Las Caletas beach day trip

Four small beaches separated by rocky points make up Las Caletas, and there is no road in. The only way to reach them is on this all-inclusive day run by Vallarta Adventures, which owns the site and sails there from Puerto Vallarta. It takes about seven hours, and the boat ride is part of the show in winter, when humpbacks pass through the bay.

Once there, the day is loose. Snorkel gear, kayaks and paddleboards are included, as are the hammocks strung over the water, an all-day open bar and a buffet lunch. There are guided walks past macaws and flamingos, a cooking lesson, a margarita class and a mezcal tasting. Adventure Cove adds ziplines over the jungle and the water, a FlowRider, a blob and a banana boat, mostly for ages 9 and up and at least 1.2 metres tall, and no one drinks before riding them. Children aged 4 to 11 have a supervised park with a small zipline, a climbing wall and donkey rides.

Some things cost extra and are booked ahead: time with sea lions and rays, an encounter with lemurs and squirrel monkeys, an introductory scuba dive and massages at the beach spa. Life jackets are compulsory in the water and drones are banned. This is the same cove that hosts the evening dinner show, so pick by daylight or dark.