Explore Puerto Vallarta
The city isn't one place. Here's each neighbourhood and nearby town, and what each is for.
Puerto Vallarta stretches along Banderas Bay, and each area has its own character — from the walkable, restaurant-packed Old Town to the quiet marina and the beach towns up the coast. Use these guides to work out where to base yourself and what to see.
How to use this section
Most people arrive at Puerto Vallarta with one question — which part should I actually be in? — and the answer depends on whether you are choosing where to sleep or where to spend a day. They are not the same decision.
- Choosing a base: start with where to stay, which compares the areas side by side on beach, walkability, dining and price. The pages below then go deeper on whichever one you pick.
- Choosing a day out: use these pages directly. Each says what the area is like, who it suits and how to get there.
- Looking for a beach specifically: the beaches guide sorts them by what you want from the day rather than by neighbourhood.
The short version
| If you want… | Go to |
|---|---|
| To walk everywhere and eat well | Zona Romántica |
| History, the Malecón, festivals | Downtown |
| A wide calm beach and a resort | Hotel Zone or Nuevo Vallarta |
| Quiet, golf, an early flight | Marina Vallarta |
| Clear water and rocky coves | Conchas Chinas |
| A terrace with a bay view | Amapas |
| To escape the city entirely | the South Shore — boat only |
| A different town for the day | Bucerías or Sayulita |
In the city
Nuevo Vallarta
Big all-inclusive resorts on a long, quiet beach.
Read →Puerto Vallarta map
Every neighbourhood, beach and town on one map.
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Amapas
Bay views above Old Town — and a steep walk home.
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Downtown
The Malecón, the church and the civic heart.
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Isla Río Cuale
Craft stalls, swinging bridges and the arts centre.
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South Shore
Boat-only coves and villages south of the city.
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Mismaloya
The Night of the Iguana cove and boats to Los Arcos.
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Zona Romántica
The walkable heart: beach, food, nightlife.
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Hotel Zone
Big all-inclusive resorts and wide beaches.
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Marina Vallarta
Quiet, modern, by the airport and golf.
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Conchas Chinas
Rocky coves just south of Old Town.
Read →Up and down the coast
Bucerías
A relaxed local beach town near the airport.
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La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
A marina, a fish market and a Sunday market.
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Punta de Mita
The village, the resort and boats to the Marietas.
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Sayulita
Surf-and-bohemia town, an hour up the coast.
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San Pancho
Sayulita's quieter neighbour, with a turtle camp.
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The Beaches
From Los Muertos to boat-only south-shore coves.
Read →How the city is laid out
Puerto Vallarta runs along the eastern shore of Banderas Bay, with the Sierra Madre rising immediately behind it — which is why the city is long and narrow rather than spread out. The Río Cuale cuts it in two and is the reference point for everything: south of the river is Zona Romántica (Old Town), where most first-timers stay; north is downtown (El Centro), and beyond that the coast road runs north past the Hotel Zone, Marina Vallarta and the airport towards the state of Nayarit. From the Hotel Zone you'll taxi into town; Marina Vallarta is the closest area to the airport and cruise terminal.
Head the other way — south past Conchas Chinas and Amapas, quieter hillside areas a short ride from Old Town — and the road eventually stops at Boca de Tomatlán. Everything beyond that, the south shore, is reachable only by boat.
A simple way to think about it: north of the city means bigger beaches, bigger resorts and more convenience; south means smaller coves, steeper streets, better views and more character. Old Town sits right at the hinge between the two.
Two neighbourhoods most visitors miss
Versalles
Inland from the Hotel Zone, between Avenida Francisco Villa, Avenida Fluvial Vallarta, Avenida Los Tules and Calle Viena, Versalles is one of the city's older residential neighbourhoods and has become its food district. Cheap local places sit next to serious restaurants; Mexico News Daily's 2024 round-up named El Puerco de Oro, Barbacow, La Tosca and Masame among them. It's quiet and walkable, Playa Las Glorias is under ten minutes away on foot, and Zona Romántica about 15 minutes by taxi. Go for dinner rather than sightseeing.
El Pitillal
North-east of the centre, El Pitillal is the most traditional part of Puerto Vallarta, with its own main square, bandstand and the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. In the evening, taco and churro stands set up around the plaza. Its big moment is the patron saint's festival from 21 to 29 September: pilgrimages arrive every evening, there are shows in the plaza, and on the 29th a procession of charros and escaramuzas (horsewomen), a Mass with mariachi and fireworks. Buses marked "Pitillal" run from the centre, but the route is slow and roundabout; a taxi or Uber is quicker.
Moving between areas
Local buses run the coastal road constantly and cost only a few pesos, linking Old Town, downtown, the Hotel Zone and the Marina. Taxis have no meters — agree the fare first. Water taxis from the Los Muertos pier serve the south shore. Full detail in getting around.
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