Honest Review of Rhythms of the Night in Puerto Vallarta: What to Expect

Rhythms of the Night is the most popular dinner show in Puerto Vallarta, but I often get asked if it’s worth going to.

So in this post, I’m going to give you an overview of the entire tour and what to expect to help you decide whether it’s worth going to or not.

As well as a few tips which I wish I would have known before going.

If you’re anything like me, you like knowing every detail before booking a tour, so let’s get into it!

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Rhythms of the Night – Overview & What to Expect

This is a 5 hour tour. You’ll take a sunset cruise out to a private cove, where everything is illuminated only by candlelight and tiki torches – you get dinner on the beach and a show!

The show itself is like a Cirque du Soleil show you would expect to see in Las Vegas, but when you buy tickets for the show, there is so much more included in the tour.

You’ll start by arriving at the Vallarta Adventures departure point.

We left from the Nuevo Vallarta marina, but there’s a similar one at the Puerto Vallarta Marina.

Good to Know – You will have to pay the dock fee which is about 30 pesos per person, about 1.50. This is not included in your admission ticket.

I recommend getting there a little early where you can sit down and have a drink under the palapa lounge.

We also watched the dolphins for a few minutes.

There’s washrooms here too, so I would recommend going right before you get on the boat.

On the Boat

A few minutes before boarding, your guides will provide directions about getting on the boat.

The boat ride is a modern catamaran and was a fun part of the tour.

We left at sunset which was stunning!

And if you’re on the tour between November and March, you might actually get to see some whales in the distance.

There are actually two different departure times for Rhythms of the Night.

We took the second time slot where you leave at sunset, see the show first and then eat dinner.

Open Bar & Food on Board

There is an open bar for the entire boat ride. Alcoholic drinks are included and unlimited.

When we boarded they had drinks already poured, which was beer, margaritas and a rum punch.

But the bartenders will also make you whatever you want.

If you didn’t grab a drink for departure, as soon as you’re on the water, the bartenders come around a few times during the ride to take your order.

Once everyone’s settled, the boat host introduces all the staff and tour guides that are with you, and then provides an overview of what to expect for the rest of the night.

About half way into our ride they also brought out appetizers!

There were cheese & meat trays, veggies and fruit and some hot dishes like pretzel bites and sliders.

Tip – if you book the later departure time (like we did), make sure you eat some of the appetizers served on the boat. Otherwise you won’t be eating again until about 9pm.

Arriving at Las Caletas

After an hour of cruising, your boat arrives at the private cove, which looks really cool from the water. You’ll arrive at Caletas beach.

It’s all candle lit with tiki torches – they advertise that there’s no electricity here.

But the ambience is set up so beautiful and romantic, but also kind of mysterious.

There’s bongo drums playing as you walk through the enchanted feeling sandy walkways.

The Show

Then it’s time for the show. I really enjoyed it.

It was a mix of creative dance, acrobatics, mysticism, live music, fire dancers and more.

I don’t want to give too much away, but it kept me engaged and entertained the whole way through.

My YouTube video review of Rhythms of the Night provides some clips and visuals of the show if you’d like to get a better idea of what it looks like.

This is an outdoor amphitheater style show, so the seating is long benches, but they do have cushions.

Also, they do change up the show about once per year.

So if you’ve seen it before, it might be worth seeing again, as it won’t be completely the same.

How Long is Rhythms of the Night?

The boat ride to get to the island (Las Caletas) where the Rhythms of the Night show and dinner takes place is about one hour.

The show itself lasts about 45 minutes.

You’ll have time before and after dinner to explore the island, visit the candle lit beach and hang out in the hammocks.

In total, you will be gone for about 5 hours.

Dress Code: What Should You Wear?

I recommend dressing warm-ish, or bringing a light sweater or jacket with you.

I wore shorts and this light tank top because it was hot all day, but with the wind from the boat and once the sun went down, I was frozen.

There’s no dress code for rhythms of the night, but I would say everyone was nice beach casual.

Most people dressed like they were going to a nice dinner outing.

Tickets and Prices

As far as prices, it’s just over 100 dollars USD per adult, I recommend buying tickets online, at least 4 days in advance to get the best price.

If you book within 3 days of departure, it’s going to cost about $149 USD per adult.

If you’re booking last minute, call the company and they might still be able to offer 15% off.

Sometimes you can find sales on Rhythms of the Night tickets through Viator.com.

Are the VIP tickets worth it?

There is a VIP option for tickets – which you can upgrade when you are onsite.

I believe it’s an extra 25 dollars. This gets you first on and first off the boat and front row seating at the show and seated for dinner first.

Most seats at the show provide good views, but front row seating might be worth the extra money.

We did not have VIP seating and our view was just fine.

If you want to make sure you get a seat on the boat, VIP tickets might be worth the extra cost.

Tip – If you show up early enough prior to boarding (45 to 60 minutes early), and don’t want to pay for VIP, you will get a lowered numbered ticket, and this is the order everyone boards in.

We preferred to move around the boat so this didn’t matter to us.

But if you need to sit down the whole time, I would choose VIP tickets.

What Happens if it Rains during Rhythms of the Night?

Vallarta Adventures (the tour guides) provide umbrellas and rain ponchos if it rains, as the show is designed to be held rain or shine.

Tips to Know Before Attending Rhythms of the Night

Bug Spray

You might want to bring bug spray/mosquito repellent on this tour.

I didn’t really notice bugs, but if you’re someone that mosquitos love, you might want to bring it with you.

Sea Sickness

If you get sea sick or motion sickness easily, I recommend bringing some Dramamine or Gravol.

Our boat ride was relatively smooth, but we spoke to other travelers on our trip who ran into rougher water and they said a few people on their ride got sick.

Wear Comfortable Shoes

With that, I would wear sturdy shoes, just because you’ll be on the boat for about 2 hours, and if you like to stand and hang out, you’ll want to be stable.

But there’s plenty of seating to sit down the whole time.

You will also be walking through hard packed sandy paths, so high heels are not recommended.

Do You Use a Wheelchair?

Rhythms of the Night is not wheelchair accessible as there are several stairs you will encounter throughout the night.

Age Minimums

Children 5 and under are not permitted on this tour – guests must be 6 years of age or older.

However, I would not recommend this tour for young children. Teens and adults of all ages will enjoy this tour.

Tips

I recommend bringing some cash for tipping if you feel like the service was well done.

There is an opportunity to tip your dinner servers, as well as the island and show staff prior to leaving the island.

I also recommend saving some tip money for your boat staff at the end of the night.

Their service was phenomenal between the ongoing drinks, jokes and entertainment on the boat.