Thousands of tourists flock to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in the winter months for a brief respite from the cold. It is an affordable destination that caters for all varieties of travellers including: budget backpackers, families and those looking for a luxurious private villa with butler service and an onsite cook. Puerto Vallarta is a busy beachfront tourist town with diverse activities, restaurants and a bustling night life. The city is the LGBTQ capital of Mexico. It hosts a colourful pride week at the end of May with parades, club hopping and festivals.
There are all-inclusive resorts along the beach front with some cheaper options closer to the city and further from the beach. Travelling as a large group of girls for a bachelorette party we chose a beach side option closer to the beach where our rooms were close together. The main restaurant was buffet, for breakfast there were handmade corn tortillas which I ate every morning with beans. The taco restaurant was notable for the excellent table side guacamole. When in Mexico choose the local food items, they are always the best. Service in Puerto Vallarta is attentive, amazing and friendly. Try greeting in Spanish or using a few more words, the smiles you get is worth the embarrassment of trying. In all-inclusive resorts keep 5 to 10 pesos for tip after each meal depending on how you feel the service was.
Tours and Marieta Islands National Park
Major tour companies operate in Puerto Vallarta, though, you might be able to get deals along the beach if you chat up some of the locals offering excursions. Our group chose Puerto Vallarta Adventures for an eco boat tour. There was snorkelling and beach lounging around the Marieta Islands National Park. There is so much wildlife to see around the islands with many species of marine and avian wildlife such as, the Blue Footed Boobie (try saying that without giggling).
For tours to the hidden “Lovers Beach” at the Marieta Islands book in advance. The site only allows a limited numbers of tourists per day to preserve the park and coral reef along the beach.
When visiting the Marieta Islands National Park, remember biodegradable sunscreen or reef safe sunscreens such as Zinc oxide or those without oxybenzone and octinoxate. Companies like Puerto Vallarta Adventures are great for large groups or families often offering deals for large numbers. Always tip your tour guides! If you are unsure of a suitable tip ask the staff and they will recommend a number. No one in a tour company will rip you off because of the impact of a negative review; the better their reviews the more tourists come, the more money they make.
Shopping
Puerto Vallarta is famous for its silver, leather and glass art. Be sure to visit a local silversmith for beautifully crafted pieces and an open bar to lower your inhibitions and help you settle on the perfect piece ;). Haggling and chatting to the store clerks will get you a better price and have more fun in the transaction. Jewellery bought along the beach is not authentic and often made with cheap metals or silver plated only. No country sells genuine jewellery on a beach or street corner from a suitcase, Mexico is no exception.
Tequila Town
Tequila town is in the mountains, a short drive from Puerto Vallarta and recommended for any Tequila lover. There are small family owned distilleries where you can find gems that would not otherwise be found in large commercial liquor stores. One such is Baston del Rey which a small family owned organic farm and distillery on a hill outside tequila town. The farm and tasting room has a breath taking view, looking down on a small fresh water stream in the jungle. The tasters and tour guides are all members of the family that make this organic, small batch tequila and it is delicious. They will make sure to teach you the proper way to taste tequila for the most delight. My personal favourite is the Extra Añjeo which is aged 3.5 years in French oak with notes of autumn fruit and caramel, it is so smooth it could pick you up anywhere.
Night Life
The main street of Puerto Vallarta next to the board walk is home to many clubs and discotheques. There are theme nights at places like Senior Frogs such as foam parties. At la Vaquita drinks come extra large, like the big gulp size from 7-11; they have a rooftop swing out front that is fun with lowered inhibitions. Mandala is a large club offering lux bottle service at a reasonable price. There are servers who cater to your every need, replacing slightly moist coasters, lighting cigarettes, cleaning tables and making sure that your drink is never empty. The service at Mandala is second to none along with a concierge in the bathroom for your every need including extra deodorant for extra dancing.
Strip clubs are difficult to navigate as a female or with a group of females. Most cater only to men, they are expensive, over charge and do not work the same as those across the border. The expectation is to buy premium drinks, around $15 USD, for the girl, entertainment lasts as long as her drink is full. The goal is that you buy a private room where there are no limits to what you can do if you are willing to pay. I was there with a large group of girls for a bachelorette party and we wanted to do the mandatory trip to the strippers but it was not the experience we were after.
Restaurants
There are many multi-cultural restaurants in Puerto Vallarta including fast food chains, Starbucks, Italian, Chinese, Spanish Tapas and more. Sticking to the local options outside of tourist areas will give you the best bang for your buck and the best of what Mexico has to offer. Though there are a many tourist restaurants on the cheaper end that offer a heck of a view. If your group has dietaries such as Vegetarian or seafood allergies visit a restaurant that caters to tourists. When travelling with groups there is no such thing as splitting cheques. Organise payment beforehand or elect one person to pay, keep the receipt and pay each other back later. This will save a lot of challenges for you and your server or bartender. Always remember to tip.
Puerto Vallarta is a colourful town by the ocean with something for even the most conservative traveller. The town was built as a tourist destination. It lives up to its reputation for amazing service, great food, beaches, night life and tours. The people are friendly and helpful and welcoming. Puerto Vallarta is fantastic for those looking to dip their toe into what Mexico has to offer. Remember: one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, FLOOR.