups, jewelry boxes and a wide variety of other products. Along with your purchase, they offer a free sample of raicilla, a drink similar to tequila abundant in this town. Venta de Pareos  Along the path to the waterfall, you’ll find several stands. They offer all kinds of souvenirs: pareos, small sizes for $70 pesos and large sizes for $130 pesos, shirts, necklaces, decorated pens, abalone masks, hand-painted clay platters and figurines made of onyx. La Cascada  At the famous Yelapa waterfall, you can bathe in the falling water. Nearby, the “Cascada y Bosque” Restaurant offers seafood and other favorite dishes such as grilled chicken for $60 pesos. There is also bar service, set up so you can dine without missing a single detail of the waterfall. |
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