moon puerto vallarta: with sayulita, the riviera nayarit & costalegre: getaways, beaches & surfing, local flavors

Towering mountains and turquoise sea, street food and cutting-edge cuisine, old-world vibes and world-class luxury: Explore a tropical paradise full of surprises with Moon Puerto Vallarta. Inside you’ll find:

• Strategic, flexible itineraries with ideas for outdoor adventurers, beach bums, surfers, budget travelers, wellness seekers, and more, including a Costalegre road trip
• The top outdoor adventures: Snorkel in the crystal-clear ocean, spot humpback whales and sea turtles out on the bay, or take a surfing lesson. Catch a sunset on the beach, go standup paddle boarding, or escape to the misty Sierra Madres for a hike
• Must-see highlights and unique experiences: Enjoy tacos from a street vendor, feast on Mexican delicacies at a waterfront restaurant, or drop anchor and grill your freshly-caught fish in a palapa. Shop from local artists along the Malecón, or spend a day volunteering at a turtle rescue camp. Visit a tequila distillery, sample local raicilla, and dance to cumbia as the sun sets over the beach
• How to experience Puerto Vallarta like an insider, support local and sustainable businesses, avoid crowds, and respectfully engage with the culture
• Expert insight from local writer Madeline Milne
• Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout
• Reliable background information on the landscape, climate, wildlife, and history, as well as common customs and etiquette
• Handy tools including a Spanish phrasebook, packing suggestions, and travel tips for families with kids, seniors, travelers with disabilities, travelers of color, and LGBTQ+ travelers

Exploring more of Mexico? Check out Moon Baja, Moon Oaxaca, or Moon Mexico City.

About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell--and they can’t wait to share their favorite places with you.

For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

Once the long-time editor of Puerto Vallarta’s English-language newspaper, Madeline Milne is somewhat of a resident expert on life and culture in the city. She’s lived the last twelve years in Mexico’s second most popular destination, and friends, family, and the readers of the newspaper regularly turn to her for advice on how to best enjoy their holiday in Vallarta, which she’s more than happy to give.

She loves road-tripping through Puerto Vallarta and its gorgeous surrounding areas; the more offbeat, the better! Madeline has explored just about every beach town through Nayarit and south along Jalisco’s coastline to Colima, and everything from the silver mining town of San Sebastian de Oeste to the best bass fishing lake in Mexico at Cajon de Peña.