What is the safest part of Puerto Vallarta to stay in?

The Marina and the Romantic Zone are considered some of the safest areas to stay in Puerto Vallarta. Both areas are popular among tourists and offer a variety of accommodations, restaurants, and attractions. The Marina is known for its upscale atmosphere, luxury resorts, and high-end shops and restaurants. It has a very secure, controlled environment with 24/7 security personnel. The Romantic Zone offers a more authentic Mexican experience with cobblestone streets, colorful colonial buildings, and a vibrant mix of galleries, cafes, and bars. As a central tourist area, it also has a strong police presence and is considered very safe.

Where do locals go in Puerto Vallarta?

Locals in Puerto Vallarta enjoy spending time at the city's beautiful beaches, scenic parks, and lively local markets. Popular beach spots include Playa de Oro, Playa Las Animas, and Playa Camarones for their soft sand and calm waters. Many locals visit the Vallarta Botanical Gardens to enjoy the lush vegetation and hiking trails. They also frequent authentic local food venues like Birrieria las 3 Regiones taco stand, cafes like Cafecito Vallarta, and neighborhood bars like La Cerveceria Union. The downtown Lazaro Cardenas market is a favorite for produce, spices, crafts.

Is Downtown Puerto Vallarta nice?

Yes, downtown Puerto Vallarta is an exceptionally nice and popular area, celebrated for its vibrant mix of historic Mexican charm and a lively beach town atmosphere. It features a picturesque historic center with cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, and the iconic Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe church. The downtown seamlessly blends into the scenic Malecón, a beautiful oceanfront boardwalk lined with fascinating sculptures, shops, and restaurants, making it perfect for strolling and enjoying the stunning ocean views. The area offers an excellent variety of dining, from upscale restaurants to authentic street food, along with fantastic shopping in boutiques and art galleries. Adjacent to the main center is the popular Zona Romántica (Romantic Zone), known for its trendy vibe and energetic nightlife. The entire downtown is considered safe and is very walkable, allowing visitors to easily explore its captivating blend of culture, cuisine, and coastal beauty on foot. Tip: For an unforgettable experience, head down to the Malecón or any beachfront spot about 30 minutes before the scheduled sundown to watch the spectacular sunset over the bay.

What is considered old town in Puerto Vallarta?

Old Town, also known as the Romantic Zone or Zona Romántica, is considered the historic heart of Puerto Vallarta. It is characterized by its picturesque cobblestone streets, classic whitewashed buildings, red-tiled roofs, and a lively mix of shops, galleries, restaurants and bars. Nestled between the Sierra Madre mountains and Banderas Bay, Old Town has a traditional Mexican village charm with its colonial architecture and slower pace compared to the rest of Puerto Vallarta. Its romantic ambience comes from the area's natural beauty, outdoor cafes, and charming boutique hotels. Old Town offers visitors a taste of an authentic Mexican neighborhood.

Destiladeras Beach In Nayarit, Find Out More

Table of Contents

Features & amenities

Restaurants

Bars

Vendors

Accommodations

Swimming

Water Activities

Riviera Nayarit

Puerto Vallarta Malecon (Boardwalk) A City Favorite

Puerto Vallarta Romantic Zone (AKA: Old Town Or South Side)

Mismaloya Beach, Puerto Vallarta, A Complete Guide

Los Muertos Beach The Most Popular One In Puerto Vallarta

Introduction

Destiladeras Beach Panorama

You’ll find Destiladeras Beach west of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, on the road to Punta de Mita in the Banderas Bay, this is the Pacific Ocean coast of the state of Nayarit in Mexico. It is 30 minutes from Nuevo Vallarta, approximately on the Km. 7 on the old road that goes to Punta Mita. It is also 23 miles from Puerto Vallarta’s main square, that is about 50 to 60 minutes from the downtown PV area.

The beach offers hotels and restaurants but still is a nice natural beach not so affected by human development.

Drone view Destiladeras Beach looking west

A little history of Destiladeras beach indicates that it has been known and used for a hundred years, it has undergone changes including a reduction in its extension, being currently half of what it was before. Formerly there was also a fresh water well for human consumption.

On these coasts, the locals for many years have built palapas, which are used for small restaurants or bars or simply to sell ceviche, snacks and fresh fruit.

View of Destiladeras Beach looking East

Playa Destiladeras is an excellent beach north of Puerto Vallarta, between La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and Punta Mita on Riviera Nayarit. It is also one of the most popular beaches among the locals, they know it is a wide, shallow water beach, something that makes it incredibly kid-friendly. Little by little it’s becoming less of a secret and is now also visited by tourists from the US and Canada.

Destiladeras Beach is known as one of the best in the Banderas Bay area, mainly due to its soft clear sands and gentle waves, the clean emerald green waters, the gentle slope of the beach and the width that makes it well prepared for ball games, hiking and different sports.

An excellent place to sunbathe, and now much more comfortable thanks to the small bars and restaurants offering food and drink during your stay. There are also showers and bathrooms, something that any good beach should offer, but was not readily available in the prior location.

How to get to Destiladeras Beach

You get to Destiladeras is by land, by the old road that goes to the town of Punta de Mita which is paved and in excellent condition, either by taxi, public transport or private car. Local buses that go to Punta Mita stop along the way, just make sure they don’t go along the new highway, otherwise, you’ll be left a mile away from the beach. Buses that go to Punta Mita from La Cruz, Bucerías, Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta. From PV you can catch them at the stadium, Plaza Las Glorias, in front of Walmart or at the airport bus stop. Route details here.

