The South Shore of Puerto Vallarta: Mismaloya to Yelapa
Where Highway 200 ends and the pangas take over: Mismaloya, Los Arcos, the boat-only beaches and villas between jungle and sea.
In this guide
In short
The south shore runs from Conchas Chinas past Mismaloya and Los Arcos to Boca de Tomatlán, where Highway 200 turns inland. Beyond, Las Ánimas, Quimixto and Yelapa are reached by water taxi from Boca or Los Muertos pier. Villas here trade walking access to town for seclusion between jungle and sea.
The south shore of Puerto Vallarta begins where the city ends. South of Conchas Chinas, Highway 200 follows the coast past Mismaloya and on to Boca de Tomatlán, where it turns inland into the mountains. Beyond that point the coast has no road for ordinary cars: villages and beaches such as Las Ánimas, Quimixto and Yelapa are reached by boat. For travelers, the south shore offers two different things: villas set between jungle and sea within reach of town, and a boat-only coastline that makes one of the best day trips in Banderas Bay.
Mismaloya and Los Arcos
Mismaloya is a small village in a cove with a view of Los Arcos, the rock formations offshore that are popular for snorkeling and diving. It was the filming location for John Huston’s The Night of the Iguana, shot in 1963, and an abandoned café associated with the director still stands on the hill above the cove. The name comes from Nahuatl, usually translated as the place where fish are caught by hand.
Boca de Tomatlán and the water taxis
Boca de Tomatlán is a fishing village at the mouth of a river, and the jumping-off point for the boat-only beaches beyond. Water taxis, known locally as pangas, leave from here and from Los Muertos pier in the Romantic Zone for Las Ánimas, Quimixto and Yelapa. Yelapa, a village of around 1,500 people in the southernmost cove of the bay, has no road big enough for normal vehicles, so the boat is the usual way in.
Timetables and fares change and are best confirmed on the day at the dock or through your villa’s concierge. Sea conditions matter: an afternoon wind can make the return trip rough, so leave early and ask about the last boat back. Private boat charters are the more comfortable choice for a group and allow stops at several beaches.
Staying on the south shore of Puerto Vallarta
Villas on the south shore sit between the highway and the sea, often on steep ground with the jungle behind them and the bay in front. The appeal is seclusion: darker nights, the sound of the water, and a sense of being away from the city while still within a drive of it. The practical questions are the same as on any hillside, plus distance: how many stairs, whether there is private access to the water, how long the drive to the Romantic Zone takes in traffic, and whether you will book a driver for evenings out.
Who the south shore suits
- Groups and families who want a private house with a pool and plan to eat in most nights; see fully staffed villas in Mexico.
- Travelers who like boats and snorkeling, with Los Arcos and the boat-only beaches close by.
- Less suited: anyone who wants to walk to restaurants, or who dislikes hillside stairs.
The south shore of Puerto Vallarta is where the city’s coast becomes wild again. For a comparison with the city’s other neighborhoods, read where to stay in Puerto Vallarta; for more boat trips around the bay, see the Marietas Islands day trip.
