Puerto Vallarta is located in the Bay of Banderas, in the state of Jalisco on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Wellknown for its magnificent bay, one of the largest and deepest in the world, and the careful preservation of its authentic Mexican traditions and historic center, the Puerto Vallarta area features 25 miles of coastline and a diverse topography, including tropical jungles, rocky riverbeds, steep mountain sides and arid flatlands. Each region brings a uniqueness that adds to the entire charm of Puerto Vallarta.
The town of Puerto Vallarta is comprised of the following areas: Marina Vallarta, Hotel Zone, Downtown (El Centro), and the South Shore.
In addition to its long stretch of sunny, picturesque beaches, Puerto Vallarta’s authentic Mexican flavor proves a big draw for most North American visitors. The town’s main square and Malecón come alive on weekends with live music, artists, mimes, and even the flying dancers of Papantla making for the perfect environment for a romantic stroll or family outing.
The historic downtown area is a charming collection of white-walled houses, wrought-iron balconies, red- tiled roofs and cobble stoned streets. Puerto Vallarta offers fantastic shopping from local arts and crafts fairs to indigenous handcrafts from the local Wixarika (pronounced Vee-ra-ree-ka) Indians, more commonly referred to as the Huichols; local jewelry designs, original home items and other designer boutiques. The town also hosts one of the most dynamic art gallery scenes in Mexico offering a wide selection of works by local and regional artists.
Food aficionados will find a vibrant restaurant scene with talented chefs preparing creative dishes that range from traditional and regional Mexican cuisine to contemporary Mexican and a wide variety of international fare as well as modern fusion cuisine.
The Puerto Vallarta area provides visitors with a wide variety of outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, canopy tours, zip lining, jeep safaris, golf, and horseback riding, and water sports from scuba diving and snorkeling, to whale watching, swimming with dolphins, surfing, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, and fishing, to name a few.
Day excursions to nearby historic towns like San Sebastian del Oeste and the remote mountain village of San Andrés Coamihata, home of the Wixarika Indians are additional options.
Today Puerto Vallarta offers first rate infrastructure, attractions and services to accommodate the most discriminating travelers.