Pick 1Choose a date for current details
Marietas Islands boat & snorkel
Explore protected island water, caves and birdlife in Banderas Bay.
Mexico · Alaska & Pacific Coast
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta lets you choose between jungle, old-town food and Banderas Bay wildlife.
013 standout picksOur short list
023 alternativesNo endless catalogue
03MalecónKey place to know
Six, not sixty
Your six curated Puerto Vallarta excursions.
Choose the day your ship is in port. We then show the exact excursion listing, current price and start times—not a generic activities page.
01
Standout picks
Start with these three.
Pick 2Choose a date for current details
Sierra Madre zip-line adventure
Head into jungle terrain for a high-energy half-day.
Pick 3Choose a date for current details
Old Vallarta taco walk
Use street food to explore the historic centre and local neighbourhoods.
02
Alternatives
Three different ways to spend the day.
AlternativeChoose a date for current details
San Sebastián del Oeste
Climb into the mountains for a preserved mining town and cooler air.
AlternativeChoose a date for current details
Botanical garden & coastal drive
Combine tropical plants with the quieter south-coast road.
AlternativeChoose a date for current details
Private surf lesson in Sayulita
Use a longer call for a focused lesson in the Riviera Nayarit.
Prices and schedules come from the selected Viator listing and can change. “View excursion” always opens that exact product page to review final details and book.
Before you book
Puerto Vallarta port note.
The cruise terminal is north of the historic centre. Account for city traffic when arranging independent pickup.
Return to picks ↗Know Puerto Vallarta
A little context changes the day.
Puerto Vallarta began as a small Pacific settlement supporting mining communities in the Sierra Madre and later developed around fishing, agriculture and coastal trade. International attention increased dramatically in the 1960s, when film production and new air links introduced the town to a wider tourism market. Despite rapid resort growth, the Malecón, church and older streets around the Río Cuale preserve the scale of the earlier town.
More
The settlement was known as Las Peñas before taking the name Puerto Vallarta in the early 20th century. Its harbour served regional mining and agricultural interests, while the surrounding bay supported fishing villages rather than large urban development. The filming of The Night of the Iguana near Mismaloya in the 1960s brought global publicity, and government investment in roads, airport infrastructure and utilities followed. Tourism then expanded north and south along Banderas Bay. The modern cruise terminal sits away from the historic centre, making the short journey to the Malecón a visible passage between contemporary resort infrastructure and the older Pacific port town.
Research references: Wikipedia
Near this port
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