Sightseeing

Beaches

For those who just want to relax, Puerto Vallarta's many golden sand beaches offer one of the best ways to experience the beauty and magic of the Bay of Banderas.
Puerto Vallarta beaches stretch for miles along both shores of the bay. A recent Travel and Leisure Magazine Readers Survey listed Puerto Vallarta as the number one beach destination in Latin America because of its wide variety of beaches. There are city beaches full of sun worshippers and vendors lined with open-air cafes, tranquil coves, and secluded stretches of sand where you won't encounter another person - but where wildlife abounds. From Mismaloya in the south, to the city beaches of Vallarta, to Sayulita in the north and beyond, Banderas Bay offers more than just warm sand.

Going around town

Once a tiny fishing village, Puerto Vallarta has not escaped the rapid growth Mexico has undertaken for the past years. Yet, although offering everything you expect in a modern and diverse destination, Puerto Vallarta has not lost its original Mexican village charm, seen in every corner and on every cobblestone street of its world-famous downtown.
Open air sculptures throughout Vallarta’s boardwalk or Malecon and its numerous art galleries, the plaza and its kiosk, the Virgen de Guadalupe Church, its countless cafes and cozy restaurants, the mercados and tiny shops, and having the opportunity to witness the town’s magic and folklore at its utmost if you happen to be around during one of the many celebrations and parades that take place throughout the year, when the streets fill with color, music and dancing.

Visiting the surroundings

Surrounded by a collection of landscapes and small towns, by land or by sea, Puerto Vallarta has more to offer than sand and sun.

To the south of Puerto Vallarta, you can visit the beaches of Punta Negra, Playa Gemelas, Garza Blanca, currently under certification for the Clean Beaches program by the Secretariat of Marine and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), and Mismaloya, famous for Richard Burton and Ava Gardner’s movie “The Night of the Iguana”.

Further south, the fishing villages of Las Animas, Quimixto, Majahuitas and Yelapa, entice you to take a boat and visit their exotic beaches and tropical landscape, for a day-long or even an overnight stay in an economic “tapanco” or awning with a beautiful views to a world-class boutique hotel nestled in the Sierra Madre, complementing this extraordinary experience.

From the tropical beaches to the mountains, experience another reality by visiting the charming towns locked in time in the middle of the Sierra Madre range. Stroll down the streets of San Sebastian del Oeste, a 17th century mining town secluded high in the sierra mountains; visit Mascota in the center of a rich farming valley, surrounded by verdant pine and oak trees, a town that shows the traditions of an authentic Mexican village; or discover Talpa de Allende, a jewel among religious tourism sites in Mexico, home to the Virgin “Rosario of Talpa”.

Who could miss visiting the town of Tequila, where Mexico’s most famous tradition is refined and bottled for you to take a little of the flavor of Mexico back home. And the “Pearl of Mexico”, the city of Guadalajara, the second largest in Mexico and just one hour away from Puerto Vallarta by plane, a display of Mexican traditions from the Charro displays to the Mariachi music, to a great exhibition of the state’s typical cuisine, combined with great options for shopping, entertainment and culture.

Everything you need to know