Reviewed · TOURS IN CABO SAN LUCAS
Pura Vida Yacht 42 FT with all inclusive service in Cabo
Cabo’s famous arch looks best from the water, and this private 42-foot yacht gives you three hours to enjoy it without sharing the boat with strangers. You can stop near El Arco, paddle or snorkel in the bay, drift past Medano Beach, and head toward the Pacific Coast for photographs. The captain can also adjust the route to suit your group.
I like the freedom to choose between an active outing and a lazy one. Kayaks, paddleboards, a floating mat, and snorkel gear are ready to use, while the crew serves quesadillas, ceviche, fruit, drinks, and an open bar. I also like the service record: crews including Marco, Denise, Moses, Miguel, and Adan are repeatedly praised for staying attentive and helping with celebrations.
The main consideration is price. At $2,000 for up to eight people, this makes the most sense for a full group. It is a steep private-boat splurge for two or three people, and three hours can pass quickly if you want plenty of time for swimming, food, photographs, and a sunset cruise.
At a Glance

- El Arco from the water: Spend time near Cabo’s signature rock formation, with good chances for memorable yacht photographs.
- Water toys included: Use the onboard kayak, paddleboards, floating mat, and clean snorkel equipment at no extra charge.
- Food and drinks included: Expect chips with guacamole and pico de gallo, cheese quesadillas, fruit, charcuterie, sashimi, ceviche, and more.
- Private for your group: The yacht accommodates up to eight people, so you set the mood and can request destination suggestions.
- Flexible crew service: The captain and crew can help shape the route, prepare drinks, serve food, and support special occasions.
- Good cancellation terms: Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund, subject to the weather policy.
Why This Yacht Works Best as a Group Splurge

The Pura Vida Yacht is priced at $2,000 per group, not per person, with a maximum of eight people. That works out to $250 each for a full party. For four people, it becomes $500 per person, and for two, the cost is $1,000 each. I would look at the total price first, then decide how many people you can comfortably bring.
That price includes much more than a simple boat ride. You get a private 42-foot yacht, captain and crew service, transportation, parking fees, water equipment, food, soft drinks, bottled water, and an open bar. For a birthday, engagement, family outing, or bachelorette celebration, the private setting can be worth paying for because you are not locked into someone else’s music, meal timing, or swimming plans.
Still, this is not the right choice for everyone. If you only want to see El Arco and take a few pictures, a shorter shared cruise should cost less. I would choose Pura Vida when the boat itself is part of the occasion, not just a way to reach a viewpoint.
The yacht is booked an average of 29 days ahead, which tells you to plan early if your dates are fixed. Confirmation arrives within 48 hours and depends on availability. I would not wait until the last minute for a birthday or cruise-ship day.
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Starting at Lorenzillo’s in Cabo San Lucas

The meeting point is Lorenzillo’s, on Boulevard Lázaro Cárdenas in central Cabo San Lucas. The experience ends back at the same point, making the return simple if you have dinner, shopping, or another activity planned afterward.
Private transportation and parking fees are included. The supplied details do not specify the exact transportation arrangement, so I would confirm pickup instructions when your booking is confirmed. You receive a mobile ticket, which is convenient, but I would still keep the meeting address and booking details easy to reach on your phone.
The yacht trip lasts about three hours. The published plan gives roughly one hour each to El Arco, Medano Beach, and the Pacific Coast, but the captain can recommend stops and the group can request destinations. That means the schedule is better understood as a loose route than a strict timetable.
El Arco: Cabo’s Essential Water View
The first major stop is El Arco de Cabo San Lucas, the rock formation at the meeting point of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez. From a yacht, you get the classic Cabo view with room for photographs, rather than seeing the arch only from shore.
This is also the main water-activity portion of the outing. The kayak, paddleboards, floating mat, and snorkel equipment are carried aboard. The equipment is described as clean and ready to use, so you can spend your time in the bay instead of arranging separate rentals.
I would use this hour according to your group’s energy. Active swimmers can take out a paddleboard or kayak, and anyone who prefers a slower pace can float, snorkel, or remain aboard with a drink. The advantage of a private boat is that your group does not need to agree on one activity for everyone.
Keep your expectations sensible. The tour includes snorkel equipment, but it does not promise a particular marine-life sighting or a specific snorkeling location. Water conditions and the captain’s judgment will shape what is practical on the day. If your priority is serious snorkeling, ask about the best available spot before departure.
Medano Beach and the Choice to Roam

The route also includes Medano Beach, Cabo’s well-known swimming and waterfront area. From the yacht, you see the beach from a different angle and can use it as a relaxed middle section of the trip.
The important detail here is flexibility. You are free to choose destinations, while the captain and crew can recommend places that fit the day. I like that arrangement for groups with mixed interests. One person may want to swim, another may want photographs, and someone else may prefer lunch and a cold drink.
Because the total trip is only about three hours, do not expect unlimited time at every stop. If you spend a long stretch at El Arco with the paddleboards and snorkel gear, the time near Medano Beach may become more of a scenic pass or short stop. Tell the captain early what matters most.
This is also a good point to settle food timing. The crew provides snacks and lunch, but the information does not promise one fixed serving schedule. If your group has children, dietary needs, or a strong preference for eating before water activities, mention it when arranging the trip.
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The Pacific Coast for Photos
The Pacific Coast stop is built around views and photographs. The boat gives you a strong setting for pictures near the arch and along Cabo’s open-water side, with the yacht itself forming part of the scene.
The description refers to photographs by the arch aboard luxury yacht Papillon 6, while the experience is presented as the Pura Vida Yacht. I would treat the boat name as something worth confirming before departure, especially if the exact yacht matters to you. The central promise remains a private yacht outing with Cabo views, but boat assignments can be important for celebrations and photography plans.
The Pacific side can also feel different from the calmer bay. Conditions depend on the weather, and the captain decides what is safe and practical. If you are prone to seasickness, sit where movement feels easiest, watch the horizon, and avoid overdoing the open bar before the yacht reaches more exposed water.
Food on Board: More Than Basic Snacks

