Punta Mita is the northern gatepost of Banderas Bay — the rocky point where the sheltered bay ends and the open Pacific begins. The water changes colour as you round it, the swell picks up, and the odds of running into dolphins, rays or whales along the way are as good as anywhere we go.
The Run Is the Attraction
Punta Mita is less a single anchor spot than a stretch of coast worth cruising. Heading up from Marina Nuevo Vallarta you follow the Nayarit shoreline with the Sierra Madre behind you, then round a low green headland with dark volcanic rock and white water breaking on it. On the far side, the bay stops being a bay.
That transition zone is productive water. Dolphins ride the wake regularly, rays leap clear of the surface, turtles surface for air, and in season the humpbacks are here — see whale watching. It is the part of the coast where guests spend the most time standing at the bow rather than sitting.
Getting Off the Boat
There are beaches and beach clubs on this stretch if the group wants shore time — La Lancha just inside the point is the easiest and calmest option. The point itself is better cruised than anchored on a day with any swell; your captain will make that call.
Surf and Swell
Punta Mita is a known surf area, which is another way of saying the water out there moves. On a calm day it is a beautiful, easy cruise. On a day with a big west swell it is a lively ride, and if anyone in your group is prone to seasickness, take something before you leave the dock — not after.
Fishing Around the Point
The structure and current around Punta Mita hold fish. Rods, tackle and bait are already aboard, and how far past the point you can push depends entirely on how many hours you book — see fishing charters for the hour-by-hour breakdown from inside the bay out to Corbeteña and El Banco.
Which Boat
For the open water around the point, the bigger boats ride better. Steel n Time, our 53' Hatteras, is the most comfortable platform out there and takes up to 22 guests. Guanatuna handles it well with full shade for up to 15. Peaceful Easy Feeling is fast and fun for a small group on a calm day.
