Where do I meet the captain?

Bahía de Banderas has several departure points and they are a long way apart in traffic. Getting this wrong is the single most common way a trip starts badly, so check the departure point on your confirmation the night before rather than on the morning.

• Marina Vallarta — the main sportfishing marina, closest to the hotel zone and the airport.
• Nuevo Vallarta and Paradise Village — north side, convenient for Nuevo Vallarta and Bucerías resorts.
• La Cruz de Huanacaxtle — Marina Riviera Nayarit, the shortest run to Punta Mita and the Marietas.
• Los Muertos pier — Zona Romántica, walkable from Old Town hotels.
• Boca de Tomatlán — the south-shore launch for Yelapa, Quimixto and Las Ánimas.

Allow more time than the map suggests. The crossing from the north side of the bay to Old Town can take well over an hour in morning traffic.