Whether you’re an “adventure traveler,” in search of high-impact outdoor activities, or you’re more comfortable lounging on a beach with a fruity-drink and a trashy magazine, Yelapa has plenty to offer. Isabel Beach is just a ways down the path from El Jardin and is always available for a swim. The snorkeling is amazing at our own front door! El Jardin also has kayaks available if you’d like to go for a paddle. If you want to be more social, you might want to walk the half mile along the scenic footpath through the pueblo to the main beach. The main beach is very pleasant, with several restaurants conveniently located and more than willing to place a cool drink in your hand and bring you a plate of chips and fresh guacamole.
Yelapa is a fishing village with a sizable art community. There are a few galleries, and if you inquire, you can find a number of local artists who will be glad to show you their work.
If you are into fishing, half-day or day-long fishing trips can be arranged. Or, if you’d simply like to explore the area a bit, boat trips to surrounding areas can be arranged. One popular excursion is to the Marietas Islands, where you can see a number of types of birds, including the blue-footed boobies, whose only other habit is located in the Galapagos Islands. Whale watching trips can also be arranged, or just a jaunt down the coast a bit to secluded beaches.
If you like to hike, Yelapa has numerous opportunities for getting out and experiencing the countryside. For starters, a pleasant walk through town and a short way upriver, south of the pueblo, you come to the base of a stunning waterfall, which begins its descent approximately 200-feet above you. Depending on the time of year, the base of the waterfall is a large-but-shallow pool. Having one’s picture taken beneath the falls is a time-honored Yelapa tradition! There is a lovely cafe at the base of the falls, where you can get a margarita and some chips and guacamole and enjoy the scene.
For those who seek a more adventurous hike with a spectacular payoff, there is the hour-and-a-half hike up river to the “big waterfall.” Plan on making a day of hiking to this fall and back, but definitely plan on making it a part of your visit, it’s worth it!. Finally there is a very challenging half-day hike to a village of indigenous people. There are many other hiking opportunities in the surrounding area.
For the the truly adventurous, para-sailing behind a boat or a para-glide off the top of the mountain might be more your style.
After a hard day spent in paradise, you could have a massage from the capable and loving hands of either of our local masseuses, Beverly, or Kate, while literally watching the dazzling ocean under coconut palms.
Maybe lying in the hammock is more what you are looking for or perhaps enjoying the local cuisine (including the famous home-made pies available daily),
If you want to be pampered, two hotels in Yelapa, Lagunita and Verana have luxury spas.
