People book "Puerto Vallarta" and land in Nuevo Vallarta, or the other way round, all the time. They share a bay, an airport and a clock — and almost nothing else about the experience.
The basics
- Puerto Vallarta is a city in the state of Jalisco. Its municipality ends at the Ameca River.
- Nuevo Vallarta is just across that river, in the municipality of Bahía de Banderas, in the state of Nayarit. In 2022 Nayarit officially renamed it Nuevo Nayarit, though most signs, bookings and people still say Nuevo Vallarta.
- Same airport: Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) serves both.
- Same time: Bahía de Banderas switched to Central Time in 2010, so Nuevo Vallarta runs on Puerto Vallarta's clock, an hour ahead of the rest of Nayarit — worth remembering when you book a tour on the other side.
How they feel
Puerto Vallarta
A real city wrapped around a historic center. The Malecón boardwalk, the crown-topped Guadalupe church, cobblestone streets climbing into the hills, and the Zona Romántica — the bay's densest run of restaurants and bars, and the center of its LGBTQ+ scene. Dinner, a drink and the beach are all walkable.
Nuevo Vallarta
A planned resort community north of the river, built around all-inclusive hotels, marinas, golf and beach clubs — including the large Vidanta complex. Most visitors spend their days at the hotel and take a taxi or tour when they want to go out.
By the numbers (from our map, October 2026)
- Restaurants: 215 in the Zona Romántica alone and 116 in Centro, against 93 in all of Nuevo Vallarta.
- Bars: 72 in the Zona Romántica, 35 in Centro — 13 in Nuevo Vallarta.
- Hotels: 84 in the Zona Romántica, versus 19 in Nuevo Vallarta — fewer, but typically much bigger resorts.
Our take: where to stay
Choose Puerto Vallarta if you want to walk to restaurants and bars, explore the old town, eat street tacos at night, or this is your first trip and you want to see the "real" Vallarta.
Choose Nuevo Vallarta if you want an all-inclusive resort with big pools, you're happy staying on site most days, or you're there for golf or a marina.
Can't decide? Marina Vallarta and the Hotel Zone sit in between: resort hotels on the beach, still on the Puerto Vallarta side and a short ride from the old town.
Find a hotel by neighborhood→Good to know
- Some of the bay's family favorites are on the Nuevo Vallarta side — including the dolphin and sea-lion encounters and the Aquaventuras water park.
- If your hotel or tour confirmation says "Nayarit", double-check which side of the river it's on before you book a transfer.
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