Planning a Trip

Gettign There and Departing

By Plane -- Local numbers of some international carriers serving Puerto Vallarta are Alaska Airlines (tel. 322/221-1350 or -1353), American Airlines (tel. 322/221-1799 or -1927), America West (tel. 322/221-1333, or 001-880/235-9292 inside Mexico), Continental (tel. 322/221-1025 or -2212), Frontier (tel. 800/432-1359), and Ted (United's lower-cost carrier offers direct service from San Francisco and Denver; tel. 800/225-5833 in the U.S.).

AeroMéxico (tel. 322/221-1204 or -1030) flies from Los Angeles, San Diego, Aguascalientes, Guadalajara, La Paz, León, Mexico City, Morelia, and Tijuana. Mexicana (tel. 322/224-8900 or 221-1266) has direct or nonstop flights from Chicago, Los Angeles, Guadalajara, Mazatlán, and Mexico City.

Major car rental agencies have counters at the airport, including Budget (tel. 800/472-3325 in the U.S., or 322/221-1730), Hertz (tel. 322/221-1473 or -1399), National (tel. 322/221-1226), and Alamo (tel. 322/221-1228), open during flight arrivals; they generally can also deliver a car to your hotel. Daily rates run $58 to $78. You need a car only if you plan to explore surrounding cities or are staying either along the southern coast, or north of Nuevo Vallarta.

By Car -- The coastal Highway 200 is the only choice from Mazatlán (6 hr. north) or Manzanillo (3 1/2-4 hr. south). Highway 15 from Guadalajara to Tepic takes 6 hours; to save as much as 2 hours, take Highway 15A from Chapalilla to Compostela, bypassing Tepic, then continue south on Highway 200 to Puerto Vallarta.

By Bus -- The bus station, Central Camionera de Puerto Vallarta, is just north of the airport, approximately 11km (7 miles) from downtown. It offers overnight guarded parking and baggage storage. Most major first-class bus lines operate from here, with transportation to points throughout Mexico, including Mazatlán, Tepic, Manzanillo, Guadalajara, and Mexico City. Taxis into town cost approximately $7.50 (£4.15) and are readily available; public buses operate from 7am to 11pm and regularly stop in front of the arrivals hall.

Orientation

Arriving by Plane -- The airport is close to the north end of town near the Marina Vallarta, about 10km (6 1/4 miles) from downtown. Transportes Terrestres minivans and Aeromovil taxis make the trip. They use a zone pricing system, with fares clearly posted at the ticket booths. Fares start at $10 (£5.50) for a ride to Marina Vallarta and go up to $35 (£19) for the south shore hotels. Federally licensed airport taxis exclusively provide transportation from the airport, and their fares are more than three times as high as city (yellow) taxi fares. A trip to downtown Puerto Vallarta costs $22 (£12), whereas a return trip using a city taxi costs only $8 (£4.40). Only airport cabs may pick up passengers leaving the airport. However, if you don't have too much baggage, you can cross the highway using the overpass, and there you'll find yellow cabs lined up. Note that when you arrive at the International Arrivals gate, after you collect your baggage, you enter into an enclosed area with colorful wall displays and an aggressive group of seemingly helpful greeters; beware -- these are timeshare hustlers, and their goal, often in the guise of offering you free or discounted transportation, is to get you to attend a timeshare presentation. Keep walking -- just outside this booth are the bona fide taxi and transportation alternatives.

Visitor Information -- Prior to arrival, a great source of general information is the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board (tel. 888/384-6822 in the U.S.; www.visitpuertovallarta.com). If you have questions after you arrive, visit the Municipal Tourism Office at Juárez and Independencia (tel. 322/223-2500, ext. 230) in a corner of the white Presidencia Municipal building (city hall) on the northwest end of the main square. In addition to offering a listing of current events and promotional brochures for local activities and services, the employees can also assist with specific questions -- there's usually an English speaker on staff. This is also the office of the tourist police. It's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 9pm. During low season it may close for lunch between 2 and 4pm.

The State Tourism Office, Plaza Marina L 144, second floor (tel. 322/221-2676, -2677, or -2678; fax 322/221-2680), also offers brochures and can assist with specific questions about Puerto Vallarta and other points in the state of Jalisco, including Guadalajara, Costa Alegre, the town of Tequila, and the program that promotes stays in authentic rural haciendas. It's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.

