A Spanish house in the heart of Old Town, with the Malecón a few minutes’ walk down the hill and the Sierra Madre rising behind the roofs. This is our guide to Puerto Vallarta and the coast around it — what is worth your time, how far it really is from the front door, and when to come.
Puerto Vallarta lies on Mexico’s Pacific coast in Jalisco, on Banderas Bay, where the jungle-covered Sierra Madre comes right down to the sea. Our house is in the heart of Old Town — El Centro — on the hillside above the Malecón, so the church, the galleries and the restaurants are all an easy walk, and the bay is the view from the terrace.
Old Town is the Puerto Vallarta of cobblestone streets and red-tiled roofs that Hollywood fell in love with in the 1960s. Across the Río Cuale is the Zona Romántica and Los Muertos Beach; to the north, the marina and the airport; to the south, a coastline of coves and fishing villages that you can only reach by boat.
Beyond them is more than most people expect: granite arches in a marine park, islands full of seabirds, surf towns, a silver-mining village in the mountains, and every winter the humpback whales. Below is all of it — and the calendar worth planning a trip around.
The best of Puerto Vallarta’s town life is within walking distance of the house. These are the places you will go back to more than once — most of them free, all of them a few minutes away on foot.
At your door
5 min walkFrom the house
Puerto Vallarta’s seafront promenade runs along the bay just below Old Town. Bronze sculptures, the Los Arcos amphitheatre, street performers, ice cream and the whole of Banderas Bay turning gold at sunset — it is the walk everybody remembers, and it starts a few minutes from the house.
The symbol of the city
5 min walkMain square
The parish church with the open, crowned tower is the image of Puerto Vallarta on every postcard. Step inside for the cool and the quiet, then sit in the main square beside it as families come out in the evening. In the first twelve days of December the whole town walks here in procession.
The view
~10 min walkThen the stairs
Above Old Town, a white cross stands on the hill, and the lookout beneath it has one of the best views in the city: red-tiled roofs, the crown of the church and the whole curve of the bay. The way up is a short but steep climb on rustic stairs — go in the cool of the morning or for sunset.
Shade & markets
~10 min walkSouth of the church
A long, leafy island in the Cuale River, between Old Town and the Zona Romántica, reached by footbridges. Craft stalls and little cafés under the trees, a statue of John Huston, and the Mercado Municipal on the river bank for silver, embroidery and souvenirs. The shadiest walk in town on a hot afternoon.
Beach & pier
15–20 min walkAlong the water
Cross the river into the Zona Romántica and follow the water to Los Muertos, the liveliest beach in town, with its sail-shaped pier lit up at night. Beach clubs, palapas and sunset tables line the sand, and the water taxis to Yelapa and the southern beaches leave from the end of the pier.
Old Hollywood
Steps awayOld Town lanes
The hillside lanes behind the church are where Hollywood first fell for Puerto Vallarta. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor had two houses here, joined by a little bridge across the street, while he was filming in Mismaloya — today Casa Kimberly is a boutique hotel. Wander up the cobblestones and simply look around.
Banderas Bay is one of the largest bays in Mexico, and much of its prettiest coast has no road at all. Water taxis leave from Los Muertos Pier and Boca de Tomátlan; tours leave from the Maritime Terminal and the marina.
Marine park
~25 minBy road or boat
Granite islands rising straight out of the bay, worn through into arches by the sea, and protected as a marine park. Snorkel among tropical fish in clear water, kayak through the arches, or simply watch the pelicans and boobies from a boat. Most tours combine Los Arcos with the beaches further south.
National park
~1 hr+By boat
Uninhabited islands at the mouth of the bay, home to blue-footed boobies, manta rays and the famous Hidden Beach inside a collapsed crater. The islands are a protected national park: only licensed operators may take you, visits to the Hidden Beach are strictly limited each day and it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Boat only
~1 hrWater taxi, Los Muertos
A village in a jungle cove with no cars and no road in — you arrive by water taxi from Los Muertos Pier or Boca de Tomátlan. Walk up to the waterfall, try the famous pie sold on the beach, have fresh fish under a palapa and catch the last boat home in the afternoon.
