The beach resort of Puerto Vallarta is the 5th largest city in Jalisco, Mexico, and is located along the shores of the Pacific Ocean’s Bahia de Banderas. It is bordered on the north by the fertile plantations of Valle de Banderas and to the southeast lie the Sierra Madre mountains.

Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta has about 25 miles of shoreline and a vast array of natural wonders, such as hills, forests, waterfalls and rivers.

The waters around Puerto Vallarta are visited by whales, dolphins and sea turtles. Playa Misamaloya, one of the beaches in Puerto Vallarta, is a hotspot for celebrities. Puerto Vallarta is very popular among couples and provides the perfect setting for weddings and honeymoons and those looking for last minute holidays.

There are lots of activities you can do in Puerto Vallarta. Watersports, including scuba-diving, snorkeling, fishing and extreme watersports, are very popular here. Puerto Vallarta is also popular with golf enthusiasts. Canopy tours, horseback riding tours and art tours are also widely available. Sculptures line the streets of the famous boardwalk (the Malecón). Painters also sell their artworks to visitors on the streets.

The Malecón

THE MALECON
The Malecón, the city’s boardwalk, is one of the most popular areas in Puerto Vallarta. The Malecón is a mile-long walkway by the beach in downtown Puerto Vallarta.
The Malecón is a popular spot for photographers and art connoisseurs. There are many landmarks and sculptures along the boardwalk, including the popular huge bronze seahorse. This is a replica of the original sculpture which fell into the water during a strong hurricane in 2002. Other prominent landmarks include the sculpture of the tall ladder and the Friendship Fountain. The stone arches of the Los Arcos

Friendship Fountain

Amphitheater are also found in the area.
Along the Malecón you will find shops and restaurants which offer fantastic views of the sunset over Banderas Bay. From the Malecón, you can also see Punta La Iglesia on the south and Punta Mita on the north. At the northern end of Malecón fishermen set up an open market each morning.
The Malecón offers a great beachfront nightlife and also hosts music and dancing events on the weekends. A bridge passing over the Cuale River allows visitors to reach Puerto Vallarta’s South Side, by Los Muertos Beach, where there are more restaurants, shops and bars.

BEACHES
Puerto Vallarta has over 25 miles of golden shoreline and more than forty different beaches. The beaches vary from isolated, hidden and secluded to the developed, urbanized and crowded.
The city beaches are usually bustling with visitors and are full of restaurants, hotels, sunbathing spots, and al fresco café’s. The beaches to the north are less crowded and are recommended for surfing activities The beaches to the south are also less crowded and are good for swimming and snorkelling.

Playa de Los Muertos

The busiest and most popular of Puerto Vallarta’s beaches is Playa de Los Muertos. Located near the downtown area, it offers many cafes and restaurants, a variety of watersports and activities.

WATER ACTIVITIES
The beaches of Puerto Vallarta are ideal for various activities both above and below the cool waters of Bahia de Banderas.
The excellent visibility in the area, together with the perfect temperatures, attracts divers from all over the world who come to see the wide range of tropical fish, manta rays and sea turtles, along with spectacular underwater cliffs and canyons and colourful corals. Popular snorkeling and dive spots in

Los Arcos

Puerto Vallarta include Los Arcos, Punta Mita and the Marietas Islands. More advanced divers can try more difficult dives at various areas in the Pacific Ocean, and can also try night diving.
Other watersports are also popular, especially in Playa de Los Muertos, including jet-skiing and banana boat rides. The northern shores are particularly popular with surfers. Surfing lessons are on offer in various areas, such as in Nayarit, Playa Cuatas and Playa Rosa. For the more adventurous types there is parasailing or bungee jumping over the Pacific Ocean.
There is a fully-equipped marina in the area, with boating, sailing and kayaking on offer.

Bay of Banderas

Several international fishing competitions are held annually in the city. A wide range of fish species abound in the Bay of Banderas, including swordfish, tuna and bass.
The dolphin research facility in the area allows close interaction with the dolphins which can be found in this area and seasonal whale-watching is also prevalent during the months of November to March.

GOLF
Puerto Vallarta is rapidly becoming one of the world’s top golfing destinations, with a selection of golf courses, set against the unparalleled background of lush tropical forest and the magnificent Pacific Ocean. 
These Puerto Vallarta golf courses include, the Marina Vallarta Golf Club, the Los Flamingos Golf Club, the Four Seasons Golf Club, the Mayan Place Golf Club, El Tigre Golf Club and the Vista Vallarta Golf Club.
The Marina Vallarta Golf Club is located at Paseo de la Marina and is part of the Marina Vallarta mega-resort. It has an 18-hole, par-71 championship golf course featuring lush tropical vegetation and natural lakes and lagoons.
The Flamingos Golf Club in Nuevo Vallarta is an older, traditional-style golf course. The 18-hole, par-72 golf course is considered to be one of the area’s easier courses.

Four Seasons golf course

The Four Seasons Golf Club is located in Punta Mita in Banderas Bay. The 19-hole, par-72 golf course of the club was designed by the famous Jack Nicklaus and is widely thought to be one of the most challenging golf courses around.
The Mayan Palace Country Club and the El Tigre Golf Club can also be found in Nuevo Vallarta. The Mayan Palace golf course is an 18-hole, par-71 course designed and the El Tigre golf course is an 18-hole, par-72 course. 
The Vista Vallarta Golf Club in Circuito de Universidad boasts boasts two golf courses in one. The first golf course is an 18-hole, par-72 course designed by Jack Nicklaus, while the second is an 18-hole, par-72 course designed by Tom Weiskopf.

MUSEUMS
The most popular museum in town is Casa Kimberley, or the Burton-Taylor Museum. Located in the downtown area of Puerto Vallarta, it was originally the house of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. While shooting the movie

Casa Kimberley

The Night of the Iguana, Burton and Taylor bought this house on top of the hill. Today the house has been transformed into a bed-and-breakfast and museum filled with the couple’s memorabilia.
The Manuel Lepe Museum has a vast collection of celebrated artist Manuel Lepe works. It also features original local artwork that includes ceramics, paper mache, jewelry, posters and lithographs.
The Huichol Indians are considered to be one of the oldest tribes in Mexico. At the Huichol Museum there is a permanent display of their beadwork, masks, jewellery and tapestries. It also features some of the works of Jose Benitez, a contemporary master of traditional Huichol techniques.
The Museo Ernesto Munoz Acosta also features a variety of works of the Huichol Indians together with the artwork of modern artists such as Sergio Bustamente and Manuel Lepe. It also exhibits the works of up-and-coming artists of the region.
The Naval History Museum in El Centro features a permanent collection of cartography, documents, images, navigation instruments, paintings, scale models and other objects that tell you about the Mexican armada, both past and present. A special section of the museum is devoted solely to the city.
 
WEATHER
Located along the Pacific Ocean’s Bay of Banderas, the city generally enjoys warm, sunny days and cool, comfortable nights.

Winter usually takes place from December to mid-March and is the best time to visit as rain practically non-existent rain, days are comfortably warm and nights are breezy and refreshing.

Spring starts in mid-March and lasts until the middle of June, with moderate temperatures.

Summer begins mid-June and lasts through late September. This signals the beginning of Puerto Vallarta’s rainy season. The season is marked by a notable increase in temperature and humidity levels, as well as the occurrence of regular afternoon rain showers and thunderstorms. Downpours usually last for a couple of hours, after which the humidity level goes down, creating a fresh and airy atmosphere.

Autumn lasts from mid-September to mid-December. Moderate temperatures are experienced during this season, similar to the weather conditions during spring.