What is the safest part of Puerto Vallarta to stay in?

The Marina and the Romantic Zone are considered some of the safest areas to stay in Puerto Vallarta. Both areas are popular among tourists and offer a variety of accommodations, restaurants, and attractions. The Marina is known for its upscale atmosphere, luxury resorts, and high-end shops and restaurants. It has a very secure, controlled environment with 24/7 security personnel. The Romantic Zone offers a more authentic Mexican experience with cobblestone streets, colorful colonial buildings, and a vibrant mix of galleries, cafes, and bars. As a central tourist area, it also has a strong police presence and is considered very safe.

Where do locals go in Puerto Vallarta?

Locals in Puerto Vallarta enjoy spending time at the city's beautiful beaches, scenic parks, and lively local markets. Popular beach spots include Playa de Oro, Playa Las Animas, and Playa Camarones for their soft sand and calm waters. Many locals visit the Vallarta Botanical Gardens to enjoy the lush vegetation and hiking trails. They also frequent authentic local food venues like Birrieria las 3 Regiones taco stand, cafes like Cafecito Vallarta, and neighborhood bars like La Cerveceria Union. The downtown Lazaro Cardenas market is a favorite for produce, spices, crafts.

Is Downtown Puerto Vallarta nice?

Yes, downtown Puerto Vallarta is an exceptionally nice and popular area, celebrated for its vibrant mix of historic Mexican charm and a lively beach town atmosphere. It features a picturesque historic center with cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, and the iconic Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe church. The downtown seamlessly blends into the scenic Malecón, a beautiful oceanfront boardwalk lined with fascinating sculptures, shops, and restaurants, making it perfect for strolling and enjoying the stunning ocean views. The area offers an excellent variety of dining, from upscale restaurants to authentic street food, along with fantastic shopping in boutiques and art galleries. Adjacent to the main center is the popular Zona Romántica (Romantic Zone), known for its trendy vibe and energetic nightlife. The entire downtown is considered safe and is very walkable, allowing visitors to easily explore its captivating blend of culture, cuisine, and coastal beauty on foot. Tip: For an unforgettable experience, head down to the Malecón or any beachfront spot about 30 minutes before the scheduled sundown to watch the spectacular sunset over the bay.

What is considered old town in Puerto Vallarta?

Old Town, also known as the Romantic Zone or Zona Romántica, is considered the historic heart of Puerto Vallarta. It is characterized by its picturesque cobblestone streets, classic whitewashed buildings, red-tiled roofs, and a lively mix of shops, galleries, restaurants and bars. Nestled between the Sierra Madre mountains and Banderas Bay, Old Town has a traditional Mexican village charm with its colonial architecture and slower pace compared to the rest of Puerto Vallarta. Its romantic ambience comes from the area's natural beauty, outdoor cafes, and charming boutique hotels. Old Town offers visitors a taste of an authentic Mexican neighborhood.

Crime And Safety In Puerto Vallarta

Safety and crime in Puerto Vallarta

Table of Contents

Summary

Puerto Vallarta is a very safe destination for international travelers, although tourists should obviously exercise caution, just as they would in their own countries.
It is recommended to stay in well-lit, crowded places after dark and avoid drugs and dark alleys.

Puerto Vallarta has implemented various security measures, and local authorities are working to make the city safer.
Crime rates in Puerto Vallarta have decreased in recent years due to the initiatives taken by city authorities and community members.

With the ongoing issue of the COVID-19 virus, the feasibility and safety of traveling to Puerto Vallarta varies from week to week and sometimes from day to day. We recommend contacting our expert in the destination, Leonel at information@puertovallarta.net to obtain adequate and up-to-date advice.

Is it safe to travel to Mexico and Puerto Vallarta?

“Unequivocally, yes,” said Peter Greenberg, a well-known travel expert and Travel Editor for CBS’s “The Early Show” in an interview with Consumer Affairs.” [source]

This is what the US State Department has to say about travel to Puerto Vallarta and Jalisco (Guadalajara). They tend to be extremely cautious (sometimes a bit absurdly so) when it comes to their travel warnings, maybe they are scared of being sued or something like that… On their most recent Official Mexico publication regarding Jalisco. the state that includes Guadalajara and PV, they say:

“There are no restrictions on travel for U.S government employees to: Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, Riviera Nayarit (including Puerto Vallarta), Chapala, and Ajijic.”
(Travel Advisory December 17, 2019)

It is important that readers understand that the violence you might hear of in Mexico-USA border towns and cities is not at all representative of what happens in the rest of Mexico, especially tourist destinations like Pto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas or Cancun and that the main area of conflict is some 1200 and 700 miles away (Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, and Laredo). It’s like thinking that the whole of the USA is as violent and dangerous as Detroit, Chicago, Washington DC or New Orleans.

Popular Tourist Destination Homicide Rates

PV’s Tourism Board hired a leading global investigative and security firm, Thomas Dale and Associates, in 2011 to review safety levels in the city, this year the company followed up with a 2012 report.

