With its long, lush beaches of golden sand, Nuevo Vallarta is one of the visit-worthy on this side of Jalisco. From luxury hotels and family-friendly resorts, there are plenty of options and reasons to stay in this part of town.
What Does Nuevo Vallarta Mean?
Nuevo Vallarta literally translates as “New Vallarta”, this is a purposely-built area that hosts dozens of hotels and resorts. This resort community north of Puerto Vallarta, located in Nayarit was a federal government more than twenty years ago, as the region has the potential to be a resort and holiday center for both local and foreign tourists.
The “Vallarta” name was adopted from the influential former governor of the Jalisco state, Ignacio Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta, formerly Las Peñas then changed its name to honor the respectable former governor, the community of Nuevo Vallarta was named after the main port city.
Is Nuevo Vallarta the Same as Puerto Vallarta?
While having the same name, there are certainly notable differences between these supposed “twin” towns. Puerto Vallarta or PV is the more charming, authentic Mexican port city with an old town feel, that is appealing to most visitors.
What is the Difference Between Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta?
For one, they both lie on the coasts of the Banderas Bay, Nuevo sits north of the Puerto. Nuevo Vallarta has long lush beaches while Puerto Vallarta has shorter stretches of sand with jagged rocks.
Other than the unique flavors of its many zones, Puerto Vallarta also boasts its amazing nightlife and its lovely cobblestone streets. Nuevo Vallarta is a younger, more hip, and luxurious area, where it is home to an abundance of resorts offering a more high-end experience.
What is Better – Nuevo Vallarta or Puerto Vallarta?
It largely depends on the type of vibe you’re going for in your Banderas Bay experience. As both have different dynamics and ambiance to offer to everyone.
Nuevo Vallarta, as the name suggests, is new and younger. Full of luxury resorts and high-end pleasures, this area is purposely-built for resorts, after all. The beaches in Nuevo are also lush, and stretches of sand are longer than Puerto Vallarta’s.
Puerto Vallarta, while still a touristy town, is more laid-back, authentic, and has that quintessential oldtown appeal. Each of its zones has its twists and flavors that offer different appeal to different visitors.
What Airport Do You Fly Into for Nuevo Vallarta?
The nearest airport that serves visitors to Nuevo Vallarta is the Puerto Vallarta International Airport also known as Licenciado Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport. Just a 20-minute drive from the airport you can already reach the main Nuevo Vallarta resorts.
The Puerto Vallarta airport also serves international flights, mostly coming from Canada and the USA. Various other local flights are also seen from CDMX or Ciudad de Mexico, and other key cities in the country. Finland and the UK are few of the European flights its serves.
How Far is Nuevo Vallarta From the Airport?
Just a 20-minute drive away, the distance between Nuevo Vallarta and the Airport is approximately 5 km and a driving distance of 12 km.
How Far is Nuevo Vallarta From Puerto Vallarta?
Nuevo Vallarta just sits north of Puerto Vallarta with a distance of approximately 11 km and a driving distance of 17.4 km. The travel time will usually take around 25 minutes, coming from central Puerto Vallarta to Nuevo Vallarta’s main resort area, and vice versa.
How Do I Get From Puerto Vallarta Airport to Nuevo Vallarta?
Traveling in between Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta will only take a short time with plenty of options to choose from, from buses, local taxis, and rental cars to water taxis.
How Much is a Taxi From Puerto Vallarta Airport to Nuevo Vallarta?
Local taxis are the most common taxi option in getting in between Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta. Taxi fares cost around 130 to 160 Mexican pesos or 7 to 8 US dollars and the ride usually takes around 20 to 25 minutes depending on the traffic situation and other factors.
How Far is Nuevo Vallarta From Downtown Puerto Vallarta?
The distance between the major central area of Nuevo Vallarta and downtown Puerto Vallarta is approximately 11 km or 6.8 miles, and a driving distance of 14.4 km or 8.9 miles.
Is There Uber in Nuevo Vallarta?
Uber is available both in Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta making it convenient to cross in between these places. Uber is famously cheaper than local taxis but visitors tend to use both at any given circumstances.
Is Nuevo Vallarta Safe to Visit?
Being a master-planned project of the federal government where several premier luxury resorts will be at, Neuvo Vallarta is considered safe for anyone. There hasn’t been any travel warning for Nuevo Vallarta since, as it has been one of the safest places to travel in Mexico.
Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta ranks as some of the safest places in Mexico – also famous for its safe and clean potable water.
Can You Drink the Water in Nuevo Vallarta?
The water in Nuevo Vallarta is processed through a municipal purification system facility in Puerto Vallarta. The port city has enjoyed clean and safe water from the tap for more than a decade now and Nuevo Vallarta also shares that.
But if you’re still hesitant about drinking and using water from the tap, bottled waters are still available everywhere, especially in resorts, restaurants, and groceries.
Are There Crocodiles in Nuevo Vallarta?
Crocodiles can be spotted at certain times of the year, especially near the mouth of the river near the Marina, the Ameca River. However, the chances of encountering one in nature are slim to none around the Vallarta area.
You can still encounter them in a controlled setting, there are research centers in Puerto Vallarta that study these reptiles to better understand their nature.
What is the Temperature in Nuevo Vallarta?
The average temperature in Nuevo Vallarta is approximately 25.8 C pr 78.5 F.
What Do You Wear to Nuevo Vallarta?
Sharing the same average temperatures as Puerto Vallarta, the amazing beaches of Banderas Bay, and the lovely Mexican sun, Nuevo Vallarta is a beach dress and button-down worthy place. Think holiday chic, with cool colors, and thin fabrics.
If you want to stroll around the streets during the day, beach dresses, summer rompers, and simple shirts are perfect tops for women, and shorts or skirts for the bottoms. As for men, button-downs, tank tops, and simple shirts for tops and shorts and pants for bottoms.
What to Do in Nuevo Vallarta When It Rains?
With an abundance of facilities and establishments around the area, the rainy to-do list never goes short. From movies to art classes, you can find plenty of things to do.
Movie theaters can be a go-to activity if the streets and sands are too wet for your liking, both available in English and Spanish. Speaking of which, you can even take Spanish classes, as there are language schools across Puerto Vallarta.
You can do a food tour as well, many restaurants that dot Nuevo Vallarta also serve good authentic Mexican cuisine. Treating yourself to a spa day is also ideal for the ladies, and some shopping after as well.
If it’s cold out, you can sweat it out at the gym or some yoga classes. And if you like to stay cozy while you wait out the gray skies. You can have a cup of coffee from the many chic cafes all over Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta, and meet fellow tourists and locals.
What Are the Beaches Like in Nuevo Vallarta?
The beaches in Nuevo Vallarta are considered to be beautiful as the water can go from a lovely blue to green, and the long stretches of sand have a gold tint in them. The beaches have a sandy bottom that has a gentle slope making them safe for anyone to swim in.
Can You Swim in the Ocean in Nuevo Vallarta?
The ocean in Nuevo Vallarta is swimmable and safe. The gentle slope under the water makes it safe for anyone, even kids to swim in. The beach in Nuevo Vallarta is long and straight with not much going on like strong currents and riptides.
The only thing you have to be careful of though is the water activities around, especially jet skis, they can be dangerous sometimes.