43 Best Sights in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

You can walk or ride a bike to long, lovely Playa Borrego, 1 km (½ mile) south of town. Rent a surfboard at Stoners' or Mar y Sol restaurant to attack the year-round (but sporadic) shore or jetty breaks here, or stroll down to the southern end to admire the lovely, palm-fringed estuary. Amenities: parking (free). Best for: walking; sunset; solitude.

PV's original happening beach has nice bay views, and as action central, it's definitely the area's most engaging beach. Facing Vallarta's South Side (south of the Río Cuale), this flat beach hugs the Zona Romántica and runs about 1½ km (1 mile) south to a rocky point called El Púlpito.

The steps (more than 100) at Calle Púlpito lead to a lookout with a great view of the beach and the bay.

Joggers cruise the cement boardwalk early morning and after sunset; vendors stalk the beach nonstop, hawking kites, jewelry, and serapes as well as hair-braiding and alfresco massage. Bar-restaurants run the length of the beach; the bright blue umbrellas at the south end belong to Blue Chairs resort, the hub of PV's effervescent gay scene.

The surf ranges from mild to choppy with an undertow; the small waves crunching the shore usually discourage mindless paddling. There are lifeguards on the beach, but the service isn't consistent. The Los Muertos Pier underwent a recent face-lift and it's now one of PV's main landmarks and a prime spot for romantic night walks. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset; surfing.

If you have to choose just one beach in all of Costalegre, this is the one. Difficult to reach, the unspoiled beauty of the place makes the adventure well worth it. The long wide beach invites peaceful walks. Swimming might be risky here, though. Camping under the stars is highly recommended. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.

In 2014 Playa Palmares became the first beach in the area to get the coveted international Blue Flag certification. This certification is an eco-award designed for beaches, marinas, and boating tourism operators; recipients of the Blue Flag comply with a series of stringent environmental, accessibility, and safety requirements. Palmares is connected to Punta Negra, but its waves are smaller, which makes it a better fit for families. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

The stretch of sand right in front of downtown Bucerías is not as appealing as what you'll find if you just walk about 200 meters south. The shore break can get a bit sketchy when there's a swell, so you might just want to walk toward Nuevo Vallarta before planting your beach umbrella. Amenities: parking (free); food and drink; water sports. Best for: walking; windsurfing; sunset. 

Each of the nine islands set in front of Chamela Bay can be reached by boat. However, not all of them have such a beautiful beach as Isla Cocinas. Get a boat from Punta Pérula or Playa Chamela for as little as $15, and in 20 minutes you’ll be sunbathing on one of the most extraordinary beaches you’ve ever seen. The island is uninhabited, so privacy and quiet are guaranteed. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; swimming.

South of Playa Mora on Tenacatita Bay, this beach (whose name means "Mouth of the Iguanas") of fine gray-blond sand is wide and flat, and it stretches for several kilometers. Gentle waves make it great for swimming, boogie boarding, and snorkeling, but beware the undertow. Some enthusiasts fish from shore. It's a great place for jogging or walking on the beach, as there's no slope. There are a couple of beach restaurants and an RV park here. The entrance is at Km 17. The place goes completely bananas every year during one weekend in August when the International Beach Festival Boca de Iguanas takes place. Facilities: Snorkeling; camping facilities, restrooms, showers, food concessions. Best for: swimming; snorkeling; surfing.

For a truly romantic spot you might want to visit Playa Caballo, a spectacular secluded beach of turquoise blue waters, calm waves, lush vegetation—and nothing else. Get a water taxi at Boca de Tomatlán or, if you are up for the adventure, start walking from Boca through a small pathway across the jungle all the way to this "Horse Beach." You'll be there in hour and a half. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

A long, flat, brown-sand beach whose name translates to Shrimp Beach, Playa Camarones was the first urban beach in the country to receive the Playa Limpia (Clean Beach) certification by the federal government. The certification means that the beach will always have a lifeguard present, trash bins, clean bathrooms, and handicap accessibility. Its location—parallel to the malecón between the Hotel Rosita and the Buenaventura Hotel—attracts many locals. The shore is always changing: it could be rock-strewn in the morning and clear later when the tide goes out. Watch for whales in winter from trendy beachfront El Solar Bar or from the El Barracuda Restaurant next door. Although the waves are gentle, there are strange currents here, which should discourage all but strong swimmers. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing; walking.

About 11 km (6½ mi) south of Bahía Chamela, this beach is named for the careyes (hawksbill) turtles that lay eggs here. It's a lovely soft-sand beach framed by headlands. When the water's not too rough, snorkeling is good around the rocks, where you can also fish. There's a small restaurant at the north end of the beach, and often you can arrange to go out with a local fisherman (about $25 per hour). Water-loving birds can be spotted around the lagoon that forms at the south end of the bay. Facilities: Birding, fishing, snorkeling; food concessions. Best for: swimming; snorkeling.

Careyitos is one of the longest beaches in Costa Careyes and, paradoxically, maybe the most private, as there are not many properties on its shore. Its waters are calm and inviting. It's a perfect place for camping. You may want to climb the Morro Prieto hill to reach a lookout that offers outstanding views of the area. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Playa Chalacatepec is a true piece of unspoiled paradise. Miles of white-sand beach extend without any sign of human activity. However, this outstanding beauty could have its days numbered, as there are big projects planned for the area. Talk about building a “new Cancún” is commonplace, as the Chalacatepec lagoon provides a similar setting to that of the Caribbean resort town. It's perfect for camping—just stay away from crocodiles. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; surfing; swimming; walking.

