Vallarta Botanical Garden
Orchids, forest trails and a river to swim in, 24 km south of town and easy to reach by bus.
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The Vallarta Botanical Garden sits in the forested hills south of Puerto Vallarta, at kilometre 24 of Highway 200, just over the line in the municipality of Cabo Corrientes. Founded in 2004 on former cattle pasture, it has become one of the most respected gardens in the Americas: in 2022 it was the first garden outside the United States and Canada to win the American Public Gardens Association's Garden Excellence Award. It's the easiest half-day escape from the beach.
The essentials
| Where | Km 24, Carretera Puerto Vallarta–Barra de Navidad (Highway 200), Las Juntas y Los Veranos |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | 9 am to 6 pm. Daily from 1 December to 31 March; Tuesday to Sunday (closed Mondays) from 1 April to 30 November. Closed 25 December and 1 January. |
| Admission (2026) | Adults and children 10 and over MXN 300; children 5–10 MXN 150; under 5 free. Pay online, or in cash at the gate. |
| Time needed | At least two to three hours; more if you walk down to the river. |
| Food | The Hacienda de Oro restaurant serves breakfast and lunch on a terrace over the valley (kitchen 9 am to 5 pm). |
| Dogs | Allowed on a lead. |
Getting there
- By bus: the El Tuito bus from Zona Romántica, which leaves from the corner of Basilio Badillo and Aguacate on the hour and half-hour, takes about 45 minutes and stops at the garden's gate. The garden gives the fare as MXN 50 each way, and return buses pass every 30 minutes. It's the cheapest way and works well; see buses.
- By taxi: the garden quotes typical one-way fares of about MXN 600 from Zona Romántica, 650 from downtown, 800 from the Hotel Zone and 1,000 from the airport. There is no Uber pick-up at the garden, so plan the way back: the bus, or a taxi booked to return for you.
- By car: parking is free.
- With the garden: its own shuttle (admission and transport, MXN 1,200) leaves its Old Town office at 9.30 am and is back by 2 pm. A guided "Botanical Delights" tour with a three-course meal costs MXN 2,500 and takes about six hours.
What you'll see
- The collections: more than 1,200 species and hybrids, with national collections of Mexican oaks and magnolias and a large orchid collection.
- The glasshouses: the Orchid and Native Plants Conservatory, the Cactus House, the Vireya Rhododendron House and the Begonia House, plus a vanilla plantation started in 2018.
- The trails: eight forest trails, some leading down to the Los Horcones river, where you can swim for much of the year at your own risk. Bring a swimsuit and shoes with grip.
- Birds: hummingbird season runs from May to October, with more than a dozen species.
- The forest around it: 32 hectares of the garden were declared a Jalisco state protected natural area in 2023, and the garden protects around 120 hectares of forest in total.
When to go
It's open every day in the dry season (December to March), which is also when it's busiest. The rainy season makes the garden at its most lush, peaking in July and August, but remember the Monday closure from April to November. Whenever you go, the morning is cooler, and insect repellent is worth bringing.
The garden also runs a calendar of annual events: a chocolate, coffee and vanilla festival in January, a bird festival in February, a flower festival in March and a butterfly weekend in October. Check its website for this year's dates.
Combining it with the south shore
The bus to the garden follows the coast road past Conchas Chinas and Mismaloya before climbing inland, so an early swim at Mismaloya or a snorkel at Los Arcos fits easily into the same day. For the boat-only coves further south, see the south shore.