Puerto Vallarta Travel Guide

Puerto Vallarta is a located in the western part of the state of Jalisco in central México overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The second-most visited resort in all of México, Puerto Vallarta attracts over 2 million tourists per year. You will find great beaches, and lots of bars, pubs restuarant along the bay. Luxury hotels, all-inclusive resorts, new golf courses, high-tech meeting facilities, upscale shops and restaurants have opened at rapid pace in recent years.

Fortunately though, the town has managed to retain some of its charm. Picturesque colonial and whitewashed buildings, cobblestone streets that wind in and out, red spanish tile roofs differentiate Puerto Vallarta from other seaside resorts. The main sight is the Church of Guadalupe on the picturesque main plaza. The red brick bell tower is topped by a crown modeled after the one worn by Mexico’s 18th century Empress Carlota.

The area around the seaside resort is very diverse. Tropical-forested mountains and mineral-rich volcanic slopes appear to literally rise from the sea. From the rugged Sierra Vallejo to the north and Sierra Cuale to the south, rich lush green slopes overlook the the bay.

Sleepy fishing villages - Punta gorda, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Bucerías, Mismaloya, Boca de Tomatlán and Yelapa - punctuate the coastline to the north and south of the town, offering visitors a glimpse into the real Puerto Vallarta- the way it was, and the way it remains today. Nestled into the verdant valleys and jagged mountains that overlook Puerto Vallarta’s narrow cobblestone city streets, the idyllic colonial-era villages of San Sebastián, Mascota and Talpa invite travelers to experience yet another side of the region.