The city of Puerto Vallarta has approximately the same population as Anaheim, California (ie. Disneyland), which also has a high number of visitors to many attractions and numerous hotels. Anaheim and PV are both located on the Pacific Coast and are vacation destinations. This offers a credible and clear comparison for both cities and the real vs. the perceived risk:

	Anaheim	Puerto Vallarta
Population	327357	325000
Homicide	9	29
Rape	80	42
Robbery	419	186
Aggravated assault	465	406
Burglary	1251	419
Auto theft	1029	450

2011 Data

The company mentions vulnerabilities, such as the surrounding areas that are used for hiking, bird watching, photography and other sports and activities, increase your risk of unforeseen events, both natural and man-made, as was the case of the group of 22 tourists in El Nogalito (1.5-hour drive from Vallarta) that were robbed in Feb. 2012, there were no injuries. The reports mention that Methamphetamine will be the future drug issue and has to be contained.

Puerto Vallarta Police

TDA also mentions positive trends and actions that have helped improve the local safety, for example, the city has twice the national average of policemen required by the Mexican Federal Government. Another worthwhile program is the Taxi Safe alert system, read more here.

TDA mentions that Puerto Vallarta is one of the safest destinations for international visitors and is also very safe and preferred by expats too, something that is also backed up by the numbers provided by SECTUR, which mention that occupation in 2017 has been up around 20% compared with 2011.

Consumers and media have given the city numerous awards.

So then, is Puerto Vallarta safe? Yes, without a doubt!

The numbers back it up, more than 5 million happy visitors in 2019 and with a projected 20% increase in cruise ship passenger arrivals for 2020, even after a record-breaking year in 2019. Studies support this too and, furthermore, the fact that no official travel warnings include the city also drives the point home.

But don’t take our word for it, use some of the resources we offer below and read for yourself.

Have a great trip to Puerto Vallarta!

Those looking for information safety and crime in Nuevo Vallarta, considering this travel destination is 6 miles North of the PV Airport, any rules that apply for Puerto Vallarta, apply for that destination too.

Resources

Compare Mexico & USA on crime stats: http://www.nationmaster.com/compare/Mexico/United-States/Crime
Consumer Affairs April 2013: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/is-it-still-safe-to-go-to-mexico-040113.html
Crime, the USA vs. Mexico: http://www.mexicoonmymind.com/crime-usa-vs-mexico
Crime in Mexico: Is Puerto Vallarta unsafe for travelers?
Foreign Travel Advice México, UK.Gov
How safe is Mexico? http://howsafeismexico.com
In the Capital – More likely to get murdered in Washington DC, than Mexico City.
Is Mexico Safe: A great blog with useful information on safety in all of Mexico.
Retiring to Mexico, is it safe? AbroadDreams.com
Travel Market Report (Feb 21, 2019)
US citizens safer in Mexico than at home – Lonely Planet
US Department of State Travel Warnings for Mexico
World Nomads (Feb 11, 2019)

More information:

FAQ

What is the safest part of Puerto Vallarta to stay in?

The Marina and the Romantic Zone are considered some of the safest areas to stay in Puerto Vallarta. Both areas are popular among tourists and offer a variety of accommodations, restaurants, and attractions. The Marina is known for its upscale atmosphere, luxury resorts, and high-end shops and restaurants. It has a very secure, controlled environment with 24/7 security personnel. The Romantic Zone offers a more authentic Mexican experience with cobblestone streets, colorful colonial buildings, and a vibrant mix of galleries, cafes, and bars. As a central tourist area, it also has a strong police presence and is considered very safe.
Where do locals go in Puerto Vallarta?

Locals in Puerto Vallarta enjoy spending time at the city’s beautiful beaches, scenic parks, and lively local markets. Popular beach spots include Playa de Oro, Playa Las Animas, and Playa Camarones for their soft sand and calm waters. Many locals visit the Vallarta Botanical Gardens to enjoy the lush vegetation and hiking trails. They also frequent authentic local food venues like Birrieria las 3 Regiones taco stand, cafes like Cafecito Vallarta, and neighborhood bars like La Cerveceria Union. The downtown Lazaro Cardenas market is a favorite for produce, spices, crafts.
Is Downtown Puerto Vallarta nice?

Yes, downtown Puerto Vallarta is an exceptionally nice and popular area, celebrated for its vibrant mix of historic Mexican charm and a lively beach town atmosphere. It features a picturesque historic center with cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, and the iconic Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe church. The downtown seamlessly blends into the scenic Malecón, a beautiful oceanfront boardwalk lined with fascinating sculptures, shops, and restaurants, making it perfect for strolling and enjoying the stunning ocean views.

The area offers an excellent variety of dining, from upscale restaurants to authentic street food, along with fantastic shopping in boutiques and art galleries. Adjacent to the main center is the popular Zona Romántica (Romantic Zone), known for its trendy vibe and energetic nightlife. The entire downtown is considered safe and is very walkable, allowing visitors to easily explore its captivating blend of culture, cuisine, and coastal beauty on foot.

Tip: For an unforgettable experience, head down to the Malecón or any beachfront spot about 30 minutes before the scheduled sundown to watch the spectacular sunset over the bay.
What is considered old town in Puerto Vallarta?

Old Town, also known as the Romantic Zone or Zona Romántica, is considered the historic heart of Puerto Vallarta. It is characterized by its picturesque cobblestone streets, classic whitewashed buildings, red-tiled roofs, and a lively mix of shops, galleries, restaurants and bars. Nestled between the Sierra Madre mountains and Banderas Bay, Old Town has a traditional Mexican village charm with its colonial architecture and slower pace compared to the rest of Puerto Vallarta. Its romantic ambience comes from the area’s natural beauty, outdoor cafes, and charming boutique hotels. Old Town offers visitors a taste of an authentic Mexican neighborhood.