Puerto Vallarta is a beautiful town on the west coast of Mexico. It was one of the first places I visited as a Digital Nomad and I had a fantastic time there. The reason why is that there are lots of nomads and expats and there are plenty of things to do in and around the town. The center of the town is basically split in three parts: Cinco de Diciembre, Centro and Zona Romantica.
Cinco de Diciembre is the part of the town that is more quiet with some beautiful cafes from where you can work. Centro has more narrow streets, is a lot more busy and it’s where you will find most of the clubs. Zona Romatica is the place with a big LGBTQ community and where you will find most of the bars and restaurants. It’s definitely the place to go if you want to go out and enjoy the nightlife. If I had to recommend the best place to live I would tell you to go to Cinco de Diciembre or Centro (if it’s farther up the hill), because there will be less noise.
„Traveling tends to magnify all human emotions.”
– Peter Hoeg
What I really like about Puerto Vallarta is the boardwalk by the ocean. It’s a great place to go for a walk or enjoy a nice dinner with an ocean view. Every night there are fireworks in Puerto Vallarta in three different locations. You will see them in Zona Romantica, Centro and the Hotel Zone. The hotel zone is located on the north side of the town and like the name already tells, you will find lots of big hotels there, like Sheraton, Hilton, Holiday Inn and many more.
In this blog post I will show you the best things to do in Puerto Vallarta!
10 Things to do in Puerto Vallarta
Walk the Malecon
The Malecon is the boardwalk by the ocean, which is filled with interactive sculptures and palm trees. On the north end of the Malecon you will see the biggest clubs of Puerto Vallarta, lots of restaurants and souvenir shops. As you keep walking south you will see the colorful Puerto Vallarta sign and the amphitheater where you can watch live musicians. Farther down south to Zona Romantica you will see restaurants by the beach and market stalls by the river. If you want to enjoy dinner with an ocean view from above, you should go to Centro and if you want to have dinner with tables in the sand, you should head to Zona Romantica.
At the end of the Malecon you will see Muelle de Playa los Muertos, the pier and most iconic landmark of Puerto Vallarta.
Visit the local markets
There are a few local markets in Puerto Vallarta that are really worth visiting. Every Saturday morning till noon, you will find the Olas Altas Farmers market at the plaza in Zona Romantica next to the restaurant “A taste of Italy”. On this market you will find fresh food from the local farmers, like wholemeal bread, pesto, cold-pressed juices, fruits (berries!), nuts, cheese and so much more. Apart from that you can buy handmade jewelry from local designers, clothes and accessories. A fantastic market you have to visit!
Another market I would like to recommend you is the market by the river. As you’re walking the Malecon you will notice a little bridge that crosses the river. If you walk around the bridge on the north side you will get to a hidden market. This market is always here, 7 days a week, from early to late. You won’t find food here, but so many clothes, accessories and souvenirs. I bought my pink dress there which I was wearing a lot in Puerto Vallarta.
Hike to the Mirador La Cruz del Cerro
There is a viewpoint in Puerto Vallarta from where you can literally see the whole town! The Mirador La Cruz del Cerro lookout is located in Centro and offers a spectacular 360° panoramic view of the city and ocean. On a beautiful day you can even see Punta de Mita from here. It’s only about 20 minutes from the Malecon, but to get up here you have to climb a lot of stairs. There used to be a cable car that took people up the last part of the hike, but it’s currently out of service. I think the best time to go here is at sunset because it won’t be as hot as it is during the day and the view you get from here is simply amazing!
I would invite a few friends to do the hike together and then do a little picnic at sunset. There are no shops or bathrooms at the lookout, so make sure to bring some water!
Explore the southern beaches
Let’s be honest, Puerto Vallarta isn’t famous for its beaches. I am not saying they aren’t nice, but people who want crystal clear blue water usually head to the east coast of Mexico to swim in the Caribbean Ocean. The fact that Puerto Vallarta is located on the west coast explains why the water isn’t as clear here, but it’s still very nice. That said, there are some beaches that are more turquoise blue and clear, but they are not in the center of the town. To see the best beaches of Puerto Vallarta you should head south where you will find a few hotels and some hidden beaches. My personal favorite is Playa Palmares, because there are mostly locals and it’s never really busy. There is also a really nice restaurant right by the beach with delicious guacamole and tasty margaritas!
The best way to get here is either by bus, which costs about 50 ct or by Uber/ inDriver, which is around 5 USD. Important note: You will most likely not have much signal at those beaches and it’s hard to get a taxi. The best thing that you can do if you don’t want to take the bus (last one drives around 6 or 7pm) is to get the number of an Uber/ inDriver, so you can message him or agree on a time where he picks you up.
Go shopping in Zona Romantica
In Puerto Vallarta is a big shopping mall with international brands, called La Isla Shopping Village. This mall is located in the hotel zone and the best way to get here is by inDriver. If you are looking for clothes or make-up from a specific brand this is the place to go.
