Mexico

Nestled between palm-covered mountains and an azure sea, Puerto Vallarta is seriously picturesque. Wander its cobblestone streets, admire its whitewashed houses, then relax on its gorgeous sandy beach - dolphins can be seen frolicking year-round, and humpback whales cruise by from December to March.

Before the 20th century

According to Puerto Vallarta's rather slim volume of recorded history, this area, prior to being settled, was part of the traditional lands of the indigenous people that lived along the coast for many centuries. It probably wasn't seen by anyone else until the 16th century, when passing Spanish armadas stopped here to stock up on local water and firewood. The Spanish were quite taken with the sheltered harbor and considered establishing a colony here on several occasions but never actually got around to it.

Puerto Vallarta did not begin its urban life until 1851, when a family by the name of Sánchez arrived and made its home near the mouth of the Río Cuale.

Modern history

Emboldened by the Sánchez land-grab, groups of farmers and fisherfolk followed suit. Within 35 years, there were enough people living here to seriously entertain the idea of giving the settlement a name. The town's first official incarnation was as Las Peñas, but in 1918 'Puerto Vallarta' was cobbled together from puerto (port) and the name of a former state governor, Ignacio Luis Vallarta.

In 1954, Mexico's main domestic airline realised the tourist potential of this beautiful village in its pristine bayside location. It started flights to a dusty runway in what is now the center of Puerto Vallarta - an area originally named after the peasant revolutionary, Emiliano Zapata. But the real turning point in the development of the local tourist industry came almost a decade later, when film director John Huston shot his adaptation of Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana in the nearby cove of Mismaloya.

The international press descended on Puerto Vallarta to expose the secret romance between lead actor Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Vallarta suddenly became world-famous, with an aura of steamy tropical romance. When the film crew and media left, tour groups loaded with starry-eyed honeymooners began arriving.

Puerto Vallarta never looked back. In 1968, it used the influx of visitors and investors to lobby successfully to become a designated Mexican 'city'. It began building highway links south along the coast to Barra de Navidad and north to Compostela, and a new international airport. In the 1980s, the permanent population of central Puerto Vallarta doubled to over 100,000.

Recent history

Puerto Vallarta has gone on to become one of Mexico's premier international beach resorts, commanding as much tourist-brochure space as other Pacific playgrounds like Acapulco, Mazatlán and Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa. The resort-city gets 2.5 million visitors annually, 1.5 million of whom are Mexicans.

Top Accommodation

Top Restaurants

Puerto Vallarta experiences 322 days of sunshine a year. In the morning, the humidity can sometimes make things a little uncomfortable, but this almost always eases off by the middle of the day. Rainfall is heavier in June and October, often falling for one or two hours in the afternoon. The driest months, when it may not rain at all, are from November to April. These months are also the coolest, with temperatures averaging between 26 and 29°C (79-84°F). The hottest months, May to October, are also the wettest.

Average weather

• Temperature
• Humidity am/pm
• Rainfall

Transport

Getting there and away

Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport is off the highway about 8km (5mi) north of the city, near the Marina Vallarta. A number of Mexican and US carriers touch down here on direct flights from domestic hubs including Mexico City, Tijuana, Guadalajara and León, and North American cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas and Chicago. Two kilometers (1.2mi) north of the airport is a long-distance bus station, which has services to northern destinations inlcuding Tepic (3.5hr) and Mazatlán (8hr), southern sites including Manzanillo (5hr) and Zihuatanejo (15hr), and the key inland cities of Guadalajara (5hr) and Mexico City (13hr).

Getting around

To get from the airport to the city center, you can take a taxi, a colectivo (shuttle van), or a camion (local bus). If you opt for a taxi, catch one across the street from the terminal - the monopolizing 'official' airport cabs often try to charge higher rates. Colectivos are cheaper than taxis, and the camiones are cheapest of all.

Colectivos and camiones both run set routes throughout the city and along the coastal strips at either end, stopping at all of the major hotels as they go. Taxis veer through predetermined city zones, with the price of a ride climbing as you pass into a new zone - negotiate the fare before getting into the vehicle. Water taxis ply the bay between the resort and most of the surrounding beaches, and can be waved down on the main city beaches. Bicycles can be hired at a few places around town including Bike Mex and Eco Ride.

Health & Legal Requirements

Dangers and annoyances

Vallarta is tranquilo (peaceful), with little crime. For a safe trip, avoid driving at night: there are no road lights, many people drive without headlights, checkpoints are more difficult to get through and animals loiter in the middle of the road. Realistically, the most likely danger you'll encounter here are the powerful undertows that can make swimming deadly. Heed local warnings and swim with caution. Otherwise, kick back - you're on vacation.