Puerto Vallarta is easy to enjoy without a plan: walk the Malecón, eat well in the Romantic Zone, and spend a day on a boat. The best things to do are on the water and along the south shore, where the mountains meet the bay, and most of them are within half an hour of the villa areas. Here is what we would put on the list, roughly in the order guests ask for them.
On the water
- Whale watching (December to March): humpback whales come to Banderas Bay to breed and calve. The official season runs from December 8 to March 23, with January and February the peak. Book only with operators certified by Mexico’s environment ministry, Semarnat.
- Snorkelling at Los Arcos: the granite arches off Mismaloya are a protected marine area and the best snorkelling in the bay, reached by boat in a few minutes from the south shore.
- A boat day to the south coast: past Boca de Tomatlán there are no roads, only beaches and villages reached by boat, including Las Ánimas, Quimixto, with its walk to a waterfall, and Yelapa. A private boat charter lets a villa group set its own pace; water taxis run from Boca and the Los Muertos pier.
- Sunset sailing on the bay, which many villa groups book for a celebration night.
Our Puerto Vallarta beaches guide covers each beach and how to get there.
In town
- The Malecón: the seafront promenade through the old centre, lined with bronze sculptures, at its best around sunset.
- The cathedral and Old Town: the crowned church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the landmark of the centre; in the days leading up to December 12 the city holds nightly processions in her honour.
- The Romantic Zone: cobbled streets, galleries and most of the town’s best restaurants and bars, south of the Cuale River. See where to stay in Puerto Vallarta for the neighbourhood.
- Isla Río Cuale: the small island in the river between the centre and the Romantic Zone, with a shaded walk and craft stalls.
- A food tour: tacos, seafood and markets, a good first-night introduction to the town.
Nature and the mountains
- Vallarta Botanical Garden, in the hills south of town on the road inland from Boca de Tomatlán, with orchids, river swimming and trails.
- Zip-lining and canopy tours in the jungle behind the south shore, popular with families and teenagers.
- Hiking the coastal trail from Boca de Tomatlán toward Las Ánimas, with a water taxi back.
Day trips
- Sayulita and the Riviera Nayarit: a surf town north of the bay, about an hour from Puerto Vallarta, with its own beach and café scene.
- Punta Mita: the gated peninsula at the northern tip of the bay, for golf, beach clubs and boat trips to the Marietas Islands. If you would rather stay there, see our Punta Mita villas.
- San Sebastián del Oeste: a former mining town in the Sierra Madre, for a cooler day in the mountains.
At the villa
For many groups the villa is the main event. Most of our larger Puerto Vallarta homes come with staff, and many can arrange a private chef, so a long lunch by the pool or a dinner on the terrace watching the sunset is as good as anything in town. See villas with a private chef for how that works.
When to go
The dry season from November to April is best for boat days and snorkelling, and the only time to see whales. From June to October, afternoon storms are common, but the waterfalls are at their fullest and the town is quiet. See the best time to visit Puerto Vallarta for the month-by-month detail.
Tell us what your group wants to do and we will suggest the villas that make it easiest, from walkable homes near the Romantic Zone to oceanfront villas on the South Shore. Browse all Puerto Vallarta villas.
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