BEST FISHING & EXPLORING BOAT (loyal, 3 time customer!)
Oh. My. God.
My words will never do justice to how much I LOVE Banana Sport Fishing, but I am gonna try...
I have been on 3 trips (and counting) with Banana Sport Fishing and I am now a lifetime customer who will book with them anytime I am in the Sayulita area. There are various reasons why I would recommend (and have recommended) Banana Sport Fishing to every person looking to have a magical boat adventure. Here are just a few reasons why you should stop your search for the perfect boating experience and go book with Banana Sport Fishing RIGHT THIS SECOND:
1) This is a small, family-run business, owned and operated by Mexicans, so your money will go directly to the people you are dealing with. Pancho (El Capitan), Emily (his partner and crew mate) and Jose (his cousin and crew mate) are good-humored, sweet, service-oriented, extremely skilled and educated on the entire area, fishing and boating in general. They know all the cool spots and will make sure that your trip is the best one possible with their extreme attention to detail. This is a crew of people I would hang out with as friends. They are highly personable and just GET IT.
I've been on 3 trips and every single one has been unique and perfect in it's own way. They will work with you and your group to cater the experience to your specific needs/desires (and will even pivot during the trip if you are craving more of something else). Because of this, I got to swim, snorkel (and even skinny-dipped) in the brightest blue waters, go fishing in multiple different parts of the bay and right off shore, go wake boarding, eat freshly caught fish (Pancho made on-boat ceviche with fish he caught only minutes before!), drink a bunch of (host-provided) Pacifico beer, dance on the boat and swam to a personal playlist for boating, picnic on a beach with homemade food and snacks, hike to a waterfall and visit the remote town of Yelapa as well as some ruins on the coast for a better view of the a gorgeous beach cove, go shell hunting, check out private swimming coves and beaches as well as jump off some high rocks/cliffs. Need I say more?
2) Booking with a family-run business and smaller/medium-sized, high-speed fishing boat means less sea sickness, travel time and more beautiful destinations/experiences (especially since they leave from the marina in La Cruz vs having to drive down the coast to a public marina that could take more than 1.5 hours to get to vs 30-40 mins from Sayulita by car). I struggle with severe sea and car sickness, so this is an EXTREMELY important detail for me.
3) Depending on the season and conditions, you will see whales, dolphins, turtles, tons of colorful reef fish, eels, shells that you've probably never before seen, sea birds that fly super close to the boat and even a friendly iguana who hangs out for pictures at the waterfall in Yelapa. Pancho and crew will stop so you can properly enjoy the wildlife (unlike other boating companies who are in a rush and do not care much about your personal experience). On my last trip with Banana Sport Fishing, a massive pod of whales popped up right near the boat and I was in such awe that I started to cry! It will forever be one of the most beautiful experiences of my life :) We also rode along a massive (100+) pod of dolphins that were joyfully jumping around the boat. I was so excited that I sound like a 5 year old child screaming with glee in all of the many videos we took of the experience. Pancho taught our group a lot of about the whale migration and skillfully answered all of our questions about anything that came up while on the water. These guys are professionals and knows their shit!
4) The boat is extremely clean, comfortable, safe and in good condition. Full- disclosure: I HATE the smell of fish and can detect it anywhere. For all 3 trips, I have never smelled any fishy smell while cruising with Banana Sport Fishing. This just speaks to how well they clean the boat. The cushions for sitting and laying on the boat are cushy and I was able to completely let loose and relax into my experiences with them. They also have a lot of storage for all your gear. I brought a professional camera on one of the trips and I felt confident about storing it, knowing that it would not get wet, dirty or damaged. Also, if you leave your stuff on this boat, it will be watched. You will never have to worry about whether your valuables will be there when you get back. They also have fresh water on boat for rinsing off after you get out of the ocean. This was a detail that made a big difference as it was great to not sit in itchy saltiness every time I got back on the boat after swimming around.
I only write reviews if I am completely moved to and Banana Sport Fishing just keeps earning my business. Go book with them NOW!
One last thing, please don't forget to tip to show your appreciation for the dedication of Banana Sport Fishing. They work hard to keep this business running as smoothly as it does
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Experienced: November, 2021