PuertoVallarta.co.uk

Cobbles, Sierra Madre and the Bay of Banderas

Puerto Vallarta is a resort city on Mexico's Pacific coast, in the state of Jalisco, known for its cobbled old town, golden beaches on the Bay of Banderas and the green Sierra Madre mountains rising directly behind. It grew from a small fishing and port settlement and entered the world's imagination in the 1960s, when the film The Night of the Iguana, starring Richard Burton and Ava Gardner, was shot nearby and the couple Burton and Elizabeth Taylor made the town famous.

The heart of the town is the Malecon, a seafront promenade lined with sculptures, including the Caballito, a bronze sea horse that has become a symbol of the city. Behind it, the white-walled streets of the old town climb toward the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose crown-shaped tower dominates the skyline. The Zona Romantica, south of the Cuale River, adds galleries, cafes and Los Muertos Beach, with its pier and evening life.

Whales, Marietas and Mexican Flavours

The bay is the star. From roughly December to March, humpback whales arrive to breed in its warm water, and boat trips depart from the marina daily. Day trips visit the Marietas Islands, the beaches at Yelapa, reached only by boat, and the Vallarta Botanical Garden in the hills. In the evening, mariachi musicians play in the plazas, and sunset sails give a gentle way to see the bay from the water.

Food is a highlight. Puerto Vallarta is known for fresh seafood, tacos al pastor, ceviche and chef-led restaurants, and the Vallarta Gourmet Festival draws diners in November. Local markets sell regional ingredients, and cooking classes introduce guests to salsa, mole and tortillas. For a hotel group, the combination of walkable culture and beach stays is a strong story, with resorts on both the Jalisco and Nayarit shores.

Neighbours, Seasons and Getting There

North of the city, Nuevo Vallarta offers marina-side resorts and long sandy shores, while Punta Mita is quieter and more exclusive at the bay's northern tip. Many guests pair the bay with Los Cabos or with colonial Mexico, and the Pacific resort of Ixtapa gives another coastal option further south. The city has its own international airport, close to the town, with direct flights from North America.

The most popular season runs from November to May, with warm sunshine and whales from December. Summer is greener and warmer, with fewer visitors. PuertoVallarta.co.uk gives airlines, hotels and boards a single home for the bay's story, from romantic old town evenings to day-long boat trips, for travellers from the UK and beyond.

Old Town Casas, Marina Resorts and Cliffside Villas

Puerto Vallarta's neighbourhoods give the visitor several distinct ways to stay. The Zona Romantica, south of the Cuale River, is the most characterful, with boutique hotels in white-walled casas, rooftop terraces and the sociable Los Muertos Beach, and it is renowned for being warmly welcoming to all travellers. The Centro, north of the river, has a quieter, more traditional feel near the Malecon and the church. Many of the hotels here offer rooftop pools and views of the bay, and the old town's cobbled streets mean that galleries, cafes and restaurants are all just a short walk away.

Marina Vallarta, near the airport, is a planned district of golf, yachts and large resorts that suits families, while the Hotel Zone offers beachfront towers close to shops and restaurants. South of town, Conchas Chinas has cliffside villas and quiet coves, and further along the coast, Mismaloya and Boca de Tomatlan are gateways to hidden beaches and jungle. Yelapa, reached by boat, offers simple stays for those who want to leave the road behind. The result is a bay where couples, families, groups and solo travellers can each find a home, and many guests start in the old town before moving to a beachfront hotel.

Birria, Pilgrims and the Feast of Guadalupe

Beyond seafood, Jalisco's cooking adds depth to Vallarta's table. Birria, slow-cooked meat in a rich chilli broth, is served in taquerias and restaurants, pescado zarandeado, fish grilled with a spicy marinade, appears in beachside spots, and tostadas, shrimp tacos and fresh paletas, fruit ice pops, are everyday favourites. Cajeta, a sweet caramel made with goat's milk, and candied fruit come from regional kitchens. Visitors can explore the Cuale Island market for crafts and snacks, and Wixarika, or Huichol, artists sell beadwork and yarn paintings along the streets and in galleries, adding a strong note of indigenous colour to the city.

The calendar is full of heartfelt events. On 12 December, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe draws pilgrims in procession to the church in the old town, with music, flowers and dance for days beforehand. Independence Day on 16 September, Day of the Dead and Christmas fill the streets with lights, while a weekly art walk in the old town opens galleries to evening visitors during the high season. Winter is the busiest time, spring is bright and warm, summer is green and lush with afternoon rain, and November's food festival rounds out the cultural year. Each season has its own character, and many return to see more.

Mountain Silver Towns, Jungle Canopies and Reef Days

The bay and the mountains behind it offer a surprising range of activities. Zip lines and canopy tours run through the Sierra Madre jungle, hikes lead from Boca de Tomatlan to the quiet beaches of Colomitos and Las Animas, and diving and snorkelling at Los Arcos de Mismaloya, a marine reserve of rock arches, reveal rays and colourful fish. Sailing trips, sunset cruises and fishing charters leave from the marina daily, and cooking classes, spa days and tequila-heritage tours add gentler options. Cyclists will enjoy the Malecon and the riverside paths, and golfers have several courses in the bay.

Day trips lead to special places. San Sebastian del Oeste, a mountain town of tiled roofs, coffee farms and an old silver-mining past, is a delightful escape into cooler air, and Tequila offers agave fields and a UNESCO-listed landscape. Boat trips reach the Marietas Islands and Yelapa, while Punta Mita offers a quiet beach extension. Visitors seeking more colonial culture can continue to San Miguel de Allende or Mexico City, and Ixtapa and Los Cabos show other sides of the Pacific. An airline serving the bay can promote it as a base for both beach and mountain.

Planning your stay

Puerto Vallarta, in the state of Jalisco, climbs from a seafront promenade known as the Malecón into green hills behind the bay. The old town has cobbled streets, galleries and restaurants, and the Zona Romántica to the south is a lively, walkable area with beach cafés. Hotels range from boutique stays in town to large resorts along the bay.

Unlike purpose-built resorts, the city has local life, markets and a working centre, which suits travellers who want to get out of the hotel. North of the city, Nuevo Vallarta and Punta Mita offer a more resort-focused alternative on the Nayarit side of the bay.

When to go

Between November and May the weather in the city is driest, and that is when most visitors arrive. Humpbacks visit Banderas Bay from December to March, with boats leaving from the marina and the beaches. Summer is hot, humid and wet, with lower prices and greener scenery.

Getting there and entry rules

Puerto Vallarta has its own international airport, close to the city. Use authorised pre-paid airport taxi services or hotel transfers. Most UK travellers connect, either through Mexico City or a US hub, so check current schedules and any US transit requirements.

A passport valid for your whole holiday is needed, with 180 days recommended by the Mexican Embassy. Tourists cannot do paid or voluntary work, and the authorities can ask to see your passport and entry stamp, not copies.

Pacific coast options

For a different style of Pacific holiday, compare Los Cabos, which is drier and more desert-like, with Ixtapa and Huatulco further south.

A practical note for planners: the old town is hilly and cobbled, so check how far a hotel is from the seafront and whether the route is step-free if anyone in your party has limited mobility. The Malecón and Zona Romántica are busiest in the evening, so ask about noise when choosing a room, and book popular restaurants and boat trips ahead in the winter months. Keep a copy of your passport photo page separately, and carry your original and entry stamp when you are out and about.

Before you travel

Entry requirements and official travel guidance are updated regularly, so check the latest position with your government before booking. The sources we used are listed at the foot of this page.

Why this name matters to the industry

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