A sylvan beach with no services lies down a rutted dirt road about 82 km (50 miles) south of El Tuito and 115 km (70 miles) south of PV. The road is negotiable only by high-clearance passenger cars and smallish RVs. The reward for 8 km (5 miles) of bone-jarring travel is a beautiful rocky point, Punta Chalacatepec, with a sweep of protected white-sand beach to the north that's perfect for swimming and bodysurfing. There's a fish camp here, so you may find some rather scraggly-looking dudes on this isolated beach. Admire the tidal pools at the point during low tide. Take a walk along the open-ocean beach south of the point, where waves crash more dramatically and discourage swimming. To get here, turn toward the beach at the town of José María Morelos (at Km 88). Just after 8 km (5 miles), leave the main road (which bears right) and head to the beach over a smaller track. From here it's less than 1½ km (1 mile) to the beach. At this writing, an airport was being built near the county seat, Tomatlán, and the beach was slated for hotels not yet named. Facilities: None. Best for: swimming; surfing; walking.

The main beach in the Chamela Bay area is long and wide, with several hotels and restaurants scattered here and there. Lounge chairs and palapas are available for rent on the beach. The sea is good for kids and for swimming, as the islands in front of the coastline soften the surf in the bay. Boat trips to the islands are available. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

This little cove is set between two hills that seem to be closing in on a gorgeous beach that's been called Mexico's smallest (it extends for only 30 meters). Its waters vary between turquoise blue and emerald green, its sand has a golden tone, and the surrounding mountains provide it with a unique atmosphere. From Boca de Tomatlán get a water taxi or walk through the jungle for 40 minutes. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; swimming.

This beach has a series of rocky coves with crystalline water. The individual coves are perfect for reclusive sunbathing and for snorkeling. It's accessible from Carretera 200 near El Set restaurant. You can walk—be it on the sand, over the rocks, or on paths or steps built for this purpose—from Playa Los Muertos all the way to Conchas Chinas. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

This small beach has the honor of being the first inclusive beach in the Mexican Pacific. You'll see plenty of "floating chairs" for people who need assistance getting into the sea. There are also many nonmotorized water sports options such as kayaks, pedal boats, or snorkeling. The surrounding mountains give it a touch of mysticism. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

The high-rise-backed Zona Hotelera beach goes by several names—mainly Playa del Holi but also Playa Peninsula. Most people, however, just refer to each piece of beach by the hotel that it faces. Interrupted here and there by breakwaters, this fringe of gray-beige sand is generally flat but slopes down to the water. Winds and tides sometimes strew it with stones that make it less pleasant. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); water sports. Best for: sunset; walking.

At Marina Vallarta, Playa el Salado—facing the Grand Velas, Sol Meliá, Marriott, Mayan Palace, and Westin hotels—is sandy but in spots very narrow. During fine weather and on weekends, and daily during high season, you can rent Jet Skis and pack onto colorful banana boats for bouncy tours of 10 minutes or longer. In late summer and early fall, there are opportunities to view turtle-protection activities. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: sunset; walking; windsurfing.

This long beach of dark brown sand has a pier and not much more. Access is restricted to some of the most exclusive resorts in the area, and for that reason it has become very popular among boat owners who come to enjoy its green emerald waters and unique beauty. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.

La Cruz de Loreto is a little village located 6 km (4 miles) from the coast, where its namesake beach provides an amazing spectacle. The area is inside a nature reserve and home to an estuary, recognized by UNESCO as a birds’ paradise. The area is worth visiting, mostly for day-trips or camping, as there is no infrastructure at all. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.

This local beach is wide, busy, entertaining, and worth visiting if you’re here for a while. It's particularly crowded on Sundays as locals flock here to enjoy the ocean and the snacks at various food stalls. There's a big parking lot right in front, and if you want a somewhat quieter place to relax, just walk south for a few dozen meters. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free). Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

This beautiful, 2-km-long (1-mi-long) beach is little more than a kilometer (half a mile) in from the highway, near the southern edge of Bahía de Tenacatita, 193 km (120 mi) south of PV and 25 km (15½ mi) north of Barra de Navidad (at Km 14). Informal hotels and restaurants are interspersed with small businesses and modest houses along the town's main street. Rocks dot the gray-gold sands and edge both ends of the wide beach; facing the sand are attractive, unpretentious vacation homes favoring a Venetian palate of ochre and brick red. The bay is calm. At the beach road's north end, gigantic, rubbery-looking crocodiles lie heaped together just out of harm's way in a mangrove swamp. The fishing here is excellent; boat owners on the beach can take you out for snapper, sea bass, and other pescado for $20–$25 an hour. Facilities: Fishing; food concessions. Best for: swimming; walking; sunset.

Legend has it that director John Huston discovered this secluded beach and lived here for years. The beach is a bit rocky, but its waters are crystal clear. It's hard to find a more beautiful place. The only problem is that it's private and exclusive: to visit Las Caletas you'll need to buy a tour, which takes away some of the magic.

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.