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.

Emergency care for scuba and snorkeling incidents
Stung by jellyfish, or coral scratch- most experts advise that you wash the area with sea water, and then clean with alcohol, either rubbing alcohol or tequila. Immediately follow with a hydrocortisone cream, which is available from any local pharmacy. For more serious wounds, such as stingrays or sea urchins, it is advised that the injury is soaked in extremely hot water to dilute the toxins. If there are spines or barbs in the wound, remove immediately with tweezers, then follow with rubbing alcohol, vinegar, wine or ammonia diluted with water and seek medical attention immediately.

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.

Looking for children activities in Puerto Vallarta?  The Family Dolphin Experience is perfect for parents with young children.  Kids are safely introduced to the Bottlenose dolphin’s anatomy, physiology, natural history and training mixing education with fun with a memorable childhood experience.

In a specially designed education pool, guests are invited to interact with the sea lions, for a unique vacation experience.  Fascinating animals, sea lions are full of personality- they’re vocal, and love to play.  They’re fast and surprisingly affectionate-  personality characteristics that are great to experience first-hand.

Be sure to bring your camera for that flipper shake photo, or better yet, a fishy mustache kiss!

Make a lifelong connection with your dolphin.  Swim, touch, feel, and bond while learning about dolphin behavior and habits in a unique way.   The  Signature Dolphin Swim includes an introductory presentation on dolphin characteristics, dolphin training signals, and how to communicate with your dolphin.

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.