Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: Where I stayed, what I did, & tips for navigating around the city

Where is Puerto Vallarta located? 

Puerto Vallarta is a beach city located on the west coast of the country by the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the state of Jalisco and is a great place to be if you want to enjoy the sun by the beach. Great place for outdoorsy people too. 

Captures from Google Maps. PV on the west coast (Left), Centro (the City Center) is located further south from the Airport (Right)

Where did I stay in Puerto Vallarta (PV) ?

I stayed at Oasis Hostel, and I believe this hostel had the cheapest 6-bed female dorm available in the area. I booked through Hostel World as usual and the hostel was clean & comfy. The location was great, not too far from Centro, close to Benito Juarez. I felt very safe staying here and the staff were welcoming. It was a 30~40-minute bus ride from the Puerto Vallarta airport (note: Google Maps says it's a 25-minute bus ride but took longer with the traffic). I stayed in the 6-bed dorm by myself for the first two nights, but on the third and fourth night, I met new friends! 

The bedsheets were clean and the hostel itself felt ready homey and comfy. I enjoyed working at the rooftop with my laptop and sitting at the terrace in the evening to do some stargazing. 

Getting around in Puerto Vallarta (PV)

1. Uber/DiDi: Uber and DiDi are apps to download if you are looking for a ride. I rode a bus to my hostel from the airport because it was a 30-minute ride but if you are looking to get to the place you are staying consider Uber/Didi. Both are safe and commonly used apps and are cheaper than taxi companies or drivers that are at the airport. On a side note, Uber is generally a little bit cheaper than DiDi but it really depends on where you are headed and when you are riding, so make sure to check both apps if you are conscious about your budget. 

2. Public transportation: It’s good in PV but can be really tricky. The buses come every couple of minutes, so if you missed one or the bus was full to get on, don’t worry! The next one will arrive pretty soon. The most difficult part about using the bus system is knowing which bus to get on and when to get off. Each bus has a sign at the top with its number and the area it’s heading to (sometimes a list of general major bus stops, like Centro or Walmart but it’s very vague) but this information rarely matches with what Google Maps is telling you. Google Maps shows which bus stop to take the bus and which station to get off at with the bus number that is different from the actual buses that are running. As a first-timer, when the bus driver asked me which “area” or “neighborhood” I was heading to, I wasn’t able to answer because I only knew the bus stop based on Google Maps. So do some research on which area your destination is located in, and have Google Maps open to know when to get off. Every single ride is $10 MXN. No transfers included. It’s a good idea to have coins ready but if not, the drivers do carry changes (but don’t use cash greater than  $50 MXN) so no need to stress too much. If you don’t have $20 MXN cash, the very last resort would be to ask other riders hopping on the bus to see if you can pay for them and get change from them. 

3. Walking: The city is very walkable. The hostel I stayed at was  in the neighborhood, called Benito Juarez, which was walkable from Centro (about 20 minutes). Catching the bus from Centro to where I was staying was so hard and the bus never came, so I’ve walked almost every day- sometimes a couple times a day even! 

What to do in Puerto Vallarta (PV)

#1 Zipline Adventure

I kicked off the first day at PV with a ziplining adventure with Vallarta Adventures (Adventure Tour Company). It is one of the biggest and well-known companies in PV. Click here for more zipline adventures and other activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, etc. I was recommended of this company by someone I met on a plane to PV. The zipline adventure starts at Boca de Tomatlán (we were on a speedboat) and 4WD is provided to get to a very secluded place that is green and lush. The zipline adventure was about 2.5 hours and the entire trip was a full day trip. Rappelling, a water slide, and a couple of ziplines are included and this was by far the best ziplining experience I had! My first time ziplining upside down was so fun.

 GoPro, cellphones etc. weren't allowed so I couldn't capture all the ziplines I've done, but I took a photo after the adventure was over (Left). We took the speedboat from PV to get to Boca, where we then took a 4WD to go further into the mountains (Right). 

#2 Majahuitas & Yelapa 

 Swimming and paddle boarding at Majahuitas was fun! The waves were pretty high closer to the bay, which made paddle boarding extremely difficult, but it was fun to swim and see the stingray. There were also a lot of instagrammable places, so I spent time taking photos too. I personally liked Yelapa more because it was less crowded and there were more things to do/see. Yelapa’s beach has prettier colors than Majahuitas and Yelapa has its unique vibe filled with cute cafes and small stores. It’s also home to a waterfall, where you can swim in.  

Majahuitas Beach was nice! The water was warm to swim in. We were asked to wear life jackets for safety reasons when we got off the boat but the water was not deep (Left). The mirror by the beach was my favorite! I don't take a lot of selfies, but I ended up taking a whole lot right at this spot (Right).

Yelapa is a place where you will find handmade goodies, such as jewelry, pouches, and artworks (Left). Yelapa is also known for its beautiful beaches and its mountains (Right). 

#3  ATV ride

Another way to explore PV is to go on an ATV Adventure. I rented an ATV from here (make sure to bring your driver’s license) and it was fun! I met two British guys from North Dakota and it seemed like one of them was an experienced rider. We drove through the small towns of PV, where it’s only approachable by car or motorbikes! We reached the Sierra Madre and drove through the dusty roads.

One of the best ATV rides ever. Check out my Instagram to see the video I captured using my Go Pro Hero 10. 

#4 Sunset watching

A new friend I met in my hostel dorm recommended the Malecon area near Centro to catch the sunset.  We grabbed ezquite right before the sun was about to set. I saw the sunset two days in a row: on the first day, it was a bit cloudy but on the second day, the sky was clear, and capturing the color was easy. We were close to the Puerto Vallarta sign by the beach and it wasn't crowded at all to enjoy the view. 

Catching the sunset close to Malecón Boardwalk was one of the best experiences!