The market rate, roughly
Across Puerto Vallarta, small powerboats generally run about $95 to $150 USD per hour. Mid-size yachts sit somewhere around $250 to $450 per hour, and large luxury yachts and catamarans go well past that.
Most people book four or five hours, because that is the natural length of a bay trip: out to Los Arcos, a beach or two, lunch, and back.
The extras nobody quotes upfront
This is where two quotes that look identical stop being identical. Watch for: national park wristbands for protected areas like Los Arcos, a per-person dock or terminal fee at certain piers, fuel surcharges if you go beyond a 'standard bay route', catering or open bar packages, and crew gratuity.
None of those are scams — they are real costs. The problem is finding out about them at the dock, after you've committed, when the number you had in your head was 20% lower.
When you compare quotes, ask one question: what is the final number for my group, my hours and my route, with nothing left to add? A straight answer tells you a lot about who you're dealing with.
How we price it
One number, for the whole boat, never per person. Our smallest panga is $329 USD for 4 hours with up to 4 guests; our largest boat takes 25 people. Extra hours and extra guests beyond what the base covers are added at a fixed published rate — the calculator on our site shows the exact total before you talk to anyone.
Included: the Heaven on Earth team, safety equipment and life jackets, snorkel gear, and a cooler you're welcome to fill with your own drinks. Your guide also takes photos and video during the day and sends them to you afterwards at no charge.
Not included, and we'd rather say it here: food and drinks at the beach restaurants, horseback riding at Quimixto if you want it, souvenirs, and tips. Bring cash for those.
When per-boat pricing wins
Per-person tours look cheaper until you count heads. A group tour at $90 a person is $720 for eight people — and you're sharing the boat with strangers on a fixed schedule.
The break-even is usually somewhere around four to six people, depending on the boat. Below that, a shared tour is genuinely cheaper. Above it, a private charter costs the same or less and you get the boat, the route and the day to yourselves.