Southern beaches
~45 minBoat from Boca
The beaches of the southern shore are reached by boat, and they feel a world away from town: long sand, beach restaurants with their tables in the shade, calm water for swimming and, at Quimixto, a short walk or horse ride up to a jungle waterfall.
Movie history
~25 min~7 mi south
The cove where John Huston filmed The Night of the Iguana in 1963 — the film that put Puerto Vallarta on the map. Today it is a pretty beach looking out at Los Arcos, with seafood restaurants on the sand and boats that will take you snorkelling from the shore.
Rock pools
~10 minJust south of town
Just past Los Muertos, the coast breaks into small coves with clear rock pools, where children hunt for tiny fish and the water is often calm. Quieter than the town beaches, and a lovely walk along the sand from the Zona Romántica at low tide.
South of town the mountains meet the sea, and the jungle starts within half an hour of the house — noticeably greener and cooler than the beach, especially after the summer rains.
Jungle garden
~35 min~15 mi south
Up in the hills south of town, at kilometre 24 of the coastal highway: orchid and cactus houses, jungle trails down to a river where you can swim, hummingbirds everywhere and a hacienda restaurant with a view. One of the finest gardens in Mexico, and a cool escape on a hot day.
Canopy tours
~30 minSierra south of town
The Sierra Madre comes right down to the sea south of town, and several canopy parks string their lines across its river valleys — flying over the treetops, with mule rides and river swims on some tours. Transport usually picks up in town, so there is nothing to drive.
The coast on foot
~30 minTo Boca de Tomátlan
From the fishing village of Boca de Tomátlan a jungle footpath follows the shore south, past rocky points, to the tiny emerald cove of Playa Colomitos, and on to Las Ánimas for those who keep going. Walk out in the morning, swim, and take a water taxi back.
Puerto Vallarta does evenings and adventures beautifully. Most of these are booked with local operators — reserve a few days ahead in winter — and several start a short walk or taxi ride from the house.
You can see it from the terrace
Every nightFireworks over the bay
Those fireworks over the water you watch from the terrace come from the Marigalante, a full-size galleon that sails the bay. Join the night cruise for dinner, an open bar, a pirate show with sword fights and acrobatics — and the fireworks from the deck, looking back at the lights of Old Town.
Wednesday nights
~5 min walkOld Town galleries
On Wednesday evenings in the season, the galleries of Old Town open their doors from six until ten, with new shows, wine and the artists themselves. A free and very sociable way to see the work Puerto Vallarta is known for — and to find a piece to take home.
Eat like a local
All around youEvenings
When the sun goes down the taco stands light up: al pastor carved from the spit, fish tacos, tamales and churros, and the fish-on-a-stick grilled on the beach. A guided food tour is the easiest way to find the best of them — after that, you will know where to go back.
Jalisco in a glass
In townTasting rooms
You are in Jalisco, the home of tequila. Try a proper tasting of blanco, reposado and añejo — then ask for raicilla, the wild agave spirit made in small batches in the mountains just behind Puerto Vallarta, smoky and quite unlike anything else.
Big game
~25 minMarina Vallarta
Banderas Bay and the open ocean beyond it are known for marlin, sailfish, tuna and dorado. Charters leave from the marina early in the morning, for a half day in the bay or a full day out to the deep water — and many restaurants will cook your catch for you that evening.
On the water
~25 minMarina & Maritime Terminal
Banderas Bay is one of the largest bays in Mexico and a beautiful one to sail. Sunset cruises and private charters take you out as the sky colours over the mountains — with dolphins often alongside, and in winter, humpback whales.
The coast north of the bay belongs to Riviera Nayarit, and the mountains behind it hold some of the oldest towns in Jalisco. These are the days worth planning — the first few within an hour of the house.
