Chica Locca Tours · North shore of Banderas Bay
A long, sociable boat day with Chica Locca Tours: snorkelling, kayaks and paddleboards at the islands, a landing on Playa La Nopalera, and food and drinks all day. Pick it for the fun and the water time, not for the Hidden Beach, which this trip doesn't visit.
Chica Locca Tours runs this as a full day out on the water, with two start options on the north shore of Banderas Bay (one guest mentions Sayulita). You pick your start when you book. Breakfast comes first, and then the boat heads for the Marietas. In winter the crossing doubles as a whale trip: one guest wrote that the captain "stopped several times to watch whales", and another saw "loads of humpback whales".
At the islands it's an active day. You snorkel the reef, take out a kayak or a paddleboard, and come ashore on Playa La Nopalera, the open beach on the second island. There's no tunnel, no helmet and no 116-person cap. The boat has waterslides, the lunch is fajitas with guacamole, and the open bar runs to cocktails, beer, wine, tequila and champagne.
Two things to know. This trip doesn't enter the Hidden Beach, so if the crater photo is the point, book the Nuevo Vallarta Hidden Beach tour instead, which lands in the crater, as does the Punta de Mita safari. And the park bans alcohol on the islands, so the bar is a boat thing: snorkel first, drink after. A photographer comes along and sells photos at the end. Skip it if you have reduced mobility.
Meet at the start point you picked on the north shore of Banderas Bay. Breakfast is served on board.
The ride across to the Marietas. From December to March, humpback whales are the bonus.
Swim the reef with mask and snorkel, then take a kayak or a paddleboard out along the rocks.
Come ashore on the open beach on the second island. No tunnel, no helmet.
Guacamole, a fajita lunch, the waterslides and the open bar before the trip back to your start point.
★★★★★saw loads of humpback whales, outstanding snorkeling, helpful staff, very good lunch! highly recommended
★★★★★Captain stopped several times to watch whales which was not part of the itinerary.
★★★★★The guides were legends honestly made the trip.
★★★★★The whole day was fabulous!!
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No. You snorkel, kayak and paddleboard at the islands and land on Playa La Nopalera, the open beach on the other island. For the crater, see our guide to picking a tour.
There are two start options on the north shore of Banderas Bay, and you choose when you book. One guest mentions Sayulita. The booking page gives the exact address for each.
Breakfast, guacamole and a fajita lunch, plus an open bar with cocktails, beer, wine, tequila and champagne. The bar stays on the boat, as the park bans alcohol on the islands.
In season, often. Humpbacks are in Banderas Bay from about 8 December to 23 March, and guests on this trip wrote about whale stops on the crossing. Outside that window, no.
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Snorkel, kayak and paddleboard at the islands, land on Playa La Nopalera, with breakfast, lunch and an open bar.
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