Puerto Vallarta is one of the few destinations in the world that offers so many untouched ecological resources. The rainforests that encompass the city, offer vibrant flora and fauna, wildlife including monkeys, rare species of butterflies and birds such as the brightly colored Toucan.

Opposite of the mountains, the city faces the magnificent Bay of Banderas, or Banderas Bay. The second largest bay in the world, tourists and locals alike enjoy some of the world’s finest scuba and snorkeling, swimming with the dolphins and sea lions, which incidentally keep the bay shark-free. The bay is also known for its superb whale-watching. Many spectators plan their excursions between November and April, the prime mating season for the humpback whales.

Local nature reserves offer rare bird sightings including the Duck Billed Frog. Crocodiles can be found in the marshes, along with unique fish and crustaceans who find these areas useful for breeding.

One of the more popular activities amongst visitors, is attending one of the weekly sea tortuous releases, where hundreds, sometimes thousands of sea turtles are released back into the ocean after being collected as eggs along the popular Los Muertos Beach several weeks before.

Puerto Vallarta’s famous Pirate Ship cruise.
The cruise takes place on a pirate ship, complete in its theme with a crew of costumed pirates. Various times and trips are offered, and can include a Mexican style breakfast buffet, bingo, scuba diving and snorkeling (snorkel gear supplied), a trip to neighboring Marieta Island, barbecue, fireworks, and a theatrical performance of pirates and canons that calls for your camera to be ready.

Cruceros Princesa
Cruceros Princesa offers day excursions to Yelapa, Las Marietas Islands, Quimixto and Las Animas. Sunset cruises, whale watching, etc- Prices start from approximately $20 US Dollars and includes a free bar, onboard contests, snorkeling lessons, kayaking and windsurfing. Cruises can include nature hikes to waterfalls, scuba diving lessons June-September, whale watching November – Spril. Rates include medical insurance for the journey. +52 32 24 4777 Muelle de la Terminal Maritima Puerto Vallarta, 48350 Mexico.

Day Sailing on Banderas Bay

Yelapa Tour from Banderas Bay

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Bungee Jumping in Puerto Vallarta
A 118 foot freefall over a sandy beach. Bungee de Puerto Vallarta is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is located at Km 9.2 on Highway 200 to Mismaloya.

Boca de Tomatlan sports a bungee of over 100 feet, as well as spectacular photo opps. The Tomatlan River meets the ocean here, creating a magnificent lagoon where locals store their small fishing boats and sand islands separate it from tranquil waves of the ocean in a small hidden bay.

Parasailing in Banderas Bay
Parasailing can be found at Playa Los Muertos on Puerto Vallarta’s south side, and next to the Malecon in central Puerto Vallarta. However, if you’re looking for a unique experience, Las Animas is recommended. This remote village is south of Puerto Vallarta, reachable by water taxi. A great day trip, take the water taxi from Boca de Tomatlan.

Hang Gliding in Yelapa
Yelapa is known as one of Puerto Vallarta’s hidden treasures. A short boat ride away, this rustic Mexican village offers many attractions- one of which is hang gliding. Available for beginners and experienced gliders.

Canopy Tours in Puerto Vallarta Rainforests
The popular canopy tour is not for the faint of heart. Adventurers dangle from a single cable and pulley at heights ranging from 14 to 69 feet. The tour averages over 2 hours to complete. Appropriate clothing would be shorts or pants, and sneakers. Insect repellent is recommended. Read more about Puerto Vallarta Canopy Tours.

Biking Tours
Coming soon.

Extreme Sports Fishing
Coming soon.

When they coined the term, “off the beaten path” they were referring to the Sierra Madre Norte Tour from Puerto Vallarta.   This tour includes an off-road journey through hidden villages, mountain streams, and incredible jungle foliage referred to as the Mexican Outback.

A 45 minute hike with a trained guide allows you to explore the jungle first-hand before ultimately reaching the picturesque coastline, where guides prepare a delicious lunch while you relax on the beach.

Depart from Puerto Vallarta and soon stop for a traditional Mexican breakfast in Rincon de Guayabitos.  Continuing on, pass through lush vegetation surrounding secluded towns, small fishing villages, and scenic farm fields.   An informative, bilingual tour guide will provide background information for each area, and provide numerous opportunities for photo stops.

