During our Cruise aboard the Carnival Miracle, we traveled south from Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. As photographers, our main goal was to capture the beauty of Puerto Vallarta we had heard so much about before. We joined the Las Caletas shore excursion to help make the most of the limited time we would have while in Puerto Vallarta. Below is an outline of our trip and how we captured the beauty of Carnival’s Las Caletas beach hideaway in a day.
Las Caletas Shore Excursion Overview
The Las Caletas shore excursion is one of the highest recommended Carnival Cruise options for guests traveling to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The shore excursion covers all trip expenses besides any additional tip. The trip to the beach getaway will take the entire day approximately 6 hours .
What’s included in the Las Caletas Shore Excursion:
- Round trip scenic transportation from Puerto Vallarta marina
- Onboard alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks
- Buffet style lunch at the destination
- Water sport equipment
Getting to Las Caletas:
The journey to Las Caletas takes around one hour with incredible sights to photograph along the way. One of the best views from the boat is that of Los Arcos. The national marine park is comprised of 3 islands between Mismaloya and Las Germelas beach and the views certainly do not disappoint.
Visiting and Photographing the Beach Getaway
In addition to exploring the Las Caletas Beach hideaway, our main goal was to photograph the beauty of the area during our stay. We began photographing as soon as we departed the boat, shooting the hammocks overlooking the turquoise waters surrounding the area. The best part of this excursion was that most of the hammocks and chairs were available throughout the day, so waiting for an open spot was never an issue. After eating the buffet lunch, we worked our way up north to take in and capture more of the beauty this place had to offer. We soon found three small islands; each complete with a private hammock, chair, and palm tree. The islands made for a great picture, especially against a backdrop of the green hills and light blue waters surrounding the private beach cove.
Overall, our experience at the Las Caletas Beach hideaway was positive and the staff was very friendly and attentive. The beach grounds were clean and uncrowned wherever we went. Upon returning, we took the transportation boat directly back to the mainland marina. Once aboard, the staff provided guests more drinks in addition to a full entertainment production complete with guitar props and various costumes. The return trip was shorter than the way there, taking around 45 minutes to make it back to the cruise ship.
