88 Best Sights in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Playa Las Gemelas are actually two mirrored beaches separated by a wall of rocks, which makes a lot of sense as "gemelas" means twins in Spanish. Las Gemelas is a couple of wide but short golden-sand beaches with clear green water and small waves. Although it has close to no amenities, locals love to come here during the weekends, when it can get a bit crowded. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: sunset; swimming. 

About 6 km (4 miles) south of Playa Borrego, at the northern edge of Bahía de Matanchén, Playa Las Islitas used to be legendary among surfers for its long wave, but this has diminished in recent years. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: surfing; swimming; walking

At the south end of the Matanchén Bay, Playa Los Cocos and Playa Miramar are both great for taking long walks and for hanging out at ramadas. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

Right in the middle between La Cruz de Loreto and Chalacatepec, you’ll find this magnificent white-sand beach that stretches for miles in parallel with the Estero Majahuas formed by the Tomatlán River. Basically, you have the sea on one side and the beach and freshwater estuary on the other. This area has been targeted several times for new tourism development due to its rare beauty. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

This long, coarse-white-sand beach is beautiful and has gentle waves. Restaurants, small hotels, homes, and tall palms line the beach, which slopes down to the water. Fishermen here will take anglers out in search of dorado, tuna, swordfish, and mackerel. The best swimming and boogie boarding are about half the length of town, in front of El Dorado restaurant. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: snorkeling; surfing; swimming.

Twenty-one kilometers (13 mi) south of La Manzanilla, Bahía de Navidad represents the end of the Costalegre at the border with Colima State. First up (from north to south) is San Patricio–Melaque, the coast's most populous town, with about 12,000 people. (It's actually two towns that have now met in the middle.) While parts of town look dilapidated or abandoned, its long, coarse-white-sand beach is beautiful and has gentle waves. Restaurants, small hotels, homes, and tall palms line the beach, which slopes down to the water. About 5 km (3½ mi) east of Barra de Navidad, which shares Navidad Bay, Melaque's beach curves around for several kilometers to end in a series of jagged rocks poking from the water. If you plop down in a seat under a shade umbrella its owner will soon show up. Pay about $5 and stay as long as you like. Fishermen here will take anglers out in search of dorado, tuna, wahoo, swordfish, mackerel, and others. The best swimming and boogie boarding are about half the length of town, in front of El Dorado restaurant.Facilities: Banana-boat rides, boogie boarding, fishing, Jet Skis, kayaking, snorkeling, beach umbrellas. Best for: surfing; swimming; snorkeling.

Near the north end of Playa Tenacatita, this pretty stretch of sand has a coral reef close to the beach, making it an excellent place to snorkel. Local fishermen take interested parties out on their boats, either fishing for tuna, dorado, or bonita or searching for wildlife such as dolphins and turtles. Facilities: Fishing, snorkeling; food concessions. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

This is the main beach in Barra de Navidad, and it has a laid-back attitude just like the town. At any time but high tide you can walk between San Patricio and Barra, a distance of about 5 km (3½ miles). This is a sloping brown-sand beach where surfers look for swells near the jetty, where the sea enters the lagoon of Navidad. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming.

Also on Bahía de Chamela, this lovely beach is fringed in lanky coconut palms and backed by blue foothills. There are camping and RV accommodations and plenty of opportunities for shore fishing, swimming, and snorkeling. Almost every pretty beach in Mexico has its own humble restaurant; this one is no exception. Facilities: Fishing, snorkeling; camping facilities, food concessions. Best for: swimming; snorkeling; walking.

Several kilometers of pristine beach face the hotels of Playa Nuevo Vallarta. In the fall, a fenced-off turtle nesting area provides relief for the endangered ocean dwellers. Jet Skis whiz by, kids frolic in the roped-off water nearest the beach, and waiters attend to vacationers lounging in recliners in front of their respective hotels. The wide, flat sandy stretch is perfect for long walks. In fact, you could walk all the way to Bucerías, some 8 km (5 miles) to the north. Most of the hotels here are all-inclusives, so guests generally move between their hotel pool and the beach in front. All-inclusive programs mean that only hotel guests may enter the bars and restaurants on the property. This beach recently received certification by the Mexican government as a "Clean Beach." Amenities: parking (free); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

The name means "high waves beach," but the only waves suitable for bodysurfing, boogie boarding, or, occasionally, surfing are near the Cuale River, at the north end of this small beach. Although "Olas Altas" more often refers to the neighborhood of bars and businesses near the ocean south of the Río Cuale, it is also the name of a few blocks of sand between Daiquiri Dick's restaurant and the Río Cuale. The beach attracts fewer sunbathers than Los Muertos but is otherwise an extension of that beach, and it gets lively during holidays with sunbathers and impromptu snack stands and shaded tables on the sand. There are good views of the recently renovated Los Muertos Pier and spectacular lighting at night. Facing Olas Altas Beach near Lázaro Cárdenas plaza are open-air stands selling beach accessories, small grocery stores, and beach-facing bar-restaurants. Amenities: food and drink; parking. Best for: sunset; swimming.

The handful of islands just off lovely Bahía de Chamela, about 131 km (81 mi) south of PV, protects the beaches from strong surf. The best place on the bay for swimming is wide, flat Playa Perula (turnoff at Km 76, then 3 km [2 mi] on dirt road), in the protective embrace of a cove just below the Punta Perula headland. Fishermen there take visitors out to snorkel around the islands (about $45 for up to 10 people) or to hunt for dorado, tuna, and mackerel (about $23 per hour for one to four people); restaurants on the soft beige sand sell the same as fresh fillets and ceviche. Facilities: Fishing, snorkeling; food concessions. Best for: swimming; snorkeling.

