Q: I'M ON
A CRUISE - HOW FAR IS IT TO THE DEPARTURE POINT?
A: All these cruises depart from
the Marina Maritima, the same place as your cruise ship. Just
walk on over.
Q: WHAT IS
THE WATER TEMPERATURE IN PUERTO VALLARTA?
A: During the summer and autumn
months, the water is bathtub warm, approaching 85°F. During
the winter and spring months, it cools down significantly, to about
75°F, and in colder years, you sometimes find temperatures dipping
into the mid-to-high 60s. The water temps at areas like the
Marietas Islands is normally a few degrees cooler than areas further
inland like Majahuitas. See Puerto
Vallarta Water Temperatures for more details.
Q: WHAT IS
THE VISIBILITY LIKE?
A: The best visibility is found
during the summer months, when visibility can reach 100-130 feet.
During the winter months, you'll find it to be about 15-60 feet, which
is plenty for most snorkeling locations.
Q: ARE THERE
FISH?
A: Yes, there are a lot of fish
to be seen. To really see lots of fish, we recommend Los Arcos
and the Marietas Islands the most, though all the sites will have plenty
to see.
Q: WHICH TOUR
IS THE BEST FOR KIDS?
A: For younger kids, the Marigalante
Pirate Ship is an excellent choice.
Q: WHICH TOUR
OFFERS THE BEST SNORKELING?
A: It really depends on the time
of year, but overall we'd probably recommend the Geronimo Catamaran
which snorkels at the Marietas Islands Marine Preserve.
Q: WILL I
GET SEASICK?
A: The water on the bay is generally
very smooth and wonderful. However, you'll still get the rocking of
the water and if you have a sensitive stomach, this can make you seasick.
Make sure to take a seasickness prevention like Bonine or 24-Hour Less-Drowsy
Dramamine 1 hour before traveling just in case and bring some more with
you to take before the return trip. If you are at all concerned,
then we'd suggest Las Caletas, Santa Maria, Vagabundo, or Sarape, as
the boat rides are shorter than those to Yelapa or the Marietas Islands.
Q: WHICH IS
THE BEST BEACH?
A: The nicest beach is probably
Las Animas, followed by Quimixto, Yelapa and Las Caletas. However,
all these are very nice - you can't go wrong. There isn't much
of a beach at the Marietas Islands - those cruises usually stop at La
Manzanilla Beach, which is very nice.
Q: WHICH HAS
THE BEST FOOD?
A: Well, we haven't had all the
food, but we can tell you the Mahi Mahi at the Quimixto restaurant is
excellent.
Q: I'VE SEEN
ANOTHER BOAT SOMEWHERE THAT I DON'T SEE LISTED - WHY?
A: Essentially, all the bay cruises
are very similar. The differences are in the crew and the locations
that they go. We've found our favorite crews for each of the different
locations around Banderas Bay - to add more would just be duplicating
tours. There are several dozen boats in the bay, and they aren't
much different from each other.
