Semana Santa in Puerto Vallarta
The busiest week of the year — a genuine national holiday, and the hardest time to get a room.
Semana Santa — the week leading up to Easter — is one of Mexico's two great national holidays, and in Puerto Vallarta it is unambiguously the busiest week of the year. Mexican families travel to the coast in enormous numbers, the city hits peak occupancy, and the beaches are packed. Whether that's wonderful or unbearable depends entirely on what you came for.
When it is
| Year | Holy Week | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Palm Sunday 21 March to Easter Sunday 28 March | Mexican schools are off from 22 March to 2 April, so the week after Easter (Pascua) stays busy too |
| 2028 | Palm Sunday 9 April to Easter Sunday 16 April | School holiday dates not yet published |
What it's actually like
This is not a tourist event laid on for visitors — it's the country on holiday. Expect a loud, joyful, family atmosphere: the beaches full from early morning, music everywhere, restaurants at capacity, and a genuinely festive mood, particularly over the three days before Easter Sunday. There are also religious observances and processions, which are the quieter, more solemn counterpoint.
The practical reality
| What | During Semana Santa |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | Near full occupancy; prices roughly double; best places booked months ahead |
| Beaches | Very crowded, especially Los Muertos and the Hotel Zone |
| Restaurants | Full — book, or eat early |
| Tours | Boats sell out; book well in advance |
| Traffic & transport | Heavy; taxis slower and in demand |
| Weather | Excellent — the tail of the dry season |
Should you come, or avoid it?
Come if you want to see Mexico celebrating and don't mind crowds and prices — the energy is unlike any other week. Avoid if you came for quiet beaches, easy restaurant tables or value. There is no middle ground: this is the single busiest week in the Puerto Vallarta calendar.
If your dates are flexible and you want the same weather without the crush, the weeks immediately before and after are dramatically calmer, and May is better still — see best time to visit.
If you are coming, plan like this
- Book accommodation months ahead. This is not a week you improvise.
- Book boat trips and restaurants before you arrive — see day trips.
- Go to the beach early or choose a quieter one like Conchas Chinas.
- Expect cancellation policies to be strict over the holiday; many bookings are non-refundable.
- Allow extra time for airport transfers and getting around.
Note that the dates move every year, since Easter is not on a fixed calendar date — check the year you're travelling before assuming.
Latest articles
Puerto Vallarta Transport Cost Estimator
What it costs to get around Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay — by bus, Uber, taxi or water taxi — with the…
Read →
Puerto Vallarta Trip Budget Calculator
Work out what your trip will cost — in total, per person and per day — from a guesthouse budget to a resort…
Read →
Puerto Vallarta Map
The city, the beaches, the boat-only coves and the towns around Banderas Bay on one map — each linked to its…
Read →