Puerto Vallarta Fast Facts
Arriving by Plane - The airport is close to the north end of town near the Marina Vallarta, about 10km (6 miles) from downtown.
Visitor Information
Prior to arrival, a great source of general information is the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board tel. 888/384-6822 in the U.S.; If you have questions after you arrive, visit the Municipal Tourism Office at Juárez and Independencia (tel. 322/223-2500, ext. 230), a corner of the white Presidencia Municipal building (city hall) on the northwest end of the main square. In addition to offering a listing of current events and promotional brochures for local activities and services, the employees can also assist with specific questions there's usually an English speaker on staff. This is also the office of the tourist police. It's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm. During low season it may close for lunch between 2 and 4pm.
City Layout
The seaside promenade, the malecón, is a common reference point for giving directions. It's next to Paseo Díaz Ordaz and runs north south through the central downtown area. From the waterfront, the town stretches back into the hills a half dozen blocks. The areas bordering the Río Cuale are the oldest parts of town the original Puerto Vallarta. The area immediately south of the river, called Olas Altas after its main street (and sometimes Los Muertos after the beach of the same name), is home to a growing selection of sidewalk cafes, fine restaurants, espresso bars, and hip nightclubs. In the center of town, nearly everything is within walking distance both north and south of the river. Bridges on Insurgentes (northbound traffic) and Ignacio Vallarta (southbound traffic) link the two sections of downtown.
Area Layout
Beyond downtown, Puerto Vallarta has grown along the beach to the north and south. Linking downtown to the airport is Avenida Francisco Medina Ascencio. Along this main thoroughfare are many luxury hotels (in an area called the Zona Hotelera, or Hotel Zone), plus several shopping centers with casual restaurants.
Marina Vallarta, a resort city within a city, is at the northern edge of the Hotel Zone not far from the airport. It boasts modern luxury hotels, condominiums and homes, a huge marina with 450 yacht slips, a golf course, restaurants and bars, and several shopping plazas. Because it was originally a swamp, the beaches are the least desirable in the area, with darker sand and seasonal inflows of cobblestones. The Marina Vallarta peninsula faces the bay and looks south to the town of Puerto Vallarta.
Nuevo Vallarta is a planned resort north of the airport, across the Ameca River in the state of Nayarit (about 13km/8 miles north of downtown). It also has hotels, condominiums, and a yacht marina, with a limited selection of restaurants and shopping, although the new Paradise Plaza mall is bringing in new options. Most hotels there are all inclusive, with some of the finest beaches in the bay, but guests usually travel into Puerto Vallarta (about a $13 cab ride) for anything other than poolside or beach action. Regularly scheduled public bus service costs about $1.50 and runs until 10pm.
Bucerías, a small beachside village of cobblestone streets, villas, and small hotels, is farther north along Banderas Bay, 30km (19 miles) beyond the airport. Past Bucerías, following the curved coastline of Banderas Bay to the end of the road is Punta Mita. Once a rustic fishing village, it is in the process of development as a luxury destination. In the works are a total of five exclusive luxury boutique resorts, private villas, and three golf courses. The site of an ancient celestial observatory, it is an exquisite setting, with white-sand beaches and clear waters. The northern shore of Banderas Bay is emerging as the area's most exclusive address for luxury villas and accommodations.
In the other direction from downtown is the southern coastal highway, home to more luxury hotels. Immediately south of town lies the exclusive residential and rental district of Conchas Chinas. Ten kilometers (6 miles) south, on Playa Mismaloya (where Night of the Iguana was filmed), lies the Jolla de Mismaloya resort. There's no road on the southern shoreline of Banderas Bay, but three small coastal villages are popular attractions for visitors to Puerto Vallarta: Las Animas, Quimixto, and Yelapa, all accessible only by boat. The tiny, pristine cove of Caletas, site of John Huston's former home, is a popular day or nighttime excursion.