Upon arriving in San Blas, travelers are taken on a 10 mile boat ride to the Mangroves Swamp to visit a crocodile farm where your tour guide will provide details on the local crocodiles, bird species, and other wildlife in the area.

Afterward, a visit to beautiful San Blas is your next stop.  Take pictures of the unique town, including famous sites such as the old Cathedral and the Spanish Fort of San Basilio- a true tribute to Spain and Mexico’s history together.

After a full day of sightseeing, the tour stops at a restaurant in Batanchen Bay for traditional Nayarit fare before heading back to Puerto Vallarta.   The perfect ending to an exciting, enriching vacation tour.

Huichol Indians Air Tour from Puerto Vallarta

The quaint mountain village of San Andres Coamihata is known as an important religious and political center for one of the few remaining indigenous tribes in the world – the Huichol Indians. The direct descendants of the Aztec Indians, the Huichol Indians are known to be friendly, religious, and highly traditional based on their 2000 year old history.

This tour is truly unique as it allows you to treat yourself to an introduction of the Huichol Indian rituals, customs, language, and way of living away from the modern world.

Scuba dive at Mexico’s exhilarating dive sites in Banderas Bay and the Mexican Pacific for an unspecified amount of time.

Experience wall diving and explore underwater caves, tunnels and reefs to discover undersea eco-reserves filled with an array of marine life and vibrantly colored tropical fish. Divers are guided by professional divemasters who are experts in the areas of Las Caletas, Marietas Islands.

For advanced scuba diving, the following diving sites are available:

* Corbeteña (Advanced divers or 50 logged dives required)
* El Morro (Advanced divers or 25 logged dives required)
* Los Anegados (25 logged dives required)
* El Sequial (Advanced divers or 25 logged dives required)
* Los Arcos (The Arches) Night Dive

Reservations required 48 hours in advance: Dolphin Trainer for a Day in Nuevo Vallarta

The Dolphin Trainer lessons in Vallarta give visitors a chance to be up close and personal with friendly Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins. Guided by a team of professional marine mammal experts, you’ll learn feeding and behavioral training techniques while assisting the dolphin trainers during Dolphin Encounter Tours, and Swim with the Dolphins Experience. By the end of the day, you’ll have learned the basic skills of caring for and training dolphins as you assist the trainers in every aspect of their work.

Approximately 4.5 hours. Minimum age: 12 years old.

Dolphin Trainer’s Uniform is provided, and a Dolphin Trainer Diploma is awarded upon completion. A DVD and digital photograph are your souvenirs, as well as the memories of a once in a lifetime experience.

On your next vacation to Puerto Vallarta, learn to scuba dive in two easy lessons!  Designed as an introductory program, these scuba lessons permit anyone over the age of 10 to experience scuba diving easily, and safely.

On Day 1, the initial scuba lesson takes place at a predetermined resort and is instructed by a certified professional scuba diving instructor.  The lesson is planned to prepare you for the following day, where you are brought for your first real scuba experience at the Marietas Islands or Las Caletas.

On Day 2,  a 1-tank scuba diving trip to either Las Caletas or Marietas Islands is scheduled:

 Las Caletas
This remote beach is accessible only by sea.  It is known as one of Puerto Vallarta’s most beautiful tropical hideaways.  However, it is what Las Caletas offers underwater that makes this one of Mexico’s finest scuba diving locations along the Pacific Coast.  Las Caletas boasts a natural reef that is home to a complex and rare ecosystem including various species of sealife, vibrant tropical fish, friendly giant Manta Rays, and more.  some of the finest scuba diving on the Pacific coast of Mexico.

Marietas Islands
This island was originally made famous by Jacques Cousteau in the 1970′s, the Marietas Islands marks the entrance to Puerto Vallarta’s Banderas Bay.  The Marietas Islands Marine Reserve is climbing the charts as one of the more popular scuba diving locations in Western Mexico and provides a unique underwater experience because it is actually part of a grand underwater mountain range that peaks above the ocean’s surface.

One of the better known Mexican Villages surrounding Puerto Vallarta, San Sebastian dates back to 1605.  A rich history includes San Sebastian as a prosperous city of over 30,000 people in the 1700′s.  Today, the village has only recently installed limited electricity and telephone service, keeping the quaint Old Mexico charm from centuries before.

This tour is by air, providing curious tourists with a bird’s eye view of the many elaborate waterfalls, mist-surrounded mountain peaks, dense forest, and primitive pueblos and settlements.