Fun, free, beachy and beautiful: this is Puerto Vallarta. If you’re considering going, or maybe you’re already there, these are 10 things I did that you might like too.
I spent a month in Puerto Vallarta and in that time I was able to participate in several adventures. Below are 10 of the most popular places and activities I found in the city. You’re sure you find at least one you’ll love too.
Click on the titles to read individual posts with more details if you’re interested.
1 Snorkel Los Arcos
There’s an entire underwater world just waiting when you go snorkeling at Los Arcos in Puerto Vallarta. I was relocated into its mysterious depths after a walk, a ride in a Volkswagen bus, and a short hike. Then: transcendence.
These rocky outcroppings can be seen from downtown Puerto Vallarta, but you need to get close to them to appreciate their size and stunning beauty. They look like massive gray boulders that have been dropped in the sea by Zeus.
Los Arcos is a flourishing ecosystem because of its protected status as a national park. In Los Arcos National Marine Park, you’ll find caves, deep tunnels, and a coral reef alongside the arches. The warm blue waters are home to many tropical fish and other sea creatures.
2 See Day of the Dead
Celebrating the Day of the Dead in Puerto Vallarta gave me a new, welcome perspective on death. Celebrating death is not the American way. We mourn it, curse death, for it takes from us. But not in Mexico. Here, death is only a part of life.
Unfortunately, this is something that can only be done one week a year from about Oct. 30 – Nov. 4. Before or after and there is little to see. That’s because Day of the Dead is to encourage the souls to visit the living between the Autumnal Equinox and Winter Solstice when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest. It is during these days, the families communicate with the dead to ensure they’ve crossed over and aren’t lingering in earthbound limbo, to honor their spirit, and to ensure they are happy. If they are happy or angry, the souls can bestow prosperity or misfortune accordingly in the coming year.
3 Hidden Beach at Marietas Island
The Marietas Islands’ hidden beach is off the coast of Puerto Vallarta. It’s so exclusive the national guard only allows a few people a day to set foot on it – and that’s after you swim through a cave to do it.
The Marietas Islands are a series of rocky coral islands off Nayarit, Mexico, five miles from the mainland. Nobody lives on the islands. There aren’t even trees. There is fantastic sea life, coral, clear blue waters and a few exceptionally sandy, pretty beaches.
The Mexican government does not allow fishing, hunting or much human activity near the islands. They’re a marine sanctuary with 44 species of plants and wildlife. It’s now a Ramsar site, UNESCO Man, and Biosphere Reserve. The islands are a feeding and breeding ground for the rare blue-footed boobie birds and other protected species.
4 Puerto Vallarta Botanic Garden
If you’re debating whether a trip to the Puerto Vallarta Botanic Garden is worthwhile, the answer is: yes, go.
The Vallarta Botanical Gardens encompass a 74-acre area of various garden trails, conservatories, and exhibits. It’s also a bird reserve with over 250 native species in the area, including parrots, motmots, and up to a dozen different hummingbirds and more than 15 types of butterflies. It’s a veritable jungle paradise.
If you’re not keen on hiking into the jungle, this will give you the feeling of it without the danger – well, mostly without the danger. It is still a jungle, even if it is beautifully cultivated.
5 Waterfalls in Yelapa
There are two waterfalls in Yelapa near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, but one is secret. Everyone will tell you about the Yelapa waterfall, but they’re all talking about the one in town. There’s another bigger, better waterfall if you dare hike it.
This waterfall was surrounded by tall rock and fell about 100 feet into a blue-green pool before flowing down an embankment into the river. It was bigger than any other I’d seen in the wild in recent memory. I walked down the makeshift stone stairs into the icy cold water. After more than an hour of hiking in the humid jungle, it was frigid feeling and wonderful.
There is another taller but smaller waterfall closer to town, too, that is much easier to get to – and it has a bar.
6 Hike to the Quimixto Waterfall
Finding a Puerto Vallarta waterfall isn’t that hard, but getting there can be an adventure. And that’s where the fun is. In the jungle, waterfalls are pretty common, but they’re not always easy to get to. The Quimixto waterfall, however, is one of the most popular and easiest to see.
I use the term “easiest” relatively. If you’re staying in Puerto Vallarta, you must take a bus, a boat, maybe a mule, or a hike to get there, but it could be worse. The hike only takes about 30 minutes, and that’s not so bad, all things considered, but worth it.
7 Rhythms of the Night Dinner Show
The show, currently titled “Savia,” is staged in Las Caletas on a remote stretch of beach near Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. It sits along the Riviera Nayarit in the Sierra Madre Mountains. The only way to get there is by boat. Vallarta Adventures manages the beach and produces Rhythms of the Night.
Tickets for the show average $100, depending on where you get them – there are many vendors. Each ticket includes a boat ride, drinks, dinner, and the show. Rhythms of the Night is promoted heavily in Puerto Vallarta and promises to be like Cirque du Soleil with a circus ambiance.
8 Surf (or watch) in Sayulita and San Pancho
In Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita and San Pancho are two awesome places to take a day trip. These two beautiful beach towns in the Riviera Nayarit offer old-school culture and new-wave hipster vibes with amazing waves perfect for surfing or a hefty dose of culture for hanging out.
The two towns are very close and can be visited on the same day as I did. What you’ll find there that you won’t find in Puerto Vallarta are more bespoke shops and restaurants and thousands of surfers from all over the world who visit these destinations all year long.
9 Visit San Sebastion
If you like, old, pretty, quiet and slow, this might be the place for you. The tourism department heavily promotes San Sebastian as a destination. The most interesting thing is that many buildings were built with cut stone or adobe in the 19th century and remain unchanged. They say that the town is like entering a time warp because so much is preserved in antiquity. In the United States, we’d call it a ghost town.
The town square comprises a few small businesses and gathering areas where a blue-topped 18th-century church stands out. The air is mountain fresh, and the colorful bougainvillea that climbs the walls and balconies is charming.
10 Dinner, Drinks & Beach Sunsets
Maybe you’re not into hiking and adventure, and if so, you’re in luck. Puerto Vallarta is the perfect place to hang out and chill. Hundreds of restaurants, many on the beach, have award-winning menus. Speaking of the beach, hanging out on it or arriving in time for sunset are two favorite pastimes of many.
There are many public and some private beaches you can find easily. But, more than that, the drinks will flow. You can’t go wrong with the freshest beverages in Mexico, whether it’s fresh-pressed juice along the Malecon or a margarita while watching the sunset. Did I mention the tequila? Maybe I should let you find out that bit for yourself. Have fun!
Read more stories about Mexico here.
