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.

Tranquila Beach, Puerto Vallarta Hotel Zone

Table of Contents

Features & amenities

Restaurants

Bars

Vendors

Hotels Nearby

Swimming

Hotel Zone

Summary

Tranquila Beach is located about 25 minutes on foot, 1.4 miles (2.0 km) from the main square in downtown Puerto Vallarta.
It is a small, quiet beach that is less crowded than some of the more popular beaches in the area.
The beach is between the Costa Club Punta Arena and the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center.

The beach is surrounded by condominiums and resorts, including Buganvilias Resort Vacation Club, Costa Club Punta Arena, and Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center.
The beach is a great place to relax and enjoy the sun and the sea.

Puerto Vallarta Malecon (Boardwalk) A City Favorite

Puerto Vallarta Romantic Zone (AKA: Old Town Or South Side)

Mismaloya Beach, Puerto Vallarta, A Complete Guide

Los Muertos Beach The Most Popular One In Puerto Vallarta

Introduction

The beaches in the Puerto Vallarta Hotel Zone are from north to south:

The resorts, condos, and hotels you’ll find along Tranquila Beach from north to south are:

Costa Club Punta Arena
Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center
Buganvilias Resort Vacation Club

By car it’s some 9 minutes, approximately 1.7 miles (2.8 km) from the main square in downtown Puerto Vallarta.

Tranquila Beach on the northern end features darker emerald-green waters and some darker golden sand, you can wade a bit into the sea, but because it is not the most popular beach, you won’t have a lifeguard, so do be careful. The beach is some 40 meters wide on the northern end and tapers down to some 25 meters on the southern end. You’ll only find sand north of the beach in front of the Sheraton property. The rest is very rocky (check out the video).

What to do

Tranquila (Calm) Beach, Hotel Zone, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

I would recommend going in through the northern side access via Febronio Uribe street. You’ll walk between the “ghost” building and Flamingos Beach Club (Bar). There are a few bars with basic food and beer, maybe a fruit stand if you are adventurous.

Costa Club Beach Club, Tranquila Beach, Hotel Zone, Puerto Vallarta

This beach is mostly for sunbathing, a shallow dive into the sea, and maybe a stroll around, mainly northward into Las Glorias Beach. Considering the many nice beach options all around the bay, I find it hard to justify going here.

How to get to Tranquila Beach

Tranquila Beach is located some 25 minutes on foot, 1.4 miles (2.0 km) from the main square in downtown Puerto Vallarta. It’s between the Costa Club Punta Arena and Villa Premiere. It’s between Las Glorias Beach to the north and Camarones Beach to the south.

This beach tends to be a bit hidden away from the normal Puerto Vallarta visitor and few venture to it, mainly because it is not obviously accessible from the main boulevard, and the fact that the beach itself is not really nice, doesn’t help.

Tranquila Beach access & details

There are two available public beach access points, one on the north side and another on the southern end. The northern access path goes along Fabricio Uribe street, you’ll be walking toward the abandoned building and then taking a right to the sea. The southern access is a dead-end alleyway called Atlatenco and follows the southern edge of Buganvilias Resort Vacation Club.

Febronio Uribe access point

Because this beach is not the best one, both access points are not either very chic or nice, the fact that this road leads to an abandoned building too, makes it even less attractive, but there are some service providers here, so, despite the looks, you’ll be able to rent water-skis or similar services. You’ll walk 160 meters south before you arrive at Tranquila Beach and the best section of the beach that’s located north of the beach in front of the Sheraton.

Atlatenco Alley access point

There’s really not much point accessing the beach from here, you’ll arrive at a rock-covered beach, with at least 400 meters in each direction for any semblance of sand. Maybe a good starting point for drone or photo sessions…

Playa Tranquila Location Map

Where to stay in Tranquila Beach

There are three hotels & resorts in this area of the hotel zone that share Tranquila Beach, including, from north to south:

Costa Club Punta Arena
Sheraton Buganvilias Resort & Convention Center
Buganvilias Resort Vacation Club

Map of the Hotel Zone lodging options

A little bit of history

Sheraton Buganvilias Puerto Vallarta in the early 1980s

In the 1960s the area where the ex-Holiday Inn, ex-Plaza Las Glorias (now Plaza Pelicanos), Los Tules, Fiesta Americana, Las Palmas, and Sheraton on Tranquila beach was all a series of creeks covered up in lilies and tule reeds (Schoenoplectus acutus – AKA bulrush) and was also used for crocodile farms.

Sheraton was the first big hotel built on this beach in 1978.

Conclusion

Of all the beaches in the hotel zone, Tranquila Beach would be the one I would recommend you just skip. If you are staying at the Sheraton of Buganvilias Resort, you’ll maybe take a peek, a small stroll there and back, but I doubt you’ll enjoy and use it. If you are staying at Costa Club, there’s a bit more of a beach at their location and it’ll be alright. For anyone not staying in this part of town, skip this beach, there’s no point visiting it when you have so many better options north and south of it.

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.