Many years ago, a group of people with heads full of romantic ideas and their bags full of "ethnic" clothing discovered a magical place perfect for their lifestyle. It was called Yelapa. And it became home to many of them until this day.

At the southern end of Banderas Bay, close to Cabo Corrientes, lies a small cove where the village of Yelapa, built within the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental, exerts its magic over those who visit it. Through this enchanting area flow the waters of the El Tuito river, creating imposing cascades in the midst of a lush jungle, inhabited by iguanas and intensely colored guacamayas, where an incredibly varied vegetation thrives.

In the past the people of Chacala and el Tuito-two towns perched in the highlands of the sierra-would come down to Yelapa to sell oil coconuts and rubber to the large ships that anchored out front.

After traveling up and down the mountains for years, some families finally decided to settle down in the area during the thirties. Later on, in 1964, when the movie The Night of the Iguana catapulted Vallarta into international fame, Yelapa became a tourist destination and its people abandoned the old trade to devote themselves to the happiness of their visitors.

People in Yelapa are hospitable and simple. Under the palapas of their restaurants you may see the fishermen arrive with your next meal hanging from their shoulders. Afterwards, a walk to the 65-ft waterfall and its crystal-clear water pool is an excellent way to refresh yourself.

There are horseback rides through the village, where all houses are profusely decorated with flowers, and a two-hour long excursion to another waterfall hidden in the jungle. On the beach you may run into Philippo Lo Grande, a fine painter who has been a captive of Yelapa for more than a decade. He told us about the intense cultural life of this town that many talented artists call home. All of them, in conjunction with other caring citizens, are fighting to make of Yelapa an ecological reserve.

Spending the night in Yelapa under the light of the moon or under the spell of the millions of stars that multiply in the heavens thanks to the absence of artificiallights, is to say the least, a unique experience. The song of the cicadas, the constant murmur of the surf and the croaking of the frogs are a balm for the spirit.