Active Travelers
Enjoy the many activities available — ATVs, canopy tours, horseback riding, dune buggy tours, etc.

Honeymooners
An ideal spot for a memorable celebration, offering romantic sunsets — the perfect backdrop for a wedding

Families
Each member of the family can have their own incredible adventure from whale watching to a waterpark, and much more.

Gourmands
Year-round world-class dining and a Gourmet Festival in the fall, as well as other culinary events throughout the year.

Transfers
Roundtrip transfers between the airport and your hotel are included with air and hotel packages from WorldVacations. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) is just five miles south.

Rental Car
Rental cars are a fast and efficient way to get around, especially if you’re planning on traveling to the northern coast of Banderas Bay. If you’re more likely to spend all of your time at a resort, a rental car is not necessary.

Taxi and Bus
Camiones (local buses) and colectivos (minibuses that are a cross between standard buses and taxis) both run set routes throughout the area and into Puerto Vallarta, servicing all of the major hotels in the process. Taxis can be hailed at your hotel. Negotiate the cost of a trip before getting into the vehicle.

Seafood is prominent. Traditional Mexican seafood dishes are featured prominently next to modern, Continental fare. Most of the resorts in Riviera Nayarit are all-inclusive, but if you do venture out from your hotel for dinner, here are a few to try.

• El Dorado
  Although it doesn’t look much different from its neighbors on Playa El Anclote, this beachside seafood shanty is recommended over the others for both service and food. Seafood is pulled ashore within shouting distance of the kitchen, but you can also order a burger or chicken breast served with rice or fries. Punta de Mita.
• La Laguna
  Located beside a small lake just off the south entrance road to Nuevo Vallarta, this cozy eatery keeps its loyal customers coming back with consistently good food and a great atmosphere. Nuevo Vallarta.
• Mark’s Bar & Grill
  People drive all the way up from Puerto Vallarta to dine here because of the homemade bread, the good salads, and such entrées as macadamia-crusted fresh fish fillets with mushroom ragout. Bucerias.
• La Ola Rica
  Unbelievable, really, really, good food. Presentation also is top-notch, and the decor — a cross between whimsical and chic — is almost as yummy as the food. San Francisco.
• Tino’s
  This fine dining restaurant features traditional Mexican fare and is moderately priced. Punta de Mita.
• Zuba’s Pizza
  Fabulous little diner specializing in delicious, authentic Italian pizzas. Bucerias. Most nightlife in the Riviera Nayarit centers around the hotels.

Make sure to visit the Arts and Crafts market in Bucerias where you will be surprised with the multitude of unique objects, including regional crafts, typical toys, candy, and Mexican treats. If you prefer fine clothing or jewelry, take a trip to Paradise Plaza, an air-conditioned shopping center in the area. Stop by the information booth for a coupon book that offers discounts at participating stores and restaurants. In addition to all this, more excellent shopping opportunities are only 20 minutes away in Puerto Vallarta.

Día de los Santos Reyes
January 6. Commemorates the three kings’ visit to see the baby Jesus. Mexicans exchange gifts, culminating the holiday season.

Constitution Day
February 5. Celebrates the adoption of the Mexican constitution with parades and festivities.

Festival del Ejido
March 4. Town party for the town of Punta de Mita.

Independence Day
September 16. Public holiday celebrating Mexico’s independence from Spain.

Día de los Muertos
November 2. Day of the Dead, or All Souls’ Day, when families take food and gifts to their loved ones buried in the cemeteries.

International Gourmet Festival
November. Enjoy tastes from around the globe, and local favorites as well.

The Virgin of Guadalupe Processions
December 1-12. Twelve days of processions to honor the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Golf
Customize your vacation with discounted greens fees and gain access to hotel-affiliated golf courses with a stay at select hotels.

Hotel-Affiliated/Independent Courses

Flamingos Golf Club
One of the first golf courses in Puerto Vallarta. Designed by renowned English golf course architect Percy Clifford.

Marina Vallarta Golf Club
Marina Club de Golf offers a challenge for all levels of golfers. Designed by Joe Finger.

Vista Vallarta

• Nicklaus Course
  Target-style golf with breathtaking views of Banderas Bay and the Sierra Madre mountains as a back drop. Designed by Jack Nicklaus.
• Weiskopf Course
  Precision is required from tee to green with several bunkers along the way. Designed by Tom Weiskopf.

The following hotel offers a golf options at the above courses:

• Vallarta Palace

Independent Courses

El Tigre Club
El Tigre has been described as one of the most challenging in Mexico. Designed by Robert Von Hagge.

Sportfishing
Banderas Bay’s deep blue waters provide an abundance of sailfish and marlin along with smaller game fish. October through February is the best time for sailfish and black or blue marlin. And the International Sailfish and Marlin Tournament, the largest fishing tournament in Mexico, takes pace in November.

Snorkeling and diving
Snorkeling and diving are not extremely popular but can be done in the calm waters around the three islands out from shore — Bird, Deer, and Wolf Islands. They were declared an ecological reserve in 1991, so all the marine life is protected.

Whale Watching
The best months to see the majestic humpback whales are the months from December through March, when they are in their calving season and before they make their migration north.

Watersports and Beach Activities
All your favorite watersports and beach activities can be found here. Enjoy snorkeling and diving under the water, surfing, boogie boarding, and sailing above the water, and other activities on the golden sand. It is recommended to avoid parasailing, as well as independent vendors offering horseback rides on the beach.

Golf
Riviera Nayarit has the highest concentration of world-class golf courses in all of Mexico (6 total). There is also a public course, Flamingos, located approximately nine miles north of the airport.

Whale Watching
In the months of December through May, the whale watching in Riviera Nayarit is incredible. Humpback whales come year after year to the area around the Marietas Islands to mate and give birth.

Marieta Islands
These islands are brimming with dolphins, turtles, and 86 different species of birds.

Time Zones
Riviera Nayarit is technically in the Mountain Time Zone, as the dividing line between the two time zones is the river, just north of the airport. However, most of Riviera Nayarit disregards the Mountain Time Zone completely, with the main exceptions of government offices and some churches. Remember that the airport is in the Central Time Zone, and thus arrival and departure times reflect that time.

Areas of Riviera Nayarit
Riviera Nayarit is divided into several areas. WorldVacations and Worry-Free Vacations offer hotels in Nuevo Vallarta and Flamingos Vallarta. Nuevo Vallarta features wide beaches and a leisurely atmosphere about a 20-minute car ride from downtown Puerto Vallarta and even less to the Marina area. To the north are several other areas, including Bucerias, a picturesque town with quiet beaches and fresh seafood; La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, a traditional fisherman town with local artisans who work with textiles, jewelry, and wood; Punta de Mita, with tremendous fishing and coral reefs; and Sayulita, a laid-back town with surfing and small restaurants.

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