Puerto Vallarta Mexico Tourism & Travel Information Hotels Tours Airport Transfers

Puerto Vallarta					Mexico

Puerto Vallarta Travel Information

About Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is located on the central Pacific coast of Mexico, in Banderas Bay, 989km from Mexico City (see Mexico City map). The Region offers 40km of beaches, divided into 6 tourist areas: Zona Norte and Zona Sur, Nuevo Vallarta, Marina Vallarta, la Zona Hotelera and Vallarta Viejo (see Puerto Vallarta map).

Zona Norte and Zona Sur are characterized by their solitary beaches, small fishing villages, bird-watching, surf beaches, snorkelling and diving, with limited hotels with excellent infrastructure (See Puerto Vallarta Tours).

Nuevo Vallarta has developed a luxurious tourist industry, with high quality restaurants, prestigious shops, a residential area with quayside and magnificent international hotels.

Marina Vallarta stands out as a popular location because of its port, which can accommodate different types of yachts, and huge modern hotel complexes.

Vallarta Viejo is the original and centrally located area of the town, where the majority of the low-cost hotels are situated, restaurants and traditional bars, shops and banks, many of the buildings possessing a colonial architectural flavor with cobbled streets and open-air markets (see reference prices).

Puerto Vallarta Hotels

Puerto Vallarta hotels are numerous, have different categories, are close to the beaches, and are situated in each of the different areas. Some offer an “all inclusive” service while others are managed under the European system (accommodation without breakfast).

Vallarta Viejo has the majority of budget hotels and inns, with personal attention and simple infrastructure for tourists on a limited budget (see reference prices).

The Puerto Vallarta hotels situated along Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio, referred to as the Zona Hotelera, are well-known because of the elegance of the buildings and the excellent service.

The hotels in Marina Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta generally belong to the important international hotel chains, some offering exclusive services and facilities such as tennis courts and golf courses, spa facilities, restaurants and leisure centers.

The hotels in Zona Norte and Zona Sur are limited, with rustic constructions, incorporating the surrounding nature and a focus on personal attention.

Puerto Vallarta Tours

Puerto Vallarta Tours are designed to allow tourists to enjoy the nearby beaches, practice water sports, visit the colonial center, the islands and nearby villages, surrounded by tropical flora, and also to enjoy the local cuisine and share in the local traditions of this particular region.

The Malecon is a coastal stretch of 1km in the heart of Puerto Vallarta, which exhibits monuments such as Caballito de Mar, the Los Arcos Amphitheater with nighttime shows, shops, nightclubs, restaurants and bars.

Vallarta Viejo is characterized by its art galleries, shops and handicrafts market, surrounded by colonial buildings like the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church with a crown on top of its main tower.

The Natural Marino Los Arcos Park is south of Puerto Vallarta, in front of Mismaloya beach. There are numerous islets with impressive coral reefs, deep tunnels, caves, arches and an abundance of marine life, and is an excellent place to dive and snorkel.

Zona Norte and Zona Sur are ideal locations to get away from the city, with solitary beaches, surrounded by lush vegetation, fishing villages, and small hotels and restaurants along the coast. Zona Sur has certain areas accessible only by boat or water taxi.

The Marietas Islands constitute a small archipelago with cliffs and coral reefs with rocky outcrops, declared a National Ecological Reserve. It is located 40 minutes, by road, from Puerto Vallarta and 10 minutes by water. The diving and snorkelling in this reserve can´t be missed, as well as marine bird-watching and hunchbacked whale-watching.

Puerto Vallarta Car Rental

Puerto Vallarta´s main airport is the Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport, located 6km north of the center (see Puerto Vallarta map). From there you can take a transfer or authorized taxi to get to the hotels, on payment of the fare in a shop located in the exit of the airport building.

Puerto Vallarta Car Rental can be arranged through the main international car rental companies, with offices located in the airport terminal, the center of the city and in the majority of the big hotels.

The taxis in Puerto Vallarta are convenient due to their availability. They do not use a set fare so it is advisable to ask about the price of the journey before entering the taxi.

The cheapest form of transport to get around the city of Puerto Vallarta is the bus. The buses have the name of the destination above the windshield.

Another option available to tourists who want to explore Vallarta Viejo and the Zona Romantica is to take a tour on a streetcar with bilingual guides.

The “water taxis” (also called “pangas”) are small boats that travel along the coast from Nuevo Vallarta to the center. They can be accessed from any beach.

Marina Vallarta offers a port with more t