Guide to Puerto Vallarta
Visitors to Puerto Vallarta soon discover that it is made up of various zones. Each zone has a different atmosphere. There are zones that consist of big all-inclusive resorts, zones that are full of shopping and local merchants, and zones with incredible views of the ocean and/or jungle. For a full description of these zones, check out the guides later on this page.
Most repeat visitors to Vallarta soon pick out a favorite zone in which they like to stay. Some prefer the full service resorts, some prefer the harbor, and some prefer the old town. We purchased our condos because they are located in our favorite zone.
Our condominiums are in an area of Puerto Vallarta called the Zona Romantica which is part of Viejo Vallarta - the old town. Virtual Vallarta has a very good interactive map of the bay showing the zones, click on "Map 5" to see Zona Romantica in detail (the lower half of that map). Our Map page has a satellite map of the area that you can interact with by zooming and dragging the map around.
A band of popular hotels and condominiums along the beach form the western border of Zona Romantica. Just east of them are many small shops, restaurants, and bars. To the north is a small river called the Rio Cuale which divides this zone from El Centro - the center. Just beyond the Rio Cuale along the beach is Puerto Vallarta's famous Malecón - the boardwalk. The south end of our zone is next to a beautiful area called Conchas Chinas - which means Chinese Seashells. It consists of spectacular homes and condos on the cliffs overlooking the bay.
Viejo Vallarta and the Zona Romantica are best explored by foot or taxi as everything is within walking distance and the narrow cobblestone streets can be a challenge to drive on - especially if a car is approaching from the other direction.
One characteristic of the Zona Romantica is that it is quite hilly the further you are from the ocean. Depending where you are, two blocks from the ocean could be 75 feet above sea level. Fortunately, everything is very close and it is unusual to walk more than a block without stopping for something interesting. Many people choose to walk downhill and take a cab uphill. Fortunately, cabs are everywhere and very inexpensive.
We recommend that you do not rent a car if you are staying in Zona Romantica because it can be difficult to find parking spaces, and once you are here, it isn't really needed. Instead, take a cab from the airport for around $20 USD or arrange for airport transportation. The return back to the airport will be less because the airport doesn't regulate those fares. Plan on walking for most of your daily activities and take a cab if you get too hot and tired, or the evening's exotic restaurant is too far away.
Speaking of restaurants, Puerto Vallarta has an incredible selection ranging from traditional Mexican to almost anything else. You can eat at one of the many taco stands for just a few dollars a day or have an expensive gourmet meal watching the sunset from a mountain top.
Vallarta has a high season which typically begins at Thanksgiving and ends just after Easter. During this high season the weather is at its best, but the prices are also at their highest. The temperatures are more moderate and there is little rain. Most people prefer this season.
The low season is warmer, more humid, and has spectacular thunder storms which normally only last an hour or two. Many people have "discovered" the low season in Vallarta and come down because the prices are lower, so it is getting busier. But, some of the restaurants and shops have closed for part of the summer, and there are fewer live shows, so there is a little less to do during the low season. This gives you more time to enjoy the beaches.
Independent of the season, Vallarta has a very active night life. There are many bars and clubs in which to spend your evenings ranging from the trendy, to the wild, or to simple neighborhood bar. Some, like The Palm, offer shows at night, others are just a place to visit with your newfound friends.
There are a variety of activities available during the day which include enjoying the many beaches, spa massage services, shopping, jungle canopy tours, horseback riding, tequila tours, whale watching, swimming with the dolphins, scuba diving, and boating excursions. Or if staying with us, you may just want to hang out by the pool and watch the ocean from our enormous deck and order the occasional beverage from the bar. The many guides can give you more information about these activities. The hotel provides a concierge service and they would be happy to help you out with reservations or recommendations.
Check out the rest of this page for more information on current weather conditions, general guide information, and webcams.
Wherever you stay, we hope you enjoy Vallarta....
Bill and Larry
Current Weather conditions and Forecasts:
Unfortunately, Puerto Vallarta weather forecasts are often inaccurate because of the limited number of weather sources available in the Pacific Ocean and even Mexico. Here are two options to get the current weather and forecasts that are fairly reliable.
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Here are the current conditions brought to you by Weather Underground. Click on it for more details & the forecast. |
There are several good online guides to Vallarta available. Feel free to check them out.
- Virtual Vallarta - Good overall information about Vallarta
- Visit Puerto Vallarta - Claims to be the official site of Puerto Vallarta.
- Vallarta Info - Claims to be the Insider's Guide to Vallarta
- Discovery Puerto Vallarta - Part of a series of "Discovery" sites that covers Mexico.
- Lonely Planet - Part of the world-wide series, less commercial than the above.
- Gayguide Vallarta - A popular guide for gay travelers
- Discovery Vallarta - Similar name to another site, but for gay travelers.
- Puerto Vallarta Directory - An Interesting Directory featuring Puerto Vallarta exclusively.
There are several guide books available on Puerto Vallarta that you could pick up at your local bookstore or on the net (the following is just a sample - the list may change every time you visit this page). Click on any of the individual books listed in the box, or for the entire category at Amazon.com, click Books on Puerto Vallarta.
Here are a couple of fun webcam sites for current conditions:
- Puerto Vallarta Net - Webcam points to the Malecón
- The Eye of the Pelican - View of Pier from local bar/restaurant.
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Some Search tools:
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We are listed on the following travel sites:
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VRBO |
 Great Rentals |
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