Check-in
Arrive at least 45 minutes before the 5:30 PM departure. There are two departure points — Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta — and they are not interchangeable on the night, so check which one your booking is for before you set off.
The 20 dollar adult and 10 dollar child port access fee is collected here, at the pier, by the operator. Bring a card or cash for it — it is not included in what you pay us.
The crossing out
You board a catamaran and cross Banderas Bay as the sun goes down. The bar is open on the way over. This is the part of the night people remember more than they expect to — the coastline on one side, the open bay on the other, and the light changing the whole way.
It is open water. If you are sensitive to motion, take something before you board rather than after, and sit low and central rather than up front.
Arriving at Las Caletas
There is no road to Las Caletas. You step off onto the beach, and from there the site is a set of paths through the trees, lit by torches and lanterns. The ground is natural — sand, stone, some steps and slopes — and it is dark. This is the single biggest thing to know before you book: the operator lists the experience as not recommended for guests with limited mobility, and that is about the terrain, not the boat.
Dinner and the show
On the 5:30 PM departure, dinner is served before the show. What you eat and where you sit depends on your package — the dinner guide covers the differences.
ALMA is performed in an open-air theater built into the hillside. Live performance, live music, fire and aerial work, in a space with no roof and the jungle immediately behind the stage. Photography rules are enforced during the performance — follow what the staff tell you on the night.
The ride home
The boat takes everyone back together after the show, so the return time is fixed rather than flexible. It is a quieter crossing than the one out. Expect to be back at the pier around five hours after you checked in, and remember you still have to get from the pier to wherever you are staying.
The evening in one line
Check in 45 minutes before a 5:30 PM departure, cross the bay at sunset, arrive at a beach with no road, eat, watch ALMA, and cross back in the dark — about 5 hours from the pier to the pier.
What surprises people
- How much of it is the boat. People book a dinner show and discover that two open-water crossings, one at sunset, are a third of the evening and often the part they describe afterwards.
- How dark it is. The site is lit by torch, lantern and firelight, not floodlight. That is deliberate and it is lovely — and it means you are walking on uneven natural ground with very little light.
- How fixed the schedule is. One departure, one return, everyone together. You cannot arrive late, leave early, or linger. There is no road.
- That the drinks are genuinely included. Wine and an open bar run through the evening, starting on the crossing out.
Timing your day around it
This takes the whole evening and most of the late afternoon getting to it. Plan a slow day beforehand rather than a full one — you will be checking in during the worst of the traffic, then standing, walking and sitting outdoors until late.
Do not book it for the night before an early flight. The return crossing lands when it lands, and then you still have to get back to your hotel. If it is the last night of your trip, make the flight a late one.
Accessibility, plainly
The operator lists the experience as not recommended for guests with limited mobility, and the terrain is the reason rather than the facilities: sand, stone, steps and slopes, walked in low light, with a boat to board at both ends. No ticket tier changes any of that. Las Caletas describes the site in more detail if you need to judge it for yourself.
Practical notes
- Minimum age is 6. Children are 6–11; from 12 you pay adult price.
- Restrooms are available on site, but they are a walk from the theater — go before the show starts.
- It runs year round. Summer is humid and buggy; winter evenings are cool once you are on the water.
- Bring a card for the port fee and anything you want to buy on site.
- Photography is fine around the site; during the performance the staff will tell you what is allowed.
- There is no cloakroom to rely on — bring a bag you are happy to carry all evening.