Las Caletas, Cabo Corrientes — Attraction in Jalisco

I attended the beach adventure one day and the dinner show the next evening. I really want to like it more but there is an inescapable feeling that these “experiences” are DESIGNED TO SELL PHOTOS. From the moment you arrive at the port, to the beach at Las Caletas, and the return journey, photographers (and drones) will be busy taking pictures. Although they take fantastic pictures, they are overpriced at $50 per shot (you can bargain this down from $75 per photo, apparently). Also, your 8 hr beach adventure or 6 hr dinner and show really does include about 3 hrs of waiting or sitting (boat rides and waiting in lines). They need to be clearer about that.

The dealbreaker for me, however, is the boat ride. First, you must arrive at the port and essentially pay a port fee for the privilege of waiting around in a shopping mall where they sell overpriced everything. Second, the boat ride to and from Las Caletas is ruined by the extremely loud music (albeit good selection) and emcees prone to exclaiming “come on!”, “let’s go!”, and “okay!” way too many times. It would have been nicer if they let us enjoy the tranquility of being out in the extremely beautiful bay riding alongside whales (yes, we saw whales in late November).

Las Caletas is a great place for kids and teens and there’s plenty of activities to keep them occupied. From water slides, the zip line, banana boat, animals and nature, and the beautiful beach, this place is just teeming with potential. Instead, we are transported to Disneyland where we pay for the privilege of standing in lines for the rides, eating mediocre food, buying overpriced souvenirs, and being sold on the all-important but profitable photos. Yes, you’ll also experience a huge line to get into the dinner show because they will take group photos of everyone with “natives” flanking the sides.

The “Rhythm of the Night” show itself will be very familiar if you’ve seen more than one Cirque du Soleil production as it is a mishmash of different acts. Yes, they have the Chinese gymnasts/contortionists, Russian acrobats, opening act with the “clown”, musicians playing native music, and various gymnastic/acrobatic routines. Nothing felt original about the show, except maybe the Aztec or Mayan “influence.”

Puerta Vallarta Adventures is probably a huge local employer and important for the local economy. But I wish their premise for selling these “adventures” (selling photos) was more transparent. Having “been there and done that” I would highly recommend you save your money and plan a trip to Las...

I really can't put into words what an awesome time my boyfriend and I had here yesterday. From the moment we left the port to the time we got back it was just an A+ experience. When we woke up in the morning there was a very heavy thunderstorm and I was very bummed - I thought it would ruin everything. But it's an hour-long ride to the Caletas and once we got there the rain had stopped. It was still cloudy and cool but the water is so warm and nice that we just floated in the amazing waters. The sun eventually came out and we lounged with excellent bar service and drinks brought right to our beach chairs. Because of Corona there is no longer a buffet, but you still get a fantastic, high-quality lunch that will leave you filled up. They will provide you a menu before you depart so you can see your options. We did a little more exploring of the beach but honestly there just isn't enough time to do it all! You really get from 10am - 3pm, minus an hour for lunch, so 4 hours of free time - keep that in mind when planning activities. I wish we could have stayed until at least 4pm - that would make it perfect. But on the boat ride back it's also great fun, with shows and an open bar. Let me say by the time we landed back in PV I was quite inebriated. I absolutely loved it and we plan to return when my sister visits in September. She saw our photos a now wants to go! I read some people say that the chairs and hammocks look old and worn. I want to say that we did NOT think that - the chairs were all well-maintained and clean. The bathrooms were also very well-stocked and clean and restaurants were immaculate. Tons of hand sanitizer and Covid protocols are followed. When you arrive, you are offered welcome chips and salsa. GET AS MANY OF THOSE AS YOU CAN and take them to your beach chairs with you so you have something to snack on! We didn't and we regretted it as we were a little hungry by lunch time (plus you want a nice base before you start the drinking). Overall a 10/10 and I can't WAIT to return...

A delightful adventurous day out! 🤩

The boat trip to Las Caletas was quite windy yet very entertaining 🚤 🥳

The trek towards the beach from the boat is not too strenuous, but make sure you have comfortable foot wear as there is quite a lot of walking involved and there are quite steep steps! 😬

The beach was clean and well organised - plenty of sun-beds but not enough umbrellas, so it can get very hot 🥵🏖 and there was not any complimentary drinking water 😕💧

The changing rooms and washroom facilities were very clean and were located nearby - but still quite a walk away 😳🚾

The swimming area in the sea was safely secured and there were lots of swimming aids available. 🏄‍♀️🌊 🏊‍♀️

There were lots of extras you could do like water sports or zip lining 😁

The animals were amazing and were the highlight of our visit! We were welcomed when entering the island by beautiful flamingos and parrots. 😍 We were especially grateful that we were allowed to hold some of the animals and take photos 🥰 - and the animals were so well behaved, even with such large crowds surrounding them 🤗🐵🐍🦜

Lunch was served as a buffet and was surprisingly very fresh and delicious 🌮 😋

The staff were very friendly and helpful 😃

The island itself was carefully laid out and well maintained. 🌴👌 It was very scenic, the waterfall was stunning and Las Caletas overall was a lovely day out! 🏝

Highly recommended for a nice unique experience! 😎 The beautiful and tranquil location of Las Caletas is a little far out, but highly worth...