Local Bus to Punta de Mita from Puerto Vallarta

In the past there was only one way there, along the coastal road between La Cruz and Punta Mita (still is available and I think buses still take that road), if you are driving there is now a better more direct highway that goes inland from La Cruz and comes out by the sea again right before Palladium. There’s a marked exit on the highway (check out this exit) that goes to the sea and ends up by the Destiladeras Beach parking lot.

What to do at the beach

View of Destiladeras Beach looking East

Things you can do at Destiladeras beach include swimming, walks along the beach, soccer, boogie boarding, and kayaking. Its waves at times can reach two meters are greatly appreciated by surfers, most of the time the waves are softer, great for surfing newbies and beachgoers in general. This 3-mile beach, with its soft shallow surf, is a delight for the family, you can make great castles and pools with your small ones (and not-so-small ones too). For sailors, it’s also a great place for windsurfing and kitesurfing, mainly due to the winds.

There is a small restaurant and bar on the beach, so you can also eat and drink while you enjoy the beach, I haven’t myself tried any of what they offer, so I can’t say if it’s good or not, do tell me if it’s not recommendable.

Previous location of the beach 300-400 yards east

Where to stay close to Destiladeras

Rancho Banderas All Suite Resort, Destiladeras Beach, Nayarit, Mexico

Among the best hotels near Destiladeras you can consider: Nahui, The Royal Suites Punta de Mita, Villa Bella Bed & Breakfast, Villas Las Palmas of Punta de Mita, Casa del Campo, Hotel Suites Nadia Bucerias, Iberostar Playa Mita All Inclusive, Condo del Pueblo, Cabo 2 Punta Esmeralda, Princess Suites, Bel Air Collection Resort & SpaAll, most of these offer all the services you might consider needing.

New Location

The new public location of the beach is about 300 yards west of the previous location near the Nahui Resort, the beach itself is of equal quality to the previous one and there is more vegetation. The previous location did not have easy access to the beach from the parking lot and the latter was quite exposed. In general, the change of location was a huge benefit for those who enjoy Destiladeras.

Playa Destiladeras Nayarit Mexico is undoubtedly a great option for your trip to Puerto Vallarta and certainly if you are visiting the towns of the riviera nayarit.

FAQ

What is the safest part of Puerto Vallarta to stay in?

The Marina and the Romantic Zone are considered some of the safest areas to stay in Puerto Vallarta. Both areas are popular among tourists and offer a variety of accommodations, restaurants, and attractions. The Marina is known for its upscale atmosphere, luxury resorts, and high-end shops and restaurants. It has a very secure, controlled environment with 24/7 security personnel. The Romantic Zone offers a more authentic Mexican experience with cobblestone streets, colorful colonial buildings, and a vibrant mix of galleries, cafes, and bars. As a central tourist area, it also has a strong police presence and is considered very safe.
Where do locals go in Puerto Vallarta?

Locals in Puerto Vallarta enjoy spending time at the city’s beautiful beaches, scenic parks, and lively local markets. Popular beach spots include Playa de Oro, Playa Las Animas, and Playa Camarones for their soft sand and calm waters. Many locals visit the Vallarta Botanical Gardens to enjoy the lush vegetation and hiking trails. They also frequent authentic local food venues like Birrieria las 3 Regiones taco stand, cafes like Cafecito Vallarta, and neighborhood bars like La Cerveceria Union. The downtown Lazaro Cardenas market is a favorite for produce, spices, crafts.
Is Downtown Puerto Vallarta nice?

Yes, downtown Puerto Vallarta is an exceptionally nice and popular area, celebrated for its vibrant mix of historic Mexican charm and a lively beach town atmosphere. It features a picturesque historic center with cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, and the iconic Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe church. The downtown seamlessly blends into the scenic Malecón, a beautiful oceanfront boardwalk lined with fascinating sculptures, shops, and restaurants, making it perfect for strolling and enjoying the stunning ocean views.

The area offers an excellent variety of dining, from upscale restaurants to authentic street food, along with fantastic shopping in boutiques and art galleries. Adjacent to the main center is the popular Zona Romántica (Romantic Zone), known for its trendy vibe and energetic nightlife. The entire downtown is considered safe and is very walkable, allowing visitors to easily explore its captivating blend of culture, cuisine, and coastal beauty on foot.

Tip: For an unforgettable experience, head down to the Malecón or any beachfront spot about 30 minutes before the scheduled sundown to watch the spectacular sunset over the bay.
What is considered old town in Puerto Vallarta?

Old Town, also known as the Romantic Zone or Zona Romántica, is considered the historic heart of Puerto Vallarta. It is characterized by its picturesque cobblestone streets, classic whitewashed buildings, red-tiled roofs, and a lively mix of shops, galleries, restaurants and bars. Nestled between the Sierra Madre mountains and Banderas Bay, Old Town has a traditional Mexican village charm with its colonial architecture and slower pace compared to the rest of Puerto Vallarta. Its romantic ambience comes from the area’s natural beauty, outdoor cafes, and charming boutique hotels. Old Town offers visitors a taste of an authentic Mexican neighborhood.