City Layout -- The seaside promenade, the malecón, is a common reference point for giving directions. It's next to Paseo Díaz Ordaz and runs north-south through the central downtown area. From the waterfront, the town stretches back into the hills a half-dozen blocks. The areas bordering the Río Cuale are the oldest parts of town -- the original Puerto Vallarta. The area immediately south of the river, called Olas Altas after its main street (and sometimes Los Muertos after the beach of the same name), is home to a growing selection of sidewalk cafes, fine restaurants, espresso bars, and hip nightclubs. In the center of town, nearly everything is within walking distance both north and south of the river. Bridges on Insurgentes (northbound traffic) and Ignacio Vallarta (southbound traffic) link the two sections of downtown.

Area Layout -- Beyond downtown, Puerto Vallarta has grown along the beach to the north and south. Linking downtown to the airport is Avenida Francisco Medina Ascencio. Along this main thoroughfare are many high-rise hotels (in an area called the Zona Hotelera, or Hotel Zone), plus several shopping centers with a variety of dining options.

Marina Vallarta, a resort city within a city, is at the northern edge of the Hotel Zone not far from the airport. It boasts modern luxury hotels, condominiums, and homes; a huge marina with 450 yacht slips; a golf course; restaurants and bars; and several shopping plazas. Because it was originally a swamp, the beaches are the least desirable in the area, with darker sand and seasonal inflows of cobblestones. The Marina Vallarta peninsula faces the bay and looks south to the town of Puerto Vallarta.

Nuevo Vallarta is a booming planned resort north of the airport, across the Ameca River in the state of Nayarit (about 13km/8 miles north of downtown). It also has hotels, condominiums, and a yacht marina, with a growing selection of restaurants and shopping, including the new Paradise Plaza mall. Most hotels there are all-inclusive, with some of the finest beaches in the bay, but guests usually travel into Puerto Vallarta (about $15/£8.25 a cab ride) for anything other than poolside or beach action. Regularly scheduled public bus service costs about $1.50 (85p) and runs until 10pm.

Bucerías, a small beachside village of cobblestone streets, villas, and small hotels, is farther north along Banderas Bay, 30km (19 miles) beyond the airport. Past Bucerías, following the curved coastline of Banderas Bay you'll find La Cruz de Huanaxcle, site of a new mega-marina project currently under construction, but still a charming seaside town with mucho local color. Continue on to the end of the road and you'll reach Punta Mita. Once a rustic fishing village, it has been artfully developed as a luxury destination. In the works are a total of three exclusive luxury boutique resorts, private villas, and two golf courses. The site of an ancient celestial observatory, it is an exquisite setting, with white-sand beaches and clear waters. The northern shore of Banderas Bay is emerging as the area's most exclusive address for luxury villas and accommodations.

In the other direction from downtown is the southern coastal highway, home to more luxury hotels. Immediately south of town lies the exclusive residential and rental district of Conchas Chinas. Ten kilometers (6 miles) south, on Playa Mismaloya (where Night of the Iguana was filmed), lies the Barceló La Jolla de Mismaloya resort. There's no road on the southern shoreline of Banderas Bay, but three small coastal villages are popular attractions for visitors to Puerto Vallarta: Las Animas, Quimixto, and Yelapa, all accessible only by boat. The tiny, pristine cove of Caletas, site of John Huston's former home, is a popular day- or nighttime excursion.

Getting Around

By Taxi -- Taxis are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. Most trips from downtown to the northern Hotel Zone and Marina Vallarta cost $4 to $9 (£4.40-£4.95); to or from Marina Vallarta to Mismaloya Beach (to the south) costs $12 to $15 (£6.60-£8.25). Rates are charged by zone and are generally posted in the lobbies of hotels. Taxis can also be hired by the hour or day for longer trips. Rates run $15 to $18 (£8.25-£9.90) per hour, with discounts available for full-day rates -- consider this an alternative to renting a car.

