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 months, the water
is bathtub warm, approaching 85°F. During the winter months, it cools
down significantly, and you often find temperatures dipping into the mid-to-high
60s.
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.
