The 15 Lunch Experiences in Puerto Vallarta That Earn Their Price

1.Islas Marietas & BBQ lunch at Majahuitas

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,130 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $99Our pick

Start early from Puerto Mágico and spend about seven hours on the Bay of Banderas, watching for dolphins, whales, manta rays, and seabirds. Choose snorkeling, kayaking, or SUP near the Marietas Islands, then enjoy a BBQ lunch and drinks at Majahuitas. Guides such as Poncho and Danny are known for lively onboard entertainment.

“90% plus of the time is on a boat with very little time for snorkeling (maybe 30 minutes tops) and you will need to be very fast if you are going to do any kayaking or paddle boarding. The time spent doing activities feels very rushed. However, there is good service for drinks and the lunch is excellent and the location for lunch is great. However I would not recommend this tour. Perhaps if we went to two locations rather then three it would have felt less rushed with more time for activities.”

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2.Las Caletas Beach & Adventure Park with buffet lunch and open bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 755 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $159

Cruise from Puerto Vallarta or Nuevo Vallarta to boat-access-only Las Caletas. Spend about four hours on beaches, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding, jungle paths, cooking classes, and family adventure zones, with buffet lunch and open bar included. Extra-cost options include spa treatments and scuba.

“We had a great time at Las Caletas. Lots of activities for all ages. The staff were wonderful and made our trip very enjoyable.”

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3.Luxury Yacht & Snorkel with All inclusive Open bar and lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 754 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $119

Cruise Puerto Vallarta’s Bay of Banderas aboard a Leopard catamaran limited to 40 people. Expect a scenic ride, snorkeling near Majahuitas, paddleboards, lunch, and an onboard premium open bar. The route may include Los Arcos and the Malecón, depending on sea conditions.

“Bring sunscreen and dramine if you’re prone to motion sickness. Had a wonderful time! Great crew! Fun time.”

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4.Puerto Vallarta Luxury Sailing with Premium Open bar & lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 301 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $129Top rated

Sail Banderas Bay from Marina Vallarta on a six-hour outing with lunch, premium open bar, snorkeling, and paddleboarding. The crew may visit Los Arcos or a quiet beach, depending on sea conditions. Recent crews have included Sergio, Rubin, Christian, and Walter.

“The sail boat ride was a great choice for our vacation. The best part was the staff, chef and captain! Great crew! The food was delicious and alcohol was flowing! Haha. We saw at least 5 whales, as well as dolphins! My only critique was that it was a bit over crowded. But other than that it was a lot of fun!”

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5.San Sebastian del Oeste with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 49 reviews · 7 hours · from $79Best value

Spend seven hours traveling from Puerto Vallarta into the Sierra Madre to visit San Sebastian del Oeste. Tour an organic tequila factory, the area’s oldest coffee factory, a local bakery, the main square, church, museum, and silver workshop, with lunch and hotel pickup included.

“I wish our tour guide Emma would focus more on the historical events and facts about the town. The stop at the tequila destilería was very good, but the rest of the tour turned into a shopping spree and I didn’t like that.”

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6.Butterfly Sanctuary, Museum & Lunch with Transport

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $119

Fabian and Erika lead a small-group visit to Mariposario Jardin Magico, where you learn about butterfly life cycles, predators, and plants before releasing newly emerged butterflies. Hotel transport and a traditional Mexican lunch are included, making this a gentle, educational three-hour outing.

“This particular outing was all about learning about the different types of butterflies and how they thrive in their natural environment. I believe his name is Fabio and he has a passion for these "pollinators" as he calls them. Afterwards, he took us to lunch at a local restaurant where we continued to learn about sustainability and conservation. Just use bug spray because the mosquitos are bad! Cassandra M”

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7.Sierra Madre Horseback Riding and Zipline with Lunch Included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 28 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $147

Leave Puerto Vallarta with driver-guide Sergio or another local guide for a five-hour Sierra Madre outing at Rancho Capomo. Ride gentle horses toward a waterfall, tackle about 10 zip-line routes, then enjoy Mexican food and national drinks. Expect a rustic ranch, small groups, and a long, bumpy road.

“This was fun overall. The ride is slow and bumpy. The horse walk was basic and through a small town with lots of garbage laying around. The ziplining was great. Beautiful river and huge valleys to fly over. It was more primitive than many others but that made it pretty cool. Wear long pants. Wear shoes. Bring a change of clothes. Lunch was very good. Bring a couple bottles of water with you.”

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8.Luxury Yacht Tour with Lunch and Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 23 reviews · 5 hours · from $119

Sail south from Puerto Vallarta to Majahuitas Cove for swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and beach time. The five-hour cruise includes lunch, an open bar, towels, and gear. English- and Spanish-speaking guides lead the trip, with Charlie singled out for warm, attentive service.