By Car -- Rental cars are readily available at the airport, through travel agencies, and through the most popular U.S. car rental services, but unless you're planning a distant side trip, don't bother. Car rentals are expensive, averaging $66 (£36) per day, and parking around town is very challenging, unless you opt for one of the two new parking garages constructed on either end of the malecón zone (at Park Hidalgo to the north, and adjacent to the northern border of the Cuale River to the south). If you see a sign for a $10 (£5.50) Jeep rental or $20 (£11) car rental, be aware that these are lures to get people to attend timeshare presentations. Unless you are interested in a timeshare, stopping to inquire will be a waste of your time.

By Bus -- City buses, easy to navigate and inexpensive, will serve just about all your transportation needs. They run from the airport through the Hotel Zone along Morelos Street (1 block inland from the malecón), across the Río Cuale, and inland on Vallarta, looping back through the downtown hotel and restaurant districts on Insurgentes and several other downtown streets. To get to the northern hotel strip from old Puerto Vallarta, take the ZONA HOTELES, IXTAPA, or LAS JUNTAS bus. These buses may also post the names of hotels they pass, such as Krystal, Fiesta Americana, Sheraton, and others. Buses marked MARINA VALLARTA travel inside this area, stopping at the major hotels there.

Other buses operate every 10 to 15 minutes south to either Mismaloya Beach or Boca de Tomatlán (a sign in the front window indicates the destination) from Constitución and Basilio Badillo, a few blocks south of the river.

Buses run generally from 6am to 11pm, and it's rare to wait more than a few minutes for one. The fare is about 50¢ (30p). You do not have to have exact change; the driver will make change.

Steer Clear of the Rambo Bus! -- Buses in Vallarta tend to be rather aggressive, and some even sport names -- including "Terminator," "Rambo," and "Tornado." Don't tempt fate by assuming these buses will stop for pedestrians. Although Vallarta has an extremely low crime rate, bus accidents are frequent -- and frequently fatal.

By Boat -- The muelle (cruise-ship pier), also called Terminal Marítima, is where excursion boats to Yelapa, Las Animas, Quimixto, and the Marietas Islands depart. It's north of town near the airport, an inexpensive taxi or bus ride from town. Just take any bus marked IXTAPA, LAS JUNTAS, PITILLAL, or AURORA and tell the driver to let you off at the Terminal Marítima. Note: Odd though it may seem, you must pay a $1.50 (85p) fee (this is a federal tax) to gain access to the pier -- and your departing excursion boat.

Water taxis to Yelapa, Las Animas, and Quimixto leave at 10:30 and 11am from the pier at Los Muertos Beach (south of downtown), on Rodolfo Rodríguez next to the Hotel Marsol. Another water taxi departs at 11am from the beachside pier at the northern edge of the malecón. A round-trip ticket to Yelapa (the farthest point) costs $25 (£14). Return trips usually depart between 3 and 4pm, but confirm the pickup time with your water taxi captain. Other water taxis depart from Boca de Tomatlán, about 30 minutes south of town by public bus. These water taxis are the better option if you want more flexible departure and return times from the southern beaches. Generally, they leave on the hour for the southern shore destinations, or more frequently if there is traffic. Prices run about $12 (£6.60) round-trip, with rates now clearly posted on a sign on the beach. A private water taxi costs $55 to $100 (£30-£55), depending on your destination, and allows you to choose your own return time. They'll take up to eight people for that price, so often people band together at the beach to hire one.

Special Events in Puerto Vallarta

Each November, the annual Gourmet Festival (www.festivalgourmet.com) is a standout reason to come here, with an agenda filled with culinary exhibitions, wine tastings, and guest chefs preparing special menus at area restaurants. Dates vary; call the Tourism Board (tel. 888/384-6822 in the U.S.) for a schedule, but the 2007 edition is slated for November 8 to 18. From December 1 to December 12, the Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe -- Mexico's patron saint -- inspires one of the most authentic displays of culture and community in Mexico. Businesses, neighborhoods, associations, and groups make pilgrimages (called peregrinaciones) to the church, where they exchange offerings for a brief blessing by the priest. These processions, especially those created by hotels, often include floats, Aztec dancers, and mariachis, and are followed by fireworks. Hotels frequently invite guests to participate in the walk to the church. It's an event not to be missed.