Guides / Towns & villages
What to see in Puerto Vallarta: places you can't miss
Puerto Vallarta's must-sees: the Malecón, downtown, the Romantic Zone, viewpoints, beaches, Los Arcos and the bay seen from the sea.
Downtown · Banderas Bay · Updated October 2026
Fact sheet
- Downtown
- Malecón and Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Romantic Zone
- Los Muertos Beach and pier
- Best view
- Mirador de La Cruz
- From the sea
- Los Arcos and Yelapa
Puerto Vallarta blends a town with cobblestone streets, a huge bay and jungle-covered mountains. If it's your first visit, these are the places worth seeing.
The Malecón and downtown
The seafront promenade with sculptures, restaurants and the city's most famous sunsets. A few blocks away is the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, with the crown atop its tower, a symbol of Vallarta.
Isla del Río Cuale and the Romantic Zone
The island in the middle of the river has a park, crafts and hanging bridges. Across it, the Romantic Zone brings together galleries, cafés, nightlife and Los Muertos Beach with its pier.
Viewpoints
The Mirador de La Cruz viewpoint, above downtown, offers one of the best views of the bay; you climb up by stairs, and it's best early or at sunset.
Heading south
The coastal highway leads to Mismaloya, facing Los Arcos, to Boca de Tomatlán and to the Vallarta Botanical Garden. From there begin the beaches you can only reach by sea.
The bay from the sea
You haven't really seen Vallarta until you see it from the water: Los Arcos, the hidden beaches to the south, Yelapa and, in winter, the humpback whales.
How to go
If you'd like to go with us
Our catamaran day tours cover the bay's south coast with food, drinks and activities included, departing from the Puerto Vallarta Maritime Terminal.
Keep reading
All guides
Towns & villages
Yelapa: Puerto Vallarta's village with no road
20°29′ N · Southern end of the bay, Jalisco
Islands & beaches
Snorkeling at Los Arcos de Mismaloya: what to see and how to go
20°33′ N · Off Mismaloya, south of town
Islands & beaches
Marietas Islands and Hidden Beach: what you should know
20°42′ N · Off Punta de Mita, Nayarit
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