Marina Vallarta
In 1986 the Martínez Güitrón brothers from Guadalajara started building Marina Vallarta, with its 450 boat slips and by 1990 the marina was in full swing. The project was basically finished by 1993, ahead of schedule.
Not to be confused with the Marina Terminal where the cruise ships dock and the majority of tours depart from — although that facility is just a few minutes south of here — this 544-acre planned residential and resort development revolves around Mexico's largest marina and a popular 18-hole golf course. Less than two decades old, Marina Vallarta is modern, clean and quiet, its smooth roads and oceanfront boardwalk encouraging strolling, jogging and biking. And this is where fishing, cruise or sailing charters can be arranged. Along with the luxury hotels, condominiums and villas here there are lots of interesting places to browse including shopping centers, jewelry, clothing and assorted other boutiques, and art, furniture and interior design galleries. You will also find incredibly luxurious full-service spas and restaurants and bars of every description. The two-dozen or so eateries on the 355-slip marina itself overlook yachts and mountains, while those on the beach provide intriguing perspectives of downtown PV and the undulating Sierra Madre.
- Less than a mile south of the airport
- Reached by public bus, private car or taxi
- Don't miss going to the top of the lighthouse, now El Faro bar, which offers the best bird's eye view of the area and live music after 6 pm
Image Gallery
Mmm ... from freshly baked cinnamon buns to savory sausages to canned chutneys and salsas, the sight, scent and taste of edible treats made from scratch have captivated our senses for generations
Primarily catering to those staying at the resort hotels, this beach is wide and sandy, offering a great view of Puerto Vallarta proper and its undulating-mountain backdrop.
It’s easy to discover Puerto Vallarta’s most important landmarks in a single day.
It’s impossible to paint all of Banderas Bay with the same brush, so to help you get a taste of the different neighborhoods around the bay (“colonias” in Spanish), we’ve created this handy list of some of the most popular.
Do you have 60 seconds to spare? In the first of an ongoing series, we have created a short video feature on Marina Vallarta, one of the most popular communities in Puerto Vallarta for golf and nautical activity enthusiasts. (Video)
A much-deserved tribute to late Vallartan painter Manuel Lepe, created by Glass Gallery M owner Mariano Pérez Vivanco, has been installed at the entrance to Plaza Vallarta.
Marina Vallarta beach serves the oceanfront hotels and developments, along with other residents of the neighborhood by the same name.
When most people think of real estate as an industry, it brings up images of tracts of single family homes, large commercial and condominium towers and shopping malls. But are there benefits other than providing housing, office space and shopping opportunities?
What we can establish as being “a success”? Well, in 2000 Puerto Vallarta had roughly $50 million in resort real estate sales (“resort real estate” is defined as real estate purchased primarily by retirees or second-home purchasers). There were rarely homes selling for more than $1 million and few large real estate developments.
Peaceful and pretty and a world apart from the hurly-burly of town, yet just 15 minutes away, this is the perfect place for those who dare to dream. Yachts glisten in the sun, coming and going on exciting adventures around Banderas Bay and the globe. (Quicktime Panoramic Image)
Peaceful and pretty and a world apart from the hurly-burly of town, yet just 15 minutes away, this is the perfect place for those who dare to dream.
Lights twinkle on soaring masts against the twilight sky, as boats rock gently in their moorings and buoys chime soothingly in Vallarta’s sweet breeze. It’s a beautiful scene, and one that can be easily enjoyed in the Bahia de Banderas without ever boarding a boat. Dockside life can be enchanting from the terrace of a marina home.
Not to be confused with the Marina Terminal where the cruise ships dock and the majority of tours depart from — although that facility is just a few minutes south of here — this 544-acre planned residential and resort development revolves around Mexico's largest marina and a popular 18-hole golf course.
