Puerto Vallarta Travel Advice - Tips on What to Avoid

Playa de los Muertos: The 'beach of the dead' was once the sight of a bloody battle between marauding pirates and native Indians. Admittedly things are a lot less bloody today, but half a millennia has done little to calm the place down. A proliferation of cafes and restaurants make this and neighbouring Playa Olas Altas the most crowded beaches on the bay. The municipality has re-dubbed the area the Zona Romántica, but it's difficult to feel the romance you spend the majority of your time avoiding eye contact with the ubiquitous hawkers.

Tequila: The town, not the drink. Day trips to the homeland of Mexico 's number one drink tend to hit hard on the wallet, and the backside. After several bumpy hours in a bus what greets you is a depressingly industrial town, heavy with the scent of distilleries. Visit Tequila and stag-nights and office-parties will never be the same.

Northern beaches: To the north of Marina Vallarta the geology of the bay changes, and with it the beaches. The sand takes on a drab grey hue and the beaches become stonier. It's not all bad news however, if you happen to be a surfer. The northern shoreline stares directly out to the Pacific Ocean making it the best place to catch a wave.