7 Days in Puerto Vallarta

A full week — do the highlights without rushing, and add the towns up the coast.

By Sam Med · Last updated October 2026

Views of Puerto Vallarta. Photo: Ferfive, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

With a week you can see the best of Puerto Vallarta and still have the slow days that make it a holiday. Base yourself in Old Town and spread things out.

Day 1 — Arrive and slow down

A week gives you the luxury of a gentle start. Use it.

Arrival: 20–30 minutes from the airport to Old Town. Travelling light in daylight, Uber from across the pedestrian bridge outside arrivals is usually the cheapest; with bags, or after 10 p.m., take the authorised taxi or a pre-booked transfer (airport guide).
Afternoon: unpack properly — you're here a week — and stock up on water and breakfast basics at a supermarket if you have a kitchen (supermarkets).
Evening: sunset from the Malecón and an unhurried first dinner.

Day 1 tips

Don't book anything today beyond the transfer; delays and tiredness make day-one plans fragile.
Check the week's forecast tonight and decide which day suits the boat trip.

Day 2 — Food, Old Town and the first beach afternoon

Morning: a food tour (three to four hours, four to seven stops) to learn what to order for the rest of the week.
Afternoon: your first proper beach session at Los Muertos; order something from a beach restaurant and a chair usually comes with it.
Evening: stroll across Isla Cuale into downtown — on Wednesdays from late October to late May, the Art Walk opens the galleries from 6 to 10 p.m. — and finish with a show or a bar in Old Town (nightlife).

Day 2 tips

Beach flags: green calm, yellow caution, red stay out of the water.
In high season, book the evening's dinner or show ahead; the good rooms sell out.

Day 3 — Marietas or whales

The signature boat trip, early in the week so a cancelled sailing can be moved.

December to March: whale watching, from 8 December to 23 March, around US$50–90; late January to early March is the peak.
Otherwise: the Marietas Islands, from about US$60 and 6–8 hours door to door. Boats from Punta de Mita cross in 20–30 minutes, against 60–90 from town, but getting to Punta de Mita takes about an hour by road.
Evening: rest. A rooftop at sunset is plenty.

Day 3 tips

Hidden Beach visits are capped at 116 people a day; if it matters, check your operator includes it.
Seasickness-prone? Choose a large catamaran over a small fast boat.

Day 4 — Up the coast

A week is the first trip length where the towns of Riviera Nayarit make sense. Choose one direction:

Sayulita and San Pancho: surf town and its quieter neighbour, ten minutes apart. About an hour by Uber or transfer, a little more by the Compostela coach from the Walmart area north of the centre. Avoid Sundays and holidays for a calmer Sayulita.
Bucerías: closer, flatter and more local, 30–40 minutes away, with a long beach and, on Thursdays in high season, its own art walk.
Punta de Mita: lunch on El Anclote beach at the tip of the bay, 45–60 minutes from the airport.

Day 4 tips

The Nayarit side keeps Puerto Vallarta's time, so there's no clock change.
Getting a ride back from Sayulita is less reliable than getting there; agree a return transfer or note the last bus.
From July to December, San Pancho's turtle camp invites visitors to its sunset releases.

Day 5 — Jungle or the south shore

Adventure: a zipline and canopy day in the Sierra Madre; closed-toe shoes, and check the age and weight limits.
Boat-only beaches: the bus to Boca de Tomatlán, then a water taxi to Las Ánimas (about MXN 100) or on to Yelapa (about MXN 120), or walk the 4.7 km coastal trail to Las Ánimas and take the boat back.
Mountains: with an early start, San Sebastián del Oeste, an old mining town about 2 hours inland. Go on a tour or drive in daylight, and check the current advisory first.

Day 5 tips

The last water taxis back to Boca usually leave around 5 or 6 p.m.; ask your boatman.
Carry pesos in small notes: buses and water taxis are cash only.

Day 6 — A real day off

Nothing booked. You'll be glad of it.

Morning: the quiet coves of Conchas Chinas, or the bus south to Mismaloya for a swim and a panga to snorkel at Los Arcos.
Afternoon: long lunch, siesta, a spa if you like.
Or, if you'd rather move: the botanical garden — about 45 minutes on the El Tuito bus from Old Town, MXN 300 entry — or the Mirador Cerro de la Cruz at sunset (hikes and viewpoints).

