Finding a Puerto Vallarta waterfall isn’t that hard, but getting there can be an adventure. And that’s where the fun is. In the jungle, waterfalls are pretty common, but they’re not always easy to get to. The Quimixto waterfall, however, is one of the most popular and easiest to see.
I use the term “easiest” relatively. If you’re staying in Puerto Vallarta, you must take a bus, a boat and maybe a mule or a hike to get there, but it could be worse. The hike only takes about 30 minutes, and that’s not so bad, all things considered (I once hiked hours looking for a waterfall in Costa Rica!)
Journey to the falls
I met my tour group and the bus on a street corner in the old town of Puerto Vallarta at 10 am. We piled on the crowded city bus and headed south along the main road. On the road, there is the ocean on the right and the jungle on the left. Hotels, their windows filled with colorful flowers streaming over the balcony sides, obscured the ocean view every few miles.
We rode about 25 minutes to the last stop on the route in the town of Boca de Tomatlán. This small, vibrant fisherman town is surrounded by ocean and mountains and takes up only a few blocks.
Pink, yellow, orange and blue plaster storefronts with thatch roofs and open-air restaurants peppered the sidewalks. Vendors sold coconuts and fresh fruits from carts as we made our way to the docks.
Boat Ride to a Puerto Vallarta Waterfall
We walked down a long dock where many boats fill the water. I was surprised to see that our boat is similar in construction to a rowboat, but it holds 12 and has an outboard motor. Our group filled all the seats with the captain and tour guide, David. There are no life jackets or safety guidelines discussed.
I sat on my plank seat as the boat sped past beautiful sandstone rock formations along the coast. Big mansions sporadically peeked out of the jungle, hiding rich people from curious eyes. We sped along the coast for about 20 minutes, the wind whipping my hair and the sun turning me a golden brown. I could feel the sun absorb into my tightening skin as the saltwater misted my bare arms.
As we pull up the dock, the captain says something in Spanish. “Do not crush your hands at the dock,” David translates for me, pointing to my hand resting on the side of the boat. I’m glad some safety requirements are followed after all.
Quimixto Town
Quimixto is said to be one of the most beautiful and relaxing towns in the bay. Its remote colorful beaches, white sand, and seaside hammocks beckon to visitors. But it’s the waterfall that draws us in.
At the dock, there are dozens of little blue crabs scurrying about on the rocks. I couldn’t help but think if they were spiders, we’d all be running for our lives, but since they’re a creature we (or maybe you) eat, we don’t fear them in the same way.
As we walked through the cobblestone streets and colorful houses full of vegetation, we made frequent stops to chat with the vendors at their makeshift tables. David knows everybody. I bought a plastic bag of fresh-cut pineapple and a whole coconut for the water.
I don’t see any cars in this ranchero-style town, but there are plenty of donkeys and mules, which seem to be the primary source of transportation. David frequently stopped to introduce us to people and show us different types of plants and trees. He showed us his grandma’s rustic little concrete and straw home and got us free tequila shots from someone he called uncle but who was unrelated.
Quimixto Trail
At the head of the trail, there is a man renting mules for 300 pesos if you don’t want to hike. I was interested in riding a horse, but I was here for the hike, so I didn’t. The trail started by crossing through two shallow rivers and then up a steep incline filled with horse manure! We had to dodge piles of dung the entire time. But somehow, that didn’t spoil anything; rather, it enriched the experience. In America, people would lose their minds, but here, living among the animals was just a natural way of being and if they leave dung on the trail, well they had to do it somewhere, so what could you expect?
The trail was steep and sandy, but we took frequent breaks to allow rest for the group of four in the back who struggled to keep up. I wore sandals, and a few guys, including David, were barefoot, having taken their sneakers off at the river. The most challenging part was not stepping in manure.
Quimixto, the famous Puerto Vallarta Waterfall
At the waterfall, we crossed another small river and climbed up a concrete embankment. At the top was a concrete bar with a sheet metal roof, a big covered seating area and the waterfall.
It was a good waterfall, big and powerful and falling about 100 feet into a pool below. I ordered a pina colada and jumped into the pool. I tried to swim to the fall, but the current was strong and kept pushing me back. After trying futilely for a few minutes, I gave up and found a spot on a rock.
After swimming for a while, we power hiked back, went through the town, and caught another boat.
Lunch in Los Animas
Along the coast, there are several small towns that can only be accessed by boat or hiking and we headed to Los Animas beach. We pulled right up to the beach and hopped out in the water up to our waist and trudged to shore like Gilligan. There was a restaurant on the beach with tables on the sand and we all ordered food and drinks.
We found more than a dozen green macaw parrots in the back of the restaurant. We stood outside the cages next to sinks with spouts made from conch shells while the birds rushed us cawing. They wouldn’t talk no matter how many times I said, “Hola! Hola, bonito!”
Though our tour to the waterfall had ended over an hour earlier, none of us were eager to leave. Instead, we swam in the ocean until everyone except me said they were stung by tiny jellyfish.
Eventually, we climbed back into the boat from the water and made our way back to the town. There, we walked up one last hill and laughed about what a physical workout this tour was in unexpected ways.
See more stories about Mexico here.
See 10 things to do in Puerto Vallarta here.
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