Another great place to go shopping is Zona Romantica. If you wander around the streets you will find many unique little boutiques with the most beautiful clothes and jewelry. You should definitely go to Calima and dnoel if you like boho style.
Do the Palo Maria Hike
I think the Palo Maria hike is the most beautiful hike in Puerto Vallarta. It’s really not far from the town and the hike itself is quite easy. You will have to climb up some ropes, but for the most part the hike is pretty flat. I would highly recommend you to do this hike with someone who knows the area, because sometimes it’s hard to tell where the hiking path is. The entrance is especially hard to find, because there is no sign. It looks more like you’re entering someone’s private property. I did this hike with my airbnb host and his friends (all locals).
Hiking to the first waterfall will take you about an hour. However, there are many waterfalls behind this one and how long you want to hike is up to you. The only thing is that the hike gets a lot more difficult from this point. We decided to go one step farther up and I can tell you that the second waterfall is even more beautiful than the first one. Make sure to bring some water, wear a bikini under your clothes and comfortable hiking shoes or sneakers.
Do a day trip to Sayulita
Sayulita is one of my favorite places on the west coast of Mexico. Most people who travel to Puerto Vallarta decide to come here for a day or weekend, but you can easily spend a lot more time here. It will take you only about 1 hour to get here, so it’s perfect for a day trip. Compared to Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita is more like a small, hip surf town surrounded by countless beautiful beaches.
Sayulita has a beautiful beach that is great for surfing, unique shops, amazing street food, a really nice local market and there are lots of fun things to do around the town. You can go on a hike to see beautiful beaches that are almost empty, explore caves, go on a horseback riding tour or book a yoga session by the beach.
When I came back to Mexico I decided to stay here for a few weeks, because this little town has just so much to offer.
Take a Boat to Yelapa
Yelapa is about one hour south from Puerto Vallarta by boat. Many people think that Yelapa is an island, but it’s actually on the mainland. The reason why is that everybody gets there by boat, because the roads are too bad (unless you have a dirt bike). You can either take a boat from the pier at the Malecon or take an inDriver to Mismaloya and take the boat from there. Once you get to Yelapa you will see that it’s the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. This small beach town is known for the beautiful beach and spectacular hikes you can do here.
When I visited Yelapa I went with a big group of friends, we stayed in a jungle accommodation (literally sleeping outside) and did a 13.7 mile (22 km) hike to a breathtaking waterfall. Even though the hike is long, it’s quite easy because it’s mostly flat. The waterfall is the most beautiful one I have seen in Mexico. Here you can hike further up as well to get to another waterfall. The second hike is a little tricky, but doable. When we went to the waterfall we didn’t meet any other people there. That’s probably because there is also another waterfall hike in Yelapa that only takes an hour. We were pretty exhausted when we came back, but it was really worth it!
Eat out in Zona Romantica
As mentioned before, Zona Romantica is the best place to have dinner and enjoy the nightlife. There are some restaurants I can highly recommend to you. The first one is Margarita Grill. This restaurant is mostly outside, there is always life music and you get the biggest margaritas in town. The food is delicious, the staff is friendly and the prices are good. What else can I say? Another restaurant I can recommend you is Mezcal & Sal, because the food there is literally artwork. If you like to eat food that is almost too beautiful to eat then this is the place to go. If you decide to eat here you should definitely get a cocktail as well, because they are probably far more beautiful and extravagant than anything you have seen before.
If you would like to eat in a boho style restaurant you should go to iK Mixology Bar & Cuisine. Here you can literally sit in a nest while having dinner.
If you are looking for breakfast or lunch, I would recommend you to go to Litten Brød Hygge, a small Danish cafe with tasty pastries and barista coffee. I tried the smorrebrod (wholemeal bread with cream cheese and berries) and the pancakes and I loved everything. It’s also a great place to work, because the wifi is really good and they have air conditioner inside.
One last restaurant you should try is the Mar y Vino Restaurante, because they have tables in the pool! The pool isn’t very deep, so only your feet will be in the water while you’re sitting. This restaurant is super unique and offers a great view of the Malecon and the ocean. You should reservate a table before 8pm, because that’s the time when you can see fireworks.
Meet like minded people
One more thing you should do when visiting Puerto Vallarta is to meet like minded people. There are so many digital nomads, expats and travelers in town and it’s very easy to meet people. The easiest way to meet other people is to join a facebook group and go to a meet up. There are several very active groups in Puerto Vallarta. The one I joined to make new friends is the “Puerto Vallarta Digital Nomads” group. I just posted in the group that I am new in town and that I would love to meet up. One week later I had my friends that I spent time with for the next two months. And let’s be honest, travel is just a lot more fun if you are surrounded by like minded people. Take the chance, meet some other travelers and locals and enjoy your time to the fullest!
I hope this guide will help you to make the most out of your time in Puerto Vallarta. When I first got there I had no idea how much I would love the city and I hope it will be the same for you. If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments down below!
