Bucerías
A calmer, more local beach town just north of Puerto Vallarta — long sand and a slower pace.
Bucerías sits about 30–40 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta, just past the airport in Nayarit. It's a relaxed beach town with a large expat and Canadian snowbird community, one of the longest beaches on Banderas Bay, and a noticeably slower, more local feel than the city.
What to do
- Walk the beach — miles of flat sand, good for long strolls and calm swims.
- The Thursday Art Walk (high season) — galleries and stalls in the old town.
- Eat — beachfront seafood palapas and a strong casual dining scene.
- Cobbled old town — a small, pleasant centre to wander.
How to get there
Local buses run frequently from Puerto Vallarta to Bucerías for a few dollars; a taxi or Uber is quicker. It pairs well with Sayulita further north if you want to see two towns in a day. See getting around.
Who it's for
Bucerías suits people who want a beach town rather than a resort or a party — quiet sand, good food and a local rhythm. If you want surf and boho energy, go to Sayulita; if you want nightlife, stay in Old Town.
Getting between Bucerías and Puerto Vallarta
This is the practical question most visitors have, because Bucerías sits in a different state (Nayarit) just across the bay from the city. The distance is short — roughly 20 km / 12 miles — but the journey time varies a lot with traffic and with how you travel.
| Option | Typical time | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local bus | 45–70 min | Cheapest by far | Frequent; catch it on the main highway. Cash, small notes. |
| Taxi | 30–45 min | Highest | Crossing the state line can raise the fare — agree it before you get in. |
| Ride-hailing | 30–45 min | Mid | Availability is thinner on the Nayarit side than in the city. |
| Rental car | ~30 min | Varies | Simple drive on Highway 200; parking in Bucerías is easy, unlike Old Town. |
Two things to know. First, the airport sits between the two — Bucerías is actually closer to PVR than Old Town is, around 15–20 minutes. Second, Nayarit observes a different time zone from Jalisco at some points in the year; most phones handle it automatically, but check before booking a bus back.
For fares, ride-hailing quirks and the bus system generally, see getting around Puerto Vallarta.
Bucerías as a base instead of Puerto Vallarta
A fair number of visitors — particularly returning Canadian snowbirds — stay in Bucerías and treat Puerto Vallarta as the day trip rather than the other way round. It makes sense if you want a long flat beach, lower prices and a quieter local rhythm, and don't mind a 30-45 minute ride for the city's restaurants and nightlife. It makes less sense for a short first trip, where you'd spend too much of it travelling. See where to stay for the comparison.