Day 6 tips

The botanical garden closes on Mondays from April to November.
For Los Arcos, agree the price, the time at the arches and whether masks are included before you board.

Day 7 — Loose ends and goodbye

Morning: a last swim, then souvenirs at the stalls on Isla Cuale or downstairs at the municipal market by the river — lunch upstairs at its fondas.
Afternoon or evening: if your flight allows, a sunset cruise, or the favourite restaurant of the week one more time.
Leaving: 20–30 minutes to the airport, more in high-season afternoons, when several flights leave together.

Day 7 tips

Uber has no restriction on rides to the airport (Uber and taxis).
Write down the places you missed — that's your next trip.

How to pace a week

The mistake with a week is treating it as five days plus two, and every day as an opportunity. Seven days works best as three "big" days, two easy days and two travel-ish days — arrival and departure are never full days, whatever the flight times say. More big days than that and the days blur. Deliberately leave two days with nothing booked — one mid-week and one near the end. You'll use them, and they cost nothing. That rhythm leaves you rested rather than needing a holiday afterwards.

Day	Plan	Energy
1	Arrive, Malecón, dinner	Easy
2	Food tour, Old Town, beach afternoon	Medium
3	Marietas / whales	Big
4	Sayulita or Bucerías	Big
5	Ziplines or Yelapa	Big
6	Conchas Chinas, spa, long lunch	Easy
7	Favourites revisited, sunset cruise, depart	Easy

Going further afield

A week is the first trip length where the wider bay makes sense. North, Sayulita and Bucerías are an hour or less and feel genuinely different. South, the boat-only beaches of the south shore — Las Ánimas, Quimixto, Yelapa — are the most beautiful in the region precisely because there's no road. Do one of each rather than trying to see everything.

Consider splitting your stay

With seven nights, some travellers split: four or five nights in Old Town for the food and atmosphere, then two or three up the coast in Sayulita or Bucerías for a slower finish. It costs one transfer and gives you two very different holidays. It's not for everyone — if you'd rather unpack once, stay put in Old Town.

Budgeting a week

A week is long enough that daily choices compound: eating at stands instead of tourist restaurants, using buses instead of taxis, and doing one DIY trip instead of a third organised tour can easily change the total by several hundred dollars. The figures are in our trip cost guide.

Week-long stays change what's worth doing

Beyond five days, the calculation shifts. Things that make no sense on a short trip start to pay off: a supermarket shop and a condo with a kitchen, a Spanish lesson, a second visit to a restaurant you liked, a day trip that needs two hours of travel. You stop sightseeing and start staying — which is when Puerto Vallarta is at its best.

Renting a condo instead of a hotel

At seven nights (see Airbnb and vacation rentals), a rental often beats a hotel on both cost and comfort: more space, a kitchen for breakfasts, a terrace, and a laundry. The trade-off is no daily housekeeping and no front desk. Amapas and Conchas Chinas have the best-value condos with views, a short ride from Old Town — just remember the hills. See where to stay.

A week in the green season

June to October suits a longer stay better than a short one: with seven days, an afternoon thunderstorm is an inconvenience rather than a ruined trip, and you get lush scenery, warm sea and much lower prices. Structure each day around a morning outdoors and you'll barely notice the rain. See weather and best time to visit.

What to book, and when

Before you fly: accommodation, airport transfer, and any seasonal boat trip.
First day or two on the ground: your other excursions, once you've seen the forecast.
Never: the beach, the Malecón, Isla Cuale, and your rest days.

Frequently asked

Is a week too long in Puerto Vallarta?

No. A week lets you add the towns up the coast and the boat-only south shore to the city itself, and still keep two days with nothing booked.

What day trips fit into a week in Puerto Vallarta?

One big boat trip (the Marietas, or whales from December to March), one day up the coast to Sayulita, San Pancho, Bucerías or Punta de Mita, and one day on the south shore or in the mountains. More than that and the days blur.

Should I split my week between two places?

You can: four or five nights in Old Town, then two or three in Sayulita or Bucerías. It costs one transfer. If you would rather unpack once, stay in Old Town.

When is the best week to visit Puerto Vallarta?

From December to April for dry weather, with whales from 8 December to 23 March. Christmas, New Year and Semana Santa are the busiest and most expensive weeks.