13 Best Sights in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Turtles sunning themselves on logs, crocodiles masquerading as logs, water-loving birds, and exotic orchids make the maze of green-brown canals that is La Tovara—an out-of-town must for nature lovers. Launches putter along these waterways from El Conchal Bridge, at the outskirts of San Blas, about a three-hour drive from Marina Vallarta, or from the nearby village of Matanchén. After cruising along for about 45 minutes—during which you'll have taken way too many photos of the mangrove roots that protrude from the water and the turtles—you arrive at the spring-fed freshwater pools for which the area is named. You can hang out at the restaurant overlooking the pool or play Tarzan and Jane on the rope swing. Most folks take the optional trip to a crocodile farm on the way back, stretching a two-hour tour into three hours.

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.

For a bird's-eye view of the town and coast, hike or drive up Calle Juárez, the main drag, to Cerro de San Basilio. You can also take Road 74 out of town, turn right at the fork and then right at Calle del Panteon, which is the only road you'll find before reaching the river.

Cannons protect the ruined contaduría, built during colonial times when San Blas was New Spain's first official port.

Continuing down the road from the contaduría brings you to El Templo de la Virgen del Rosario. Note the new floor in the otherwise ruined structure; the governor's daughter didn't want to soil the hem of her gown when she married here in 2005. A bit farther on, San Blas's little cemetery is backed by the sea and the mountains.

In late January, you can attend the International Festival of Migratory Birds for bird-watching tours and conferences with experts and fellow enthusiasts.

The old customhouse has been partially restored and is now a cultural center with sporadic art or photography shows and theatrical productions.

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.

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.

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.)