Nuevo Vallarta Resources 

Villa La Estancia Condo Rental

Beachfront 2BD/3BA condominium for rent

Frommer's Vallarta

Guidebook information on Puerto & Nuevo Vallarta

Bucerias Information

Anything & everything about Bucerias

Wiki Puerto Vallarta

Great Puerto Vallarta information source

Nuevo Vallarta Travel Books 

I find Fodor's travel guides to have the best information arranged in a way that I can really use it. However, many of my travel buddies like the other books listed as well. The renegade guide is great if you are planning to move or live in Mexico for an extended period of time.

Fodor's Puerto Vallarta 2008: With Guadalajara, San Blas, and Inland Mountain Towns (Fodor's Gold Guides)

by Jane Onstott

Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 10/11/2008)

Puerto Vallarta & Pacific Mexico (Regional Guide)

by Michael Read

Amazon Price: $12.91 (as of 10/11/2008)

Moon Puerto Vallarta: Including the Nayarit and Jalisco Coasts (Moon Handbooks)

by Bruce Whipperman

Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 10/11/2008)

Frommer's Portable Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo & Guadalajara (Frommer's Portable)

by David Baird, Lynne Bairstow

Amazon Price: $11.04 (as of 10/11/2008)

Head for Mexico: The Renegade Guide

by Don Adams

Amazon Price: $28.50 (as of 10/11/2008)

Location & Weather 

Current Weather 

Current weather conditions in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Local Pollen Reports

28°C (Feels like 33°C)

Last update: 10/11/08 10:49 AM Local Time

Humidity: 84%
Visibility: Unlimited km
Dew Point: 25°C
UV Index: 2 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 1012.2mm rising
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: 10km/h From: Airport Conditions

Nuevo Vallarta Photos 

Best Nuevo Vallarta Hotels 

Recently, our favorite place to stay has become the brand new Villa La Estancia - Nuevo Vallarta resort. Modeled after and built by the same group as the Villa La Estancia resort in Cabo San Lucas, this luxury property has it all. With stunning 2 and 3 bedroom villas with top of the line furnishings and ridiculously huge verandas (50 feet wide x 12 feet deep), this resort is 5-star all the way. The property has a spa, workout facility, numerous restaurants and a gigantic pool. It has a prime spot on Flamingos Beach and Banderas Bay. Book here and you won't be disappointed!

One additional tip - be sure to get a villa/condo that is no more that 3 units back from the beach for the best views. These units will begin with the number 1 and end with either 01, 02 or 03 (for example, 1403 or 1502). Most villas can be rented direct from the owner or through the VLE main website. We recommend going through the owner because you can guarantee the villa location and won't risk getting stuck in the back over the lobby. For vacation rentals by owners in Nuevo Vallarta, try searching at Home Away or Vacation Rentals By Owner.

Villa La Estancia Condo - Nuevo Vallarta 

One of the BEST places to stay in Nuevo Vallarta!

Nuevo Vallarta Activities 

1. Horse Back Riding on Flamingos Beach - Just north of the new Villa La Estancia development and south of Bucerias, there is a stretch of beach in front of the turtle sanctuary where one of the local vaqueros (cowboys) has horses that you can ride on the beach. His schedule is somewhat sporadic, but should you have a chance to go for a ride, hop on and enjoy!

2. Whale Watching in Banderas Bay - From mid-December through March, the humpback whales migrate to Banderas Bay. Many companies offer whale watching tours, but my favorites are the 1/2 day afternoon tours from Vallarta Adventures & Pegaso Tours. In the afternoon, the weather is usually warm and both of these tours are quite affordable (around $55). Beware that parking at Marina Vallarta is often overcrowded and difficult at the lot once afternoon arrives. You may need to park on a nearby street or lot so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to park and get to the boat for your whale watching adventure. NOTE - if you don't want to go whale watching on a boat, bring along your binoculars. You can see whales from shore - just look for the boats and plumes of white water that the whales spew from their blow holes to find them.

3. Sport Fishing For Black Marlin & Sailfish in the Pacific - The ultimate sport fishing experience is chartering a boat from either Master Baiter's or Charter Dreams for a 10 hour expedition to the abundant waters just outside Banderas Bay on the Pacific. Note that the charters are VERY expensive costing upwards of $1000 for 4 people to fish for the day.

4. Golfing at El Tigre - Within walking distance or short taxi ride to many of the major resorts and condo developments in Nuevo Vallarta, El Tigre is a world class golf course that is a must for golf enthusiasts. It is sometimes referred to as one of the most difficult golf courses in Mexico, but we've found that it is still fun for amateurs.

5. Surfing in Sayulita - About 30 minutes north of Nuevo Vallarta is the authentic Mexican beach and fishing village of Sayulita. The beach is known for its gentle surf and rolling waves that are perfect for beginning surfers. Several local companies have surf boards for rent and offer reasonably priced lessons. Just walk along the beach sidewalk and you'll see plenty of rentals available.

6. Zip Line Canopy Tour - Get a unique look at the rain forest and flora surrounding Nuevo and Puerto Vallarta by taking a zip line canopy tour with one of the local operators such as Vallarta Adventures. A tour guide will lead you around from platform to platform as you zip down metal cables while being harnessed in. An activity for the truly adventurous!

7. ATV - Dune Buggy Tour - Explore the hills and beaches around Nuevo or Puerto Vallarta in ATV or dune buggies. These tours are for the adventurous at heart and if you mind dirt, this isn't the tour for you. In the wetter summer months, exploring the hills is even more fun in the mud and deep puddles. Be sure to wear clothes that can get dirty!

8. Walking the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta (PV) - Take an afternoon or evening stroll along the board walk in Puerto Vallarta where you can see sand sculptures, permanent statues, exceptional views of PV and Banderas Bay, great shops and fabulous people. On certain days of the week, you can see the Papantla Flyers who climb the tall metal pole and perform a death defying head first spiral to the ground. Also don't miss the symbolic arches at the South end of the malecon and the historic Our Lady of Guadalupe church.

9. Watching the Sunset over Banderas Bay - Nuevo Vallarta has some of the best sunsets in the world and Flamingos Beach is a great place to sit back and enjoy the breathtaking view as the sun sets on the horizon. Depending on the time of year, the sun will set either over the water or the mountains at the North end of the bay. We've seen a wide range of colors from pinks to red, orange and purple. Gorgeous!

10. Visiting Bucerias - Whether you want to kick back in a lounge chair at the beach and have them bring you a bucket of beers or you want to barter with the locals in the market place for a prized souvenir, Bucerias is our top choice for visiting an authentic Mexican town. The people are ridiculously friendly in this little town at the north end of Flamingos beach. The action centers around the local square where the historic church takes center stage. Bucerias abounds with delicious restaurants too!

Best Nuevo Vallarta Area Restaurants 

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Leave Your Comments about my Nuevo Vallarta Tips 

garywgoldstein Very tempting place, I like it! Thanks for sharing. Posted October 10, 2008

Alex-and-Ra nice lens. very informative Posted August 11, 2008

KimGiancaterino Great lens! Welcome to All Things Travel. Posted June 19, 2008

MexicaliBill I've visited this area, also known as Riveria Nayarit, a couple of times and can't wait to go back. We always stay at the north end, so we're within walking distance of Bucerias and away from the mega resorts. Posted June 02, 2008

WhitneyWells Great Lens! 5 Stars all the way! Very well put together! Posted February 20, 2008