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We've compiled the best of the best in Mexico - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Mayto’s Turtle Camp is a yearslong, well-run project from Universidad de Guadalajara that patrols the beaches of the area in search of turtle nests and their eggs in order to save them from poachers. They constantly receive groups of students from schools in Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, and other cities. With some luck you might get to see the release of baby turtles into the sea.
Perhaps the most photographed cenote in the Yucatán, this sinkhole is across the road from another one, Cenote X-Keken, about 5 km (3 miles) west of the main square. A narrow stairway leads to crystal clear water where tree vines dangle overhead and hundreds of birds nest between the stalactites. Don't be alarmed by the tiny Garra rufa fish that nibble at your feet—they are actually eating away the dead skin cells. Guides offer tours for tips.
Five kilometers (3 miles) west of the main square, you can swim with the catfish in a lovely, mysterious cave illuminated by a small natural skylight. There are toilets and changing facilities but no lockers. Directly across the street is the equally stunning Cenote Samulá. Guides offer tours for tips.
A large, round, and beautiful sinkhole right in town, Cenote Zací—zací means "white hawk" in the Mayan language—is sometimes crowded with tourists and local boys clowning it up; at other times, it's deserted. Leaves from the tall old trees surrounding the sinkhole float on the surface, but the water itself is quite clean. If you're not up for a dip, visit the adjacent handicraft shop or have a bite at the popular, thatched-roof restaurant overlooking the water. We recommend paying the extra MX$30 to rent a life vest here.
El Salado Estuary is a natural reserve set in the middle of Puerto Vallarta. Considering it's in an urban area, the biodiversity is impressive. They offer boat tours across the estuary, where you will see crocodiles roaming free in their habitat, as well as several species of water birds.
In late January, you can attend the International Festival of Migratory Birds for bird-watching tours and conferences with experts and fellow enthusiasts.
Legend has it that La Bufadora, an impressive tidal blowhole (la bufadora means the buffalo snort) in the coastal cliffs at Punta Banda, was created by a whale or sea serpent trapped in an undersea cave. The road to La Bufadora along Punta Banda—an isolated, mountainous point that juts into the sea—is lined with olive, craft, and tamale stands; the drive gives you a sampling of Baja's wilderness. If you're in need of some cooling off, turn off the highway at the sign for La Jolla Beach Camp. The camp charges a small admission fee for day use of the beachside facilities, but it's a great place to do a few "laps" of lazy freestyle or breaststroke at La Jolla Beach. At La Bufadora, expect a small fee to park, and then a half-mile walk past T-shirt hawkers and souvenir stands to the water hole itself. A public bus runs from the downtown Ensenada station to Maneadero, from which you can catch a minibus labeled Punta Banda that goes to La Bufadora. Guided tours from Ensenada to La Bufadora will run you about $40.
