Puerto Vallarta, Municipality on the Pacific Coast of Jalisco, Mexico.
Puerto Vallarta is a municipality on the Pacific coast of Jalisco in Mexico that stretches along Banderas Bay and borders the Sierra Madre mountains. The settlements are spread between seaside areas and hillside communities, connected by roads that link the main town with smaller villages and beach sections.
The area began in 1851 as a small settlement called Las Peñas and was later renamed in 1918 to honor Ignacio Vallarta, a former governor of Jalisco. Over the following decades, the municipality grew through the development of coastal infrastructure and the arrival of visitors from other parts of Mexico and beyond.
Throughout the year, different communities within the municipality celebrate patron saint festivals, traditional dances, and religious processions that draw families and visitors to their central plazas. Mariachi musicians, open-air markets, and artisan workshops selling pottery and woven goods remain active parts of everyday life in many neighborhoods.
The municipal territory runs from Boca de Tomatlán south of the main town to the border with the state of Nayarit in the north, covering multiple settlements beyond the central urban area. Visitors will find different access points to beaches, trails, and viewpoints that can be reached by car or by boat.
The municipality manages a long stretch of coastline where fishing boats, tour vessels, and agricultural operations in the hinterland all work side by side. In some communities, residents spend mornings working in fields or at sea and then welcome visitors to small restaurants and shops in the afternoon.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