Surf town
~1 hr~25 mi north
A surf village turned Pueblo Mágico in Nayarit, all colour and flags strung across the streets. Take a surf lesson on its gentle beach break, browse the boutiques around the little plaza, and stay for fish tacos and the sunset over the waves.
The quiet one
~1 hrPast Sayulita
San Francisco — San Pancho to everyone — is Sayulita’s calmer neighbour: one main street, a long beach of golden sand, a polo ground, and some of the best sunsets on the coast. The kind of place to slow down for an afternoon.
Long beach
~40 min~16 mi north
A relaxed seaside town on the north shore of the bay, with a long, gentle beach, a Sunday-feeling plaza, seafood restaurants on the sand and a little art market. One of the easiest half-day trips from Puerto Vallarta.
The headland
~1 hr~28 mi north
The northern tip of Banderas Bay, with clear water, surf breaks, beach restaurants and the closest harbour to the Marietas Islands. A beautiful long lunch by the sea, and the place to start a boat trip to the islands.
Mountain town
~1½ hrInto the Sierra
Founded in 1605 and once a rich silver-mining town, San Sebastián sits high in the Sierra Madre, cool and misty, with cobbled streets, an old hacienda and coffee grown on the hillsides. A Pueblo Mágico, and a complete change of air from the coast.
Yachts & sunsets
~25 minNear the airport
The marina north of town, ringed by restaurants and yachts, with a lighthouse at the water’s edge where you can climb up for a sunset drink. Most fishing, sailing and whale-watching trips leave from here or from the Maritime Terminal next door.
Puerto Vallarta is lovely all year, but a handful of weeks bring something extra — and they are the dates that book first. Dates move a little every year, so confirm before you travel.
Mexico’s most beautiful tradition. Families build altars with marigolds, candles, sugar skulls and photographs of the people they have lost, and the town fills with catrinas, music and pan de muerto. Joyful, moving and very much alive.
Each November, guest chefs from around the world cook alongside the best kitchens in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit — special menus, gala dinners and cooking classes. The 30th edition runs in 2026; book the tables you want early.
From the 1st to the 12th of December, hundreds of processions — families, neighbourhoods, schools and businesses — walk through Old Town to the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe every evening, with music, dancers and fireworks, and mariachis serenade the Virgin at midnight as the 12th begins. All of it a few minutes from the house.
Every winter, humpback whales come down from the north to Banderas Bay to give birth and raise their calves. From December to March you can watch them breach and slap their tails on a licensed tour — and sometimes from the shore, or from the terrace.
One of the biggest Pride celebrations in Mexico: a week of parties, events and a parade along the Malecón, in a town that has long been one of the most welcoming in the country. Dates are set each spring.
On the night of September 15th the main square beside the church fills for El Grito — the cry of independence — followed by fireworks, mariachis, food stalls and celebrations that run on through the 16th. Green, white and red everywhere.
Walking and driving times from the house in Old Town. Puerto Vallarta’s coastal road gets busy at rush hour and at weekends in high season, so give yourself a little extra time when you have a boat or a flight to catch.
Times are approximate, for daytime traffic. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are easy to find all over town, and local buses run up and down the coast for a few pesos. Water taxis to Yelapa and the southern beaches leave from Los Muertos Pier and Boca de Tomátlan — schedules change with the season, so check the time of the last boat back.
Getting here: Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) is about twenty-five minutes from the house, with direct flights from across the United States and Canada. You do not need a car in Old Town — the streets are steep and cobbled, and most of what you want is on foot. Bring sun protection, and in the summer rainy season (roughly June to October) expect warm evening storms.
Four bedrooms and four and a half baths for up to ten, a heated pool and spa, and a 400 sq ft terrace where the pirate ship’s fireworks light up the bay at nine every night — in the heart of Old Town, booked direct with the owners. Everything on this page starts at your front door.
View the house