Yelapa Tapa

Yelapa Tapa launches from around 660 m above the remote, boat-access-only village of Yelapa, near Puerto Vallarta on Mexico's Pacific coast — reached by water taxi, then on foot or by hired pickup, since no cars exist in the town itself. Most flying happens mid-morning, when thermals building on the front slope temporarily overpower the prevailing afternoon wind, which blows from the west, over the back of the ridge. The takeoff itself is a cleared area near the ridgetop, right where the power lines cross over toward Yelapa; two launch spots serve slightly different wind directions (east and north-northeast), but the runway is short with a steep drop-off, so it takes decent launch skills to get away cleanly. Winds above launch can oppose each other, and the site cycles between upslope and over-the-back conditions, which is exactly the kind of setup where a pilot can end up caught in rotor if the timing is off. Landing is on a long sandy beach with a lagoon behind it and bars, restaurants and sunbathers along the sand — the same LZ used by the nearby Yelapa Tapita launch. Getting to launch from town takes a 1.5-hour hike on the road, a shorter and shadier trail option, or a 25-minute pickup-truck ride arranged locally for about $10 per person.

Launch & conditions

Two launch spots for slightly different wind directions (E and NNE); the runway is short with a steep drop-off, so decent launch skills are needed to get away cleanly.

Getting there & local rules

Arrive by water taxi from Puerto Vallarta (no cars in Yelapa itself), then reach launch by a 1.5-hour hike on the road, a shorter shadier trail, or a locally arranged pickup-truck ride (~25 minutes, about $10 per person).

Local rules & hazards

Winds above launch can oppose each other, and conditions cycle between upslope and over-the-back — most flying happens mid-morning, when thermals on the front side temporarily overpower the prevailing afternoon west wind; get the timing wrong and you can end up in rotor.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Yelapa Tapa, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Yelapa Tapa with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.