Tour Companies
There is a lot to do in Puerto Vallarta, and there are a just few companies that dominate the tour business here. Vallarta Adventures is the largest, offering everything from America's Cup Racing to Whale Watching tours. They also run the Dolphin Adventure park, and own a 99-year lease on Las Caletas.
You can buy your tickets directly from Vallarta Adventures over the internet; you may even receive a discount. You can also walk down the streets of Puerto Vallarta and be offered the same tours at discounted prices.
Private Tour Guides
Using the services of a private tour guide can be a good alternative for larger groups. Ibarra Puerto Vallarta Tours provides air-conditioned vans, complete with a stereo and cooler, that can accommodate groups of up to 8 people. They offer several set tours, plus you can also arrange custom itineraries for your day in Puerto Vallarta.
Resort Day Passes
The Crown Paradise Club Puerto Vallarta offers Day Passes (from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm daily) at their resort facility, located just south of the Cruise Ship Terminal at the beginning of the hotel zone. It's within easy walking distance, so you don't have to hail a taxi to get there.
The resort features a buffet restaurant, three specialty restaurants and two snack bars. In addition, you'll find three bars, a giant Jacuzzi with a swim-up bar, and a sports bar with a game room area featuring Nintendo Wii and X-Box consoles for the entire family.
For water enthusiasts, the resort features an activities pool and a water park with a pirate ship, castle and nine water slides. Other amenities include tennis courts, a daytime entertainment program including aqua-aerobics, beach volleyball, cooking lessons, bartending lessons, yoga, spinning, stationary bicycles, a Baby Paradise Club, Kids Club and much more. WIFI is available in all public areas (with a prepaid card purchased at the front desk), and the resort also features an air-conditioned internet center.
The regular price for the Day Pass is US$75 per person (kids aged 7 to 12 are US$25, and under 7 are free). Day Pass includes: wristband access to the facilities, use of the beach and beach chairs, day activities, lunch, snacks and drinks. If you require a day room, the price is US$140 for the period 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. You don't need to make a reservation; when you get to the Hotel, just ask for a Day Pass at the front desk.
SPECIAL CRUISE PORT INSIDER DISCOUNT: The resort is offering a 50% discount for all adult cruise passengers who mention CruisePortInsider at the front desk; this special discount is available from January 22 to April 16, and from May 5 to July 11, and from August 14 to December 17, 2011. During the summer months--from July 11 to August 13--the discount is 20%. (This offer is capacity controlled by occupancy levels and may not apply.)
Location: Avenida Paseo de las Garzas S/N, Zona Hotelera Norte
Email: prcrownpv@crownparadise.com
Tel: +52 (322) 226 68 68
Enjoy the Mexican hospitality of the Krystal Puerto Vallarta, a 25 acre hacienda-style resort with 2½ miles of golden sand beachfront, beautiful Colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, Mexican aqueducts, 3 large pools and over 40 bubbling fountains. Located in the heart of the Hotel district, the Krystal Puerto Vallarta is an easy 5-minute walk from the Cruise Terminal. The hotel features two swim up bars, a buffet and a la carte beachfront restaurant and poolside snack bar. Additional amenities of the resort include a full service spa with steam rooms, gym, outdoor Jacuzzis, tennis courts and water sports (equipment rental is at an additional cost). Wireless internet access is also available, at an additional cost.
The Krystal Puerto Vallarta's day passes come in two flavors:
An all-inclusive pass, good from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, includes access to the hotel's pools, beach and other facilities, as well as food and national beverages from the resort's Las Velas buffet and a la carte beachfront restaurant, poolside Snack Bar, and two swim up bars. SPECIAL CRUISE PORT INSIDER RATE: The cost is US$50 for adults and children.
An access only pass, good from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm, includes access to the hotel's pools, beach and other facilities. The cost is $250 pesos per person, and comes with $250 pesos credit for food and beverages within the resort. All expenditures above $250 pesos are the responsibility of the guest.
No reservations are necessary. You can purchase either of the day passes at the front desk; just show your cruise card and mention CruisePortInsider. (This offer is capacity controlled by occupancy levels and may not apply.)