“Excellent Day Activity - They offered upgrade of snorkeling and my husband loved it.”

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9.Marietas Island, Breakfast, Lunch, Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 9 reviews · 6 hours · from $128

Cruise from Puerto Vallarta to Las Marietas with an English or Spanish guide, breakfast, snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boards, and a cooked lunch. You may spot whales, dolphins, turtles, manta rays, and rare blue-footed boobies. Open bar, music, dancing, and karaoke fill the ride home.

“La pasamos muy padre ! Desde que te subes al barco se siente la buena vibra , la comida muy rica , el lugar maravilloso y el personal siempre está al pendiente de que todo vaya bien! 10/10 ! 😊”

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10.Discover Hobie-Cat Sailing and Fish your own Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Learn basic sailing on a private 16-foot Hobie Cat with a licensed guide, then set fishing lines and watch for dolphins, turtles, or whales from December to April. Your catch may become ceviche or sashimi. The two-and-a-half-hour outing begins and ends at Quetzal 108.

“We had a wonderful time sailing with our 8 year old son! This was a highlight of the trip. They are really patient and easy to understand. They let everyone try to steer and turn the boat around all while teaching the basics of sailing. We sadly did not catch any fish, but we still enjoyed the fresh guacamole on the beach afterward and stuck around to relax. I would highly recommend this activity!”

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11.Yelapa, Majahuitas, Lunch, Open Bar Onboard

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 6 reviews · 8 hours · from $118

Take an eight-hour boat trip from Puerto Vallarta to Majahuitas Cove and Yelapa. Snorkel, kayak, paddleboard, walk to Cola de Caballo waterfall, eat a six-choice lunch, and enjoy a national open bar after snorkeling. Guides speak English and Spanish.

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12.Tour Yelapas and Mahahuitas in Catamaran with Lunch and Open Bar!

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $120

Spend a full day sailing from Puerto Vallarta to Yelapa and Majahuitas with a bilingual guide, breakfast, lunch, snorkeling gear, and an open bar. Walk Yelapa’s riverfront paths, then relax at Majahuitas Beach Club with time for snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, or sunbathing.

“Extremely disappointed! Wanted to kayak with my husband using a 2 person kayak and only singles were available. The single kayaks were not available for everyone. I had to wait 20 minutes for other people to finish first. No time limit. I only had 4 minutes as our time was up. Had to move to the next stop. Very disappointed”

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13.Beach, Breakfast, Lunch & Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 4 reviews · 8 hours · from $120

You’ll cruise Puerto Vallarta’s coast on a double-decker boat with bilingual guides, breakfast, beach lunch, an open bar, music, and games. Snorkel at Los Arcos, swim at Las Animas, then choose Quimixto’s waterfall hike or an optional horseback activity. Expect a lively, full-day group outing.

“Bajo tecnicismos, la experiencia q venden a la que se vive es MUY distinta. El desayuno fue mediocre al igual q la comida. Sí dan bebidas a bordo pero estan MUY diluidas. La musica es de boda de hace 20 años.Ya abordo, te informan que hay solo cierto número de equipos para snorkel, no suficientes para todo el barco. En el agua se estuvo un total de 10 minutos en un diminuto cuadrante de mar y el resto de tiempo fue media hora en subir y bajar a la gente. No se vio nada. Ya camino a la playa, informan q no podrás ir a la playa y luego a…”

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14.Catamaran Cruise with Lunch and Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · 7 hours · from $84

Spend seven hours cruising from Puerto Vallarta to Yelapa with English and Spanish guides, snorkeling at Mahahuitas, Colimilla, or Los Arcos, and visiting a waterfall. Lunch, drinks, safety gear, and an open bar are included, but bring cash for the 34-peso port tax and possible extra water.

“First off we didn’t depart until 10:30 am when we were supposed to leave at 9:30 am, and it didn’t get any better. The communication during the entire excursion was about 95% in Spanish and barely 5 % in English. Also You have to sign up on the boat to do any included activities and by the time we were told it was too late because we missed the Spanish explanation. The included lunch wasn’t very good at all, when we finally got served which was after all the Spanish speaking people ate, and water is extra! Absolutely unacceptable and definitely not kid friendly either. Do not waste your money…”

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15.Horseback Riding, Lunch & Unlimited Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 5 hours · from $145

Spend five hours at Hacienda Doña Engracia riding beside the Mascota River, with an optional horse swim when conditions allow. Afterward, taste Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Pink Tequila at La Dulce Vista, then enjoy a Mexican BBQ, vegetarian options, and unlimited margaritas.

“Amazing!! Fabricio was a great guide the mex bbq and margs were 10/10”

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