Puerto Vallarta’s coastline twists and turns done hidden coves, aureate beaches, and secluded inlets, revealing immoderate of Mexico’s champion tiny formation towns. Stretching from the chic resorts of Riviera Nayarit down done the unspoiled quality of the Costalegre, these coastal pockets cater to each benignant of traveler.
Maybe you’re a surfer searching for the cleanable break, a solitude seeker craving a peaceful retreat, oregon idiosyncratic who simply wants to sip a margarita astatine a palapa-topped formation bar. No substance your question style, there’s a formation municipality calling your name. The lone question is: which 1 feels similar location to you?
Sayulita
Best for: The Boho Scenester with Money to Burn

This colorful, high-energy surf municipality is wherever sun-kissed nomads and play warriors converge for waves, boutique shopping, and a lively barroom country that spills into the streets. Catch immoderate waves, substance up connected food tacos from Mary’s oregon a pricier sheet astatine Tukari, and erstwhile the prima sets, travel the dependable of unrecorded euphony for a spontaneous nighttime out. The pocket-sized Atico Bar Cafe is simply a idiosyncratic favorite.
San Pancho
Best For: The Soul-Searching Yogi

Sayulita’s chiller, artier sibling, San Pancho, is wherever you spell to swap retired the enactment country for early-morning prima salutations and integrated smoothie bowls. It’s inactive got the magic of the Pacific, conscionable with less crowds and much community. The waves present are strong, cleanable for seasoned surfers, but if your thought of a bully clip involves a formation broad and a bully book, this is your spot. Don’t permission without checking retired the town’s originative hub, EntreAmigos.
Punta Mita
Best For: The Champagne Crowd

Punta Mita isn’t conscionable a destination; it’s a manner that includes backstage formation clubs, decorator kaftans, and play carts zipping betwixt ultra-luxe resorts. Home to the Four Seasons, St. Regis, and immoderate of the champion surf breaks successful the region, this gated paradise is cleanable for those who similar their escapade with immoderate five-star amenities. Pro tip: Book a vessel circuit to Islas Marietas for a peek astatine the famed Hidden Beach, a cave-like cove enclosed wrong a rocky island. There are a fewer circuit operators to take from, but I similar Ecotours Vallarta for their sustainable attack and tiny groups.
Bucerías
Best For: The Easygoing Beachcomber

Not successful the temper for exclusivity but besides not looking to unsmooth it? Bucerías is precisely what you’re dreaming up. This laid-back municipality offers long, sandy stretches cleanable for sunset strolls, low-key seafood spots serving caller ceviche (Karen’s Place is simply a must), and a section artisan marketplace that’s worthy carving retired an day for. The vibe is relaxed, friendly, and delightfully unpretentious.
Yelapa
Best For: The Disconnected

Yelapa is what happens erstwhile you commercialized roads for vessel rides and compartment work for formation bliss. Only accessible by water, this tucked-away sportfishing colony feels delightfully of-the-grid, making it perfect for those who privation to swap connectivity for waterfall hikes and formation naps. If you spot a pistillate selling homemade pies connected the sand, don’t inquire questions — conscionable bargain one. The coconut pastry is life-changing, by the way.
Punta Pérula
Best For: The Crowd-Dodgers

If your thought of a formation flight involves zero hassle, nary trendy bars, and much pelicans than people, Punta Pérula is your concealed haven. Think glassy waters cleanable for paddle boarding, chaotic coastlines, and an unshakable consciousness of off-the-grid. Its small-but-loyal pursuing keeps the assemblage buzzing with play gatherings, cook-outs, and unrecorded music, but you person to beryllium 1 of the ones successful the cognize to person immoderate benignant of digit connected the pulse of the societal scene.
Careyes
Best For: The High-Design, Low-Key Jetsetter

Careyes is what happens erstwhile a radical of artists, visionaries, and the Pacific coastline collaborate connected thing genuinely spectacular. A magnet for the stylish and the discreet, this exclusive enclave is each astir bold architecture, backstage beaches, and an adjacent appreciation for some the finer things and unspoiled earthy beauty. If you’re successful the temper for polo matches, avant-garde art, and breathtaking hillside villas, invited home.
La Manzanilla
Best For: The Barefoot Eco Explorer

La Manzanilla is wherever quality lovers and low-key adventurers find their groove. The mangrove estuary is teeming with crocodiles, the bay is calm and swimmable, and the vibe is eco-conscious, laid back, and unpretentious. It’s a spot wherever you tin kayak astatine sunrise, sip a mezcal astatine sunset (Pata Salada is the spot), and fto the time unfold astatine an unhurried pace.
Barra de Navidad/Melaque
Best For: The Old School Mexico Enthusiast

Think of Puerto Vallarta and past dial the timepiece backmost 25 years. Barra de Navidad and Melaque (side-by-side towns connected the aforesaid bay) service up classical Mexican formation municipality with a thriving societal country but zero high-rises oregon all-inclusive resorts. Barra’s lagoon and sportfishing civilization marque it a amusive spot to research by boat, portion Melaque’s agelong sandy formation is cleanable for semipermanent travelers looking to settee successful for a while. Come for the relaxed energy, and enactment for the simplicity of a convenient formation beingness that is well-lived.
Meagan Drillinger is a New York autochthonal who has spent the past 15 years traveling astir and penning astir Mexico. While she’s connected the roadworthy for assignments astir of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her location base. Follow her travels connected Instagram at @drillinjourneys or done her blog at drillinjourneys.com