Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - About Puerto Vallarta

About Puerto Vallarta
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About Puerto Vallarta

To make it easy for you to plan your ideal Puerto Vallarta holiday, we've gathered all the nitty gritty you need to know to make the choices that are right for you. For example, there’s no right or wrong time to visit. It's all about personal preference! So why not customize the getaway of your dreams?

Banderas Bay:
For simplicity’s sake, and tourism, the entire 100-km horseshoe-shaped coastline of Banderas Bay (Bahía de Banderas) is known as Vallarta, although it’s divided almost equally between two states – Jalisco, where Puerto Vallarta is, and Nayarit, which begins an eight-minute drive north of the international airport in the middle of the Ameca River bridge. Take note that these states are on different time zones and it’s always an hour earlier in Nayarit. Some businesses there, however, have adopted Puerto Vallarta time, so you might want to double check if you’re making any special arrangements.

Beautiful Banderas Bay: We’ve known it all along, and now the word’s out: Mexico’s largest bay–Puerto Vallarta perfectly positioned at its center–is one of the most beautiful bays in the world and a member of the association of the same name.

Puerto Vallarta: Remember Who You Are: Certainly you have noticed the artistic campaign “Remember Who You Are”, while strolling down Puerto Vallarta’s downtown streets. These murals invite you to rediscover your inner child and have enchanted many local citizens and tourists, but have also raised criticism from some of the more traditional residents.

Best Infrastructure Development #2: New Bridges-Link

Best Infrastructure Development #2: New Bridges: Building bridges is not every politician’s forte, but during the last administration, bridges came up in spades. Two very crucial ones provide smoother entrance into the city by adding lateral lanes to cross El Salado and the Pitillal River in the Hotel Zone.

Best New Excuse to Walk Around Puerto Vallarta: Malecon Extension-Link

Best New Excuse to Walk Around Puerto Vallarta: Malecon Extension: Long a destination in itself, the Malecon meanders along the edge of Banderas Bay. And now it’s possible to stroll this “boardwalk” from the historic Hotel Rosita at the north end of town past the Los Muertos pier and farther south – all without having to shake sand out of shoes.

Best Reason to Toast and Celebrate: Exotic Drinks All Over Puerto Vallarta-Link

Best Reason to Toast and Celebrate: Exotic Drinks All Over Puerto Vallarta: Two issues ago we began inviting restaurants around Vallarta to produce signature cocktails as a new, ongoing recipe feature. La Palapa and Vitea stood up to the challenge in our Fall-Winter 2006 issue with Lapahlua and Cocktail Vitea, two delicious Kahlua-based cocktails.

Hold the Guacamole!: Hold the guacamole un minuto! You’re in Vallarta with an intercontinental dining scene that beats any resort town in Mexico! Chefs from all over the world have come here and stayed to open marvelous restaurants reflecting their countries’ culinary heritages.

Just look at us Now!: We’ve certainly come a long way from the “sleepy little fishing village” in these photos, which make it very easy to see why Vallarta was destined to become such a desirable international resort — some 3,700,000 tourists visiting last year alone.

Puerto Vallarta 101: All packed and ready to go? Here are some last-minute details you may want to keep in mind as you prepare to discover paradise!

You Might Want to Know: A potpourri of interesting tidbits about Puerto Vallarta.

One Colorful Palette - Exploring Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay-Link

One Colorful Palette - Exploring Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay: Cobblestone streets imply quaint, small, nostalgic ... a village, right? Maybe, but Puerto Vallarta's no village.

Fiestas and Festivals: Every day is a día de fiesta in Mexico! Here is a list of official Mexican holidays and important local festivals you may want to keep in mind as you plan ahead for your paradise vacation.

Wondering How to Keep Busy?: Knowing what we do about all the activities that are available to indulge in, it only seems fair that we give you a sampling of our favorites.

Why visit Puerto Vallarta?: There are many reasons to come to Puerto Vallarta: unparalleled beauty, non-stop entertainment, an open atmosphere and a never-ending dedication to fun. Here is why we think you should consider Puerto Vallarta as your next stop.

Walking Tours: Taking in the sights on foot is a great way to see some of the marvelous things Puerto Vallarta has to offer, from historical buildings to new night clubs, cigars to sculptures.

Monumental Oceanfront Art Invites Your Touch-Link

Monumental Oceanfront Art Invites Your Touch: You can’t really say you’ve been to Puerto Vallarta unless you’ve experienced the Malecon and all it offers.