Puerto Vallarta is known for simple, old-world Mexican charm: colourful textiles, art from local artists, and Huichol Indian embroidery and weaving, beadwork and sombreros. Wake up your senses with treats for the eyes and ears!
Puerto Vallarta is in the state of Jalisco, the land of Mariachi. Listen for mariachi music, sometimes combed with the sound of donkey hooves on the historic cobblestone streets. Puerto Vallarta is also home state of the blue agave cactus the key ingredient in Tequila, the native drink of Mexico.
Banderas Bay has over 55 kilometres of coastline consisting of mostly wide, golden beaches, making the area around Puerto Vallarta a beach-lovers delight. With the warm waves of Pacific Ocean at hand for any water sport imaginable, the hardest choice will be which beach to go to. Some beaches are smaller and a bit quieter, while others are popular with locals and visitors alike.
Mexico's beaches and natural beauty provide a stunning backdrop for love: the breathtaking views, sultry sun and calming sounds are just some of the reasons thousands of couples get married and spend their honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta. Most hotels and all-inclusive resorts have full-service packages for brides and grooms, including photography, music, flowers, personal stylist, and judge or priest right down to decorations, wedding cake and personalized wedding favours.
Puerto Vallarta has a variety of accommodations to suit visitors looking everything from tranquility and simplicity to luxury and sophisticated style whether it's a villa, bed & breakfast, a 1-star or 5-star resort, or an all-inclusive "Gran Tourismo" resort.
Hit the links and visit one or a few of the spectacular golf courses in the Puerto Vallarta area. Courses feature beautiful green fairways, views of the Pacific Ocean, a backdrop of the Sierra Madre mountain range and course designs from golf legends like Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf. The choices are varied, challenging and fun!
Two of the most popular attractions in Puerto Vallarta are parasailing and swimming with the dolphins. Both attractions are incredible, but the opportunity to watch as these gentle creatures do acrobatics while you're the water with them (all under the supervision of a trainer, of course) is amazing! What better way to see the gorgeous landscapes of Banderas Bay and the surrounding mountains than from above the ocean.
Photo credit: Oliver Alexander Anderson Huerta