Beyond Matanchén Bay the road heads inland and reemerges about 8 km (5 miles) later at Playa Platanitos, a lovely little beach in a sheltered cove that also produces a fun wave for surfers right along the cove's end. Fishermen park their skiffs here and simple shacks cook up the catch of the day. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: solitude; sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

Seldom-crowded Playa Punta Negra is a favorite among locals for its waves. Just 5 km south of Conchas Chinas, the entrance to the beach is right on the highway and there is not a lot of parking space, which limits the amount of visitors to just a few cars at a time. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: sunset; surfing; walking.

Named for the bay on which it lies, Tenacatita is a lovely beach of soft sand about 34 km (20 mi) north of San Patricio–Melaque and 172 km (106 mi) south of PV. Dozens of identical seafood shacks line the shore; birds cruise the miles of beach, searching for their own fish. Waves crash against clumps of jagged rocks at the north end of the beach, which curves gracefully around to a headland. The water is sparkling blue. There's camping for RVs and tents at Punta Hermanos, where the water is calm and good for snorkeling, and local men offer fishing excursions ($50–$60 for one to four people) and tours of the mangroves ($27). Of the string of restaurants on the beach, we recommend La Fiesta Mexicana.Facilities: Fishing, snorkeling; camping facilities, food concessions. Best for: swimming; snorkeling; walking.

Here, you can walk south from Playa Careyes along the dunes, although guards protect sea turtle nests by barring visitors during the summer and fall nesting seasons. A road from the highway at Km 49.5 gains access to Playa Teopa by car; ask the guard for permission to enter this way, as you'll need to pass through private property to gain access to the beach. Facilities: None. Best for: swimming; walking.

The surf here is inconsistent, but when it happens it is superb. The beach is adjacent to the fishing port of La Cruz, along the south side, and the area closest to the port is great for swimming even when the surf is big. Farther south it becomes nicer, but swimming gets trickier because of the rocks at the edge of the water. Amenities: water sports. Best for: solitude; surfing; swimming; walking.

The Plaza de Armas, or Main Square, is a perfect spot to relax. Enjoy an ice cream by the gazebo or a Mexican snack sold by stall vendors in one of the many benches around. The city hall is on one side, the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the other, and, in the background, the malecón. On Thursday and Sunday at 6 pm, everybody dances to the sound of danzón while listening to the Municipal Bands.

Walk around the plaza, where old gents share stories and kids chase balloons. Couples dance the stately danzón on Thursday and Saturday evening as the band plays in the wrought-iron bandstand. The town produces ceramics, saddles, and raicilla, a relative of tequila made from the green agave plant (tequila comes from the blue one).

Presa Corinches, a dam about 5 km (3 miles) south of town, has bass fishing, picnic spots (for cars and RVs), and a restaurant where locals go for fish feasts on holidays and weekend afternoons. To get to the dam, head east on Calle Juárez (a block south of the plaza) and follow the signs to the reservoir. Take a walk along the shore or set up a tent near the fringe of pine-oak forest coming down to meet the cool blue water, which is fine for swimming when the weather is warm.

On 20 acres of land 19 km (12 miles) south of town, the Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens features more than 3,000 species of plants. Set within the tropical dry forest at 1,300 feet above sea level, its trails lead to a stream where you can swim. You can also see palm, agave, and rose gardens; a tree fern grotto; an orchid house; and displays of Mexican wildflowers and carnivorous plants. There is free parking and a free guided tour daily at 1 pm, from December through Easter. The lovely, open-sided Hacienda de Oro restaurant serves an array of starters as well as pizza and Mexican dishes. Beverages include wine and a full bar. Visit the website to arrange a four-hour birding (via ATV) or hiking tour with lunch, for $85 per person. A taxi here will cost about $20, but for less than a dollar, you can take the "El Tuito" bus from the corner of Aguacate and Venustiano Carranza streets. Slather on insect repellent before you go, and take some with you. This is the jungle, and jejenes (no-see-ums), mosquitoes, and other biting bugs will definitely attack.

Adjacent to Miramar Beach is the well-kept fishing village of Santa Cruz. Take a walk on the beach or around the town; buy a soft drink, find the bakery, and pick up some banana bread. Outdoor dances are occasionally held on the diminutive central plaza.

Singayta is a typical Nayarit village that is attempting to support itself through simple and ungimmicky ecotours. The basic tour includes a look around the town, where original adobe structures compete with more practical but less picturesque structures with corrugated tin roofs. Take a short guided hike through the surrounding jungle and a boat ride around the estuary ($6 per person). This is primo birding territory. The townspeople are most geared up for tours on weekends and during school holidays and vacations: Christmas, Easter, July, and August. The easiest way to book a tour is to look for English-speaking Juan Bananas, who sells banana bread from a shop called Tumba de Yako (look for the sign on the unmarked road Avenida H. Batallón between Calles Comonfort and Canalizo, en route to Playa Borrego). He can set up a visit and/or guide you there. Groups of five or more can call ahead to make a reservation with Juan ( 323/285–0462  [email protected]) or with Santos ( 323/100–4191); call at least a day ahead if you want to have a meal.

Templo de San Blas, called La Iglesia Vieja (“the old church”) by residents, is on the town's busy plaza. It's rarely open these days, but you can admire its diminutive beauty and look for the words to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "The Bells of San Blas" inscribed on a brass plaque outside. (The long-gone bells were actually at the church dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary, on Cerro de San Basilio.)

On the nine-hour Tequila Express train ride, blue agave fields zip by as you sip tequila and listen to roving mariachis. After a distillery tour, there's lunch, folk dancing, and charro (cowboy) demonstrations. Make reservations up to a month ahead; from outside Mexico you'll need to use Ticketmaster, which adds an 8% surcharge.