The included food is unusually broad for a three-hour boat trip. Snacks include cheese quesadillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, and chips. The listed lunch spread adds fresh fruit, a charcuterie board, steak and chicken quesadillas, sashimi, and ceviche.
That range helps the tour work for a celebration. You can pick at lighter items while swimming, then have something more filling later. The food is also practical for a group because it offers several textures and flavors instead of one fixed plate.
An upgraded food option adds chicken or meat fajitas and ceviche for $19.90 per person. You must confirm this in advance. I would ask exactly what is included in the standard meal before paying for the upgrade, since the regular package already lists chicken, steak, ceviche, sashimi, fruit, and quesadillas.
The available information does not list allergy, vegetarian, or other special-diet arrangements. If that affects your booking, ask before you confirm. Do not assume the standard menu can be changed without notice.
Open Bar and Celebration Service
The open bar includes rum, tequila, vodka, beer, orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, mixers, soda, and bottled water. The crew can prepare drinks such as margaritas, making the package feel more like a floating private party than a basic sightseeing trip.
Top-shelf bottles cost extra and can be purchased in advance or on board. I would decide early if premium liquor matters to your group, since the standard open bar already covers common spirits, beer, juices, and mixers.
Alcohol is allowed only for people 18 and older. This is worth taking seriously on a private boat, where a festive mood can quickly become uncomfortable if the group drinks too much. Water and food are included, so use both and pace yourself.
The strongest service pattern is personal attention. Crews have included Patricio, Moy, Marco, Adan, Adalid, Nicole, Denise, Moses, Miguel, Jose, and others. The repeated praise focuses on friendly service, full glasses, fresh food, safety, special decorations, and help with engagement and bachelorette celebrations.
That does not mean every departure has the same crew. It does mean you can reasonably expect the crew to play an active part in the experience rather than simply steer the boat and disappear.
What the Three Hours Feel Like

The three-hour format is short enough to fit into a busy Cabo schedule. You can book it before dinner, around another central Cabo plan, or as a focused afternoon on the water. It is also long enough for the main ingredients: photographs, swimming, food, drinks, and a few scenic stops.
The tradeoff is time. A private yacht can offer a lot in three hours, but it cannot give every activity a full hour if you also want a meal and a relaxed cruise. I would choose two priorities before boarding:
- Water time: snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding, or floating.
- Scenery and photographs: El Arco, Medano Beach, and the Pacific Coast.
- Food and drinks: a slower social outing with lunch on board.
- Celebration: decorations, music, pictures, and attentive crew service.
Tell the captain your priorities early. The route is flexible, but the clock is not.
Who Should Book Pura Vida?
I would recommend this yacht to a group of up to eight that wants privacy and an easy celebration. It suits bachelorette parties, engagements, birthdays, family occasions, and friend groups that want to control the pace.
It also works well for people who cannot agree on one kind of vacation activity. Some can snorkel or paddleboard while others relax with food and drinks. That mix is one of the best reasons to choose a private boat.
Families can participate, and service animals are allowed. Most people can take part, but the listing does not provide detailed information about wheelchair access or mobility limitations. Ask before booking if anyone in your group needs specific boarding assistance.
I would be more cautious about booking it for only two people unless the yacht is a major part of your Cabo budget. The private setting is appealing, but the per-person cost rises sharply with a small group.
Practical Booking Advice
Book ahead if you need a particular date, since this experience is commonly reserved several weeks in advance. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours, subject to availability.
You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside 24 hours are not accepted and are not refunded. Cutoff times follow local Cabo time, so do not rely on your home time zone.
The trip depends on good weather. If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. I would avoid placing an expensive dinner or flight connection immediately after the cruise, since weather and marina timing can be less predictable than a land tour.
Should You Book This Cabo Yacht?
Book it if you can fill most of the eight available places and want a private, food-and-drink outing with water activities built in. The best value comes from combining several interests: El Arco photographs, swimming, paddleboards, snorkeling, lunch, and a celebration.
Skip it if your main goal is a quick arch photograph or the lowest-cost boat ride. Three hours is enough for a lively private outing, but the $2,000 price asks you to treat the yacht as the event itself.
For the right group, Pura Vida offers a polished Cabo day with a flexible route, a generous menu, and crew service that can make a special occasion feel personal. Confirm the boat assignment, food preferences, and priorities before departure, then let the captain shape the details around the sea conditions.
FAQ
How much does the Pura Vida Yacht cost?
The private experience costs $2,000 per group for up to eight people.
How long is the yacht trip?
The cruise lasts approximately three hours.
Where does the tour start?
It starts at Lorenzillo’s, located on Boulevard Lázaro Cárdenas in central Cabo San Lucas.
Where does the experience end?
The tour ends back at the original meeting point.
Is the yacht private?
Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.
What water equipment is included?
The package includes snorkel equipment, kayaks, paddleboards, and a floating mat.
Is food included?
Yes. Included food lists cheese quesadillas, guacamole, pico de gallo, chips, fresh fruit, a charcuterie board, steak and chicken quesadillas, sashimi, and ceviche.
What drinks are included?
The open bar includes rum, tequila, vodka, beer, juices, mixers, soda, and bottled water. Top-shelf bottles cost extra.
Can children drink alcohol on the yacht?
No. Alcohol is allowed only for people 18 years old and above.
What happens if bad weather cancels the trip?
You will be offered a different date or a full refund if poor weather causes the experience to be canceled.
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