The 9 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.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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