Location: Avenida de las Garzas S/N, Zona Hotelera Norte
E-mail: nhpuertovallarta@nh-hotels.com
Tel: +52 (322) 226-0700
ATV Adventures
Vallarta Adventures offers their Offroad Adventure tour that will take you by Unimog into the remote, traditional villages of the Mexican Outback and uncover the ecosystem and wildlife of the mountains and jungles of the Sierra Madre. En route, you will visit a local Mexican home, where you'll savour freshly prepared corn tortillas, beans and salsas hand-made on the spot by the resident matriarch. You'll then venture deeper in the forest vegetation, where their expert eco-guides take you on a 45-minute educational nature hike, inspiring you to explore the wonderful flora and fauna tucked away under the canopy of the jungle. The tour ends with an open bar and an al fresco lunch freshly prepared by your guides. Here you can kick back and relax on the white sands of the private secluded beach or cool off in the waves of Banderas Bay. The cost of this 7½-hour tour is $78 per person. Tour includes snacks, a barbeque lunch by the beach and open bar.
Puerto Vallarta Tours by Johann and Sandra offer an ATV Jungle Trek tour in which you'll take a journey aboard a well-maintained ATV deep into the Sierra Madre. You'll pass through Mexican towns, race up remote dirt roads, and plow through water hazards on your way to a swimming hole with a small waterfall where you can refresh yourself. You can have drinks (not included) at a small cafe and relax for a few minutes before boarding the ATVs again. You'll have panoramic views of the jungle-draped hillsides, and pass rivers and valleys before stopping at a riverside restaurant for lunch or drinks (not included), or just to relax by the rivers edge before heading back to the tour office. The cost of this 3-hour tour is $68 for a 1-person ATV, or $86 for a 2-person ATV. Tour includes roundtrip ground transportation from their offices, helmets, goggles and a bandana.
Canopy Tours
Vallarta Adventures offers their Canopy Adventure Park tour that takes you into the heart of the virgin tropical forest of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Just 45 minutes northeast of Puerto Vallarta lays the only true treetop canopy and adventure eco-tour in all of the area. On this exhilarating journey you'll explore high above the jungle floor via zip lines, suspended walkways and platforms, by scaling the Crazy Ladder and descending via rappels. The cost of this tour is $75 per person for adults, and $52 per person for kids. Tour includes roundtrip ground transportation from their offices, bottled water and light snacks.
The Los Veranos Canopy Tour will take you from their offices in downtown Puerto Vallarta to their canopy facility in an air-conditioned van or open-air Mercedes jungle cruiser. You'll zip from tree to tree on a total of 14 cables, with the longest cable 1,300 feet long. You'll travel at speeds of up to 30 mph. over a dramatic river gorge. The final cable shoots you over the river rapids to their riverside palapa bar. The cost of this 4½-hour tour is $79 per person for adults, and $58 per person for kids. Tour includes roundtrip ground transportation from their offices, bottled water, soda and light snacks. Cruise ship passengers should book tours that leave from the Canopy Tour Office at 10:45 am or later, depending on the time your cruise ship leaves Vallarta.
Puerto Vallarta Tours by Johann and Sandra offer an El Eden Canopy Tour that will take you 30 minutes south of the city to El Eden, the site of the Arnold Schwarzenegger Movie, Predator. This tour has no tree platforms or bridges to cross - all zip lines are from platforms on natural ground. You'll fly high over waterfalls, forests and jungle with the greatest of ease on over 2 miles of zip lines. You are welcome to stay around after the tour to swim in the waterfall pool or dine at the El Eden Jungle Restaurant. A photo of you on your tour is available for purchase after the tour. Free Tequila Tastings and tour top off the activity. The cost of this 4½-hour tour is $73 per person for adults, and $64 per person for kids. Tour includes roundtrip ground transportation from their offices, English speaking guides, lockers, bottled water, Tequila Tour and Tasting and use of the area for swimming or dining at the El Eden Jungle Seafood Restaurant (food is not included in the price of the tour).
