This once-sleepy fishing village became a popular resort after The Night of the Iguana was filmed here in 1964. Nestled on the 28-mile curve of Banderas Bay, Puerto Vallarta has steadfastly held on to its character. Red tile roofs and rows of balconies, spilling over with colorful bougainvillea, still line its cobblestone streets. A pleasure for both the eye and the camera. 

The One Thing You Don't Want to Miss:

Take advantage of a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with our intelligent finned friends at the Dolphin Adventure Center. You'll be given an introduction to these friendly mammals. Then you'll actually have the chance to swim with them in a specially designed pool. 

Other Fun Things to Do:

Explore the Mexican countryside with its tropical vegetation, farmland, mangos, bananas and other tropical fruits.
Soak up the sun at one of Puerto Vallarta's beautiful beach resorts.
Explore El Eden Jungle, take a swim in the natural pools and try the waterslide where the water has worn a path in the stones.

 Sporting Adventures:

Play the exclusive par-71 golf course at Marina Vallarta Club de Golf. Experience this visual wonder located a short distance from the city and marvel at how the designer has combined the area's natural landscape with a layout designed to test a golfer's skills.
Bike past fruit plantations and rustic towns on a 21-speed mountain bike.

Shopping for Bargains:

Mexican arts and crafts are among the finest in the world, and Puerto Vallarta shops are well stocked with them. While in this exciting port, load up on papier mâché decorations, leather goods and rare skins, embroidered cotton blouses, original ceramics, local art and pre-Columbian replicas, and be sure to take home a bottle of Kahlua, the Mexican coffee liqueur. The bay was originally developed as a port to transport silver from nearby mines, and fine sterling silver jewelry still abounds at bargain prices in Puerto Vallarta. (Caution: Please shop at recommended stores for authentic .925 silver.)  You will also find great prices on gold and jade jewelry. 

 Local Currency:

Mexico's currency is the peso (MXN). The $ sign is used to refer to pesos, so don't be shocked at the price tags. Any prices in U.S. dollars are listed as US$ or USD. Many hotels, restaurants and shops also accept major credit cards, which usually offer you a good exchange rate.