By air
Puerto Vallarta (PVR), ~7 km
North America · Mexico
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Pacific bays, jungle and a seafront promenade
Getting there
Best time to visit
November to April — dry season; whales December to March
Don't miss
The Malecón
The Marietas Islands
Los Muertos beach
The Old Town
Things to do
The Malecón at sunset
Whale watching
Boat trips to the Marietas Islands
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: August Dominus · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Swimwear, sunscreen
A quieter corner
Yelapa, a boat-access village with a waterfall
Questions travellers ask
When is whale season in Puerto Vallarta?
December to March, within the dry season of November to April. Pack swimwear and sunscreen.
What should I do in Puerto Vallarta?
Walk the Malecón at sunset, take a boat trip to the Marietas Islands, and spend time on Los Muertos beach and in the Old Town.
Is there a hidden village near Puerto Vallarta?
Yelapa, a boat-access village with a waterfall.
What dish should I try in Puerto Vallarta?
Pescado zarandeado, a grilled whole fish.
About Puerto Vallarta
- Coastal
- Mountains
Where it is
Puerto Vallarta is a resort city in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, on Banderas Bay on the Pacific coast, with the jungle-covered Sierra Madre rising behind it; the Ameca River, just north, marks the border with the state of Nayarit.
History
The town began in 1851 as Las Peñas, a small port supplying silver mines in the mountains, and was later renamed in honour of Ignacio Vallarta, a governor of Jalisco. It stayed a quiet fishing town until the 1960s, when the filming of The Night of the Iguana at nearby Mismaloya brought international attention and the start of its tourism boom.
People
Vallartenses speak Spanish, and tourism, fishing and farming support the area; the Wixárika (Huichol) people of the nearby Sierra Madre sell their beadwork and yarn paintings in the town's galleries. Pescado zarandeado, fish grilled over wood, and raicilla, the local agave spirit, are regional favourites.
Known for
- The Malecón seafront promenade
- The Marietas Islands
- The cobbled Old Town and its crowned church
- Boat trips to Yelapa
- Humpback whales in winter
Did you know?
Puerto Vallarta was founded on 12 December 1851, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and each December the city honours her with days of pilgrimages to its crowned church.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.