What to Bring

Here are the items we'd suggest for your trip to Yelapa:

  • A flashlight or headlamp (one per person). The moon will be full for the wedding weekend, but it's helpful to have some extra light when crossing the beach at night, or if the power goes out, as it sometimes does.
  • Beach and water gear: swimsuit, flip-flops, reef shoes, snorkel and mask.
  • Sunscreen (eco-friendly kinds without toxic ingredients that kill marine life if you plan to swim or snorkel), hats, and sunglasses.
  • Comfortable walking shoes - this is a car-free town, so we'll be getting around on foot, and paths are unevenly paved, or sometimes not paved at all.
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    You may also want waterproof shoes for the beach. To keep dirt and sand from your shoes off the floor of your room, you might consider flip-flops or slippers that you can easily put on outdoors and remove indoors. If you plan on hiking more than 45 minutes up the river trail, be aware that the trail includes two water crossings and prepare to wade, either barefoot or with water-tolerant shoes. Be advised that the wedding venue is a large garden in a retreat center, with a slightly sloped lawn and several stone footpaths and uneven staircases--not the best place for spiky heels.

  • Cash - get your pesos in Puerto Vallarta, as there are no ATMs in Yelapa and very few places are equipped for credit-card transactions.
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    There is a currency exchange in the village, but you'll get better rates in the big city. The exchange windows can be hectic, and money is dispensed very quickly, so it's best to have your dollars counted before you get in line so you'll know how many pesos to expect in return. Regardless of the line, be sure to count the pesos you receive before leaving the counter. Customers are generally expected to have near-correct change, so feel free to ask for small bills when you exchange your money. Strategic change-making early in your trip can be helpful so you'll have enough small bills ($20MXN and $50MXN) and coins for little expenses like tips and snacks.

    Two of your dinners will be provided. For your other meals, estimate about $10 US per person for a large complete breakfast (including tip and beverages), $15 per person for a good-sized lunch (including tip and beverages), and about $20 per person for a full dinner (including tip and beverages). The menu at the Hotel Lagunita restaurant is posted online (click here for PDF), with prices shown in U.S. dollars. By law, tax is included in listed prices.

    There's not a lot of stuff to purchase in Yelapa, but there is a rosewood shop with some absolutely gorgeous (but pricey) hand-crafted bowls and platters, bracelets, peppermills, and more, so if you think you may want to shop there, plan accordingly. If you would like help with your luggage--highly recommended, unless your bag is so lightweight you won't notice it as you walk uphill or up a few flights of stairs to your rental--plan to tip about $5 USD per bag. U.S. greenbacks can be used for tips, but U.S. coins cannot be exchanged, so are of no use to anyone there.

  • Any OTC medications you might conceivably need should be brought from home or gotten in Puerto Vallarta. NEW! There is now a small drugstore in the village, so you can probably count on buying basic OTC items there if needed.
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    There are a few small stores in Yelapa, but if you expect you might need some nighttime cold medicine, for example, learn from our experience and bring it with you–-on one recent visit, Emily had a cold, and would have paid $20 for a single capsule of NyQuil but alas, there was none to be found. Don't plan on finding much to buy in Yelapa. There is now a little drugstore in Yelapa, so very basic medications should be available. We bought band-aids there in December.

  • Earplugs and/or eye masks if you need them.
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    Remember that Yelapa accommodations are almost all open-air, so what happens outside is easily heard inside, and the full moon might make your room brighter than you're used to at night.

  • Mosquito repellent can come in handy right around sunset. Winter is the dry season, but there may still mosquitoes in the evening.
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    Note that the World Health Organization has recently declared that the ingredient icaridin (aka Bayrepel aka Saltidin® aka picaridin) "demonstrates excellent repellent properties comparable to, and often superior to, those of the standard DEET". And icaridin doesn't irritate skin, dissolve plastic, or cause neurological side effects. Natrapel lotion and wipes, Sawyer Premium, and GoReady have 20% picaridin content, but stronger formulations are available from outside the U.S., e.g. the 25% formula from Skin Technology in New Zealand.

  • More shampoo and soap than you would usually want at home, especially if you're used to a mild dry climate (Californians, this means you!).
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    To keep feeling fresh despite layers of sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and perspiration, we tend to shower much more often when we're there. Also, if you're staying a few extra days, some extra soap to wash out your clothes could allow you to pack lighter. Clothes will dry pretty quickly in the warm air.

  • See the FAQ for information on purifying tap water (for soaking produce etc.).
  • If your luggage is very delicate and porous, you may want to pack clothes inside a plastic bag.
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    Newer water taxis keep luggage on top of a canopy, but if you're in an older boat or choose to disembark at a beach rather than a pier, your bag might be splashed a little en route.

  • Official travel documents: passport, tourist card (given to you by airline staff and stamped by immigration authorities on arrival), and if necessary receipts for any items you want to declare at customs.
  • Binoculars for wildlife viewing are a must-have. We left ours home on our last trip there and sorely regretted it, even though we have seen most of the wildlife before.
  • Camera, memory cards, batteries, etc..
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    If you plan to take wildlife photos on the boat excursion, the boats may pass very close to birds, turtles, rays, etc., so a zoom lens may work better than a fixed-length lens. There are Internet cafes in Yelapa with dial-up high-speed wireless (as of August 2009!), so you can even post your digital pictures from there if you have a card reader with you.

Also check out Brad's pre-arrival tips page or the "what to bring" list on Yelapa.info.

What NOT to bring

  • any agricultural products (including fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds), or anything else frowned upon by the Mexican customs authorities.

  • any very delicate or hard-to-clean clothing or shoes that you don't want exposed to dusty paths (however, if you have your heart set on wearing more fragile garments for the wedding and/or reception, there will be a place to change clothes at the ceremony location.).

  • adapters for electrical outlets (not necessary--Mexico's outlets are the same as those in the U.S..).