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.

Los Tules Beach, Puerto Vallarta Hotel Zone

Table of Contents

Features & amenities

Restaurants

Bars

Hotels

Swimming

Water Activities

Land Activities

Family-Friendly

Hotel Zone

Summary

The beach features emerald-green waters and clear sands.
It is easily accessible and therefore popular among travelers.
It is one of the quietest beaches in the area.
It is near the El Pitillal river.

It is a great spot to watch the sunset in Puerto Vallarta.
There are several beachfront resorts in the area, including the Park Royal Los Tules.
The beach offers a variety of water sports, including kayaking, paddleboarding, and parasailing.

Puerto Vallarta Malecon Guide

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

The Puerto Vallarta Hotel Zone has four beaches, from north to south they are:

Los Tules beach is a 3400 ft long (1000 meter) stretch of golden sand running from the El Pitillal River on the northern end to a creek between Los Tules and Las Palmas by the Sea. The name “tule” comes from a reed that was very abundant in this area.

The resorts, condos, and hotels you’ll find along Playa Los Tules from north to south are:

Grand Venetian
Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa
Villa Del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa
Friendly Vallarta
Fiesta Americana Puerto Vallarta All Inclusive & Spa
Los Tules

It’s some 12 minutes, approximately 2.4 miles (4km) from the main square in downtown Puerto Vallarta.

Los Tules Beach (Playa Los Tules) features emerald-green waters and inviting clear sands. The beach is quite wide on the northern end, around 60-70 meters wide, though as an average it’s around 30-35 meters wide.

What to do

Friendly Vallarta Beach, Los Tules Beach, Hotel Zone, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

The activities in Los Tules Beach are very varied, and this is thanks to its ideal location since it is surrounded by hotels, clubs, and resorts of all kinds, so the activities in the region cover many sports and options. Swimming, kayaking, windsurfing, water skiing, jet-skiing, fishing, whale watching, parasailing, are just some of the many activities that take place in Los Tules Beach, in addition to being an ideal area for beach sports.

It’s also a great place to spend a day with family or friends, the beach at times can be quite crowded, especially if you are close to the El Pitillal access point, so take that into account too.

Beach in front of Villas del Palmar, Friendly Vallarta and Fiesta Americana, Los Tules Beach, Hotel Zone, Puerto Vallarta

There you’ll find sightseeing tours on the local pangas (water taxis), maybe a banana boat ride or an exciting parasailing ride in a parachute. This Puerto Vallarta beach is quite wide, you can enjoy the sun and there’s also space for beach sports. It’s not unusual to see people horseback riding in the area. Waves are soft and it’s a good place for swimming. It’s also a common spot to see the Pirate Ship sail by, so have your cameras at hand.

How to get to Los Tules

Los Tules Beach is located some 12 minutes, 2.4 miles (4km) from the main square in downtown Puerto Vallarta. It’s between El Pitillal River to the north and Las Palmas by the Sea to the south. It’s between Playa de Oro Beach and Playa Las Glorias

This beach tends to be a bit hidden away from the normal Puerto Vallarta visitor and few venture to it, mainly because it is not obviously available behind a seeming wall of hotels and resorts. It’s mostly those that book their hotels in this area that end up enjoying this swath of beach.

There are two public beach access points, one on the north side and another on the southern end. The northern access path goes along the northern edge of Grand Venetian, beside the El Pitillal River. The southern access path runs along the creek that is between Los Tules and Strana.

Los Tules Location Map

Where to stay in Los Tules Beach

There are a number of well-known hotels & condos in this area of the hotel zone that share the Los Tules Beach, including, from north to south:

Grand Venetian
Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa
Villa Del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa
Friendly Vallarta
Fiesta Americana Puerto Vallarta All Inclusive & Spa
Los Tules

Map of the Hotel Zone lodging options

A little bit of history

Los Tules Puerto Vallarta in the 1950s

In the 1960s this area where the ex-Holiday Inn, now Sunscape Puerto Vallarta, Plaza Las Glorias (now Pelicanos), Los Tules, Fiesta Americana, Las Palmas, and even Sheraton on Tranquila beach was all a series of creeks all covered in lilies and tule and was also used for crocodile farms.

Tule (Schoenoplectus acutus) is also called bulrush or bulrush, it’s an aquatic plant native to the lakes and swamps of North America. Its name derives from the Nahuatl tolli which means reed.

Holiday Inn 1977

Conclusion

The location, just as Playa de Oro, offers great sunsets, and most of the year the sun drops into the ocean. Easy access in the north and south makes it a great beach in Puerto Vallarta. After your day by the sea at Los Tules, you can take the southern path out to the boulevard and walk over to Plaza Caracol (Caracol Mall) where there are a number of food options and games for your kids too. In my opinion, Los Tules Beach is a fine beach, so if you are in the area, check it out.

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.