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.

Traveler’s Choice Awards include Vallarta-Nayarit

The list of winners of the popular Traveler’s Choice Awards, granted every year by travel site TripAdvisor, included Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit for its hotels, restaurants, beaches and experiences.

These awards are given based on ratings, comments and reviews from TripAdvisor platform users around the world, making it a highly reliable award. This year Grand Velas Nayarit is the biggest winner, being included in Top Hotels (#7), Best All-Inclusive Resorts (#4), Top Luxury Hotels (#6) and Best Hotels for Service (#8).

Top 25 Hotels in Mexico also included Grand Luxxe at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta coming in at 19. While the 25 Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Mexico included Marival Distinct Luxury Residences and Villa Premiere Boutique Hotel & Romantic Getaway at 13 and 23, respectively. In the Top 25 Luxury Hotels in Mexico we can find Hotel Mousai (14) Grand Luxxe (15) and Villa La Estancia Riviera Nayarit (24).

The region also placed in Top 25 Small Hotels in Mexico with Casa Cupula (11); Top 25 Bargain Hotels with Hotel Posada de Roger (16), Casa Anita y Corona del Mar (21) and Hotel Porto Alegre (22); Top 25 Hotels for Service with Hotel Playa Fiesta (11); Top 25 Hotels for Romance with Casa Velas (12), Hotel Mousai (16) and Villa Premiere Boutique Hotel & Romantic Getaway (25); Top 25 B&Bs and Inns with Garlands Del Rio Boutique Hotel (11), Hacienda Escondida Puerto Vallarta (15); Top 25 Hotels for Families with The Grand Bliss at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta (1), Mayan Palace at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta (4), Samba Vallarta All Inclusive (5) and Sea Garden at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta (13).

Among restaurants, two made the Top 10 Restaurants list with Tuna Blanca Punta de Mita coming in at 5 and Etonne Nuevo Vallarta at 6.

Vallarta-Nayarit is also preferred by national travelers, ranking Puerto Vallarta at 4 and Nuevo Vallarta placing at 9 among the “Most Popular Destinations in Mexico”, the latter also landed at 6 in “Top 10 Beaches” with Playa Nuevo Vallarta. Lastly, Puerto Vallarta ranked in the “Top 10 Experiences” with the Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour at 5, Canopy River Zipline Tour and Mule Ride at 8 and Puerto Vallarta Outdoor Adventure Zip Line and Speedboat Ride at 9.

For the full list of winners, you can visit TripAdvisor.

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.