Puerto Vallarta Tours by Johann and Sandra offer an La Vista Canopy Tour in which you'll be taken high atop the highest mountain in Puerto Vallarta, where you'll be treated to panoramic views of Banderas Bay and the jungle below. You'll glide effortlessly along 13 zip lines, high above the valley floor. After the canopy tour, you can relax in the riverside restaurant with a beer or margarita, swim in the river, or take a nature walk along its banks. The cost of this 4-hour tour is $56 per person for adults, and $30 per person for kids. Tour includes roundtrip ground transportation from their offices, English speaking guides, equipment, gloves and water.
Puerto Vallarta Tours by Johann and Sandra offer an Rio Cuale Canopy Tour. Higher, longer, and faster than any canopy tour west of the Sierra Madre, the Cuale River Canopy tour is a spectacle to behold, particularly in rainy season, when the trees are their greenest and the foliage at its most lush. Over one and a quarter miles of zip lines await you, up to 600 feet in the air with the longest line stretching over a quarter mile long. After your tour, you can meet the original homesteaders of the area and enjoy refreshments (optional) at their bar, located high atop this beautiful mountain range. The cost of this 4-hour tour is $59 per person for adults, and $32 per person for kids. Tour includes roundtrip ground transportation from their offices, English speaking guides, equipment, gloves and water.
Puerto Vallarta Tours by Johann and Sandra offer an Mundo Nogalito Canopy Tour that features a network of 12 zip lines, including one tandem line so you can race to the finish. The Mundo Nogalito zip lines are up to 850 feet long, and up to 250 feet high. The canopy is set in a 99 acre natural reserve, which also features a beautiful botanical garden, countless hiking trails and a tequila distillery. After your zip lines adventure, you can swim in the river, admire the botanical gardens and learn how tequila is made at the tequila factory. The cost of this 4-hour tour is $60 per person for adults, and $38 per person for kids. Tour includes roundtrip ground transportation from their offices, English speaking guides, equipment, gloves, tequila tour &; tasting and water.
Dolphins
Swimming with dolphins is an unforgettable experience. In Puerto Vallarta there two aquatic parks that give you the extraordinary opportunity of interacting with the Pacific bottlenose dolphins.
Dolphin Adventure Center is owned by Vallarta Adventures. The park is located in Nuevo Vallarta adjacent to the Nuevo Vallarta Marina, a short drive from the Maritime Terminal.
Aquaventuras Park (formerly known as Sea Life Park), also located in Nuevo Vallarta, offers a number of interactive dolphin experiences.
Horseback Riding
Puerto Vallarta Tours by Johann and Sandra offer a Rancho Capomo Ride that will take you into the tropical rain forest of the Sierra Madre and the village of Las Palmas for an ecological ride that will make your trip. You'll embark down a jungle trail, laden with beautiful tropical foliage. You'll visit a beautiful waterfall, where you'll be invited to swim in the fresh cascades and pools below, cross remote rivers of amazing shapes and sizes, and enjoy Cervezas while watching the beauty unfold in front of you. At the end of the tour, you'll be treated to a real Mexican lunch before returning to Puerto Vallarta. The cost of this 6-hour tour is $68 per person for adults, and $34 per person for kids. Tour includes roundtrip ground transportation from their offices, English speaking guides, Cafe de Olla (Mexican coffee), a 3-hour horseback ride, swimming in a waterfall, Mexican Lunch, soft drinks and beer.
Las Caletas
This enclave on the southern shore of Banderas Bay is only accessible by boat. The trip is about an hour away from Puerto Vallarta. Las Caletas was once the home of John Huston, so it has a little stardust. You can do as little or as much as you want here; take a guided nature walk, relax at the hilltop spa, snorkel and dive with sea lions, or just hang out on the beach in a hand-woven hammock under the shade of palm trees.
Vallarta Adventures offers their Las Caletas Beach Hideaway tour that will take you to Las Caletas aboard a first class catamaran to the beautiful Las Caletas enclave. Throughout the day their guides will be on hand to offer snorkeling, scuba diving and kayaking tours, giving everyone the chance to discover and explore the calm, clear waters and hidden charms of this isolated cove. Away from the water there's an abundance of other activities: learn how to cook paella, discover Las Caletas' prolific flora and bird life on a walk through the jungle, see the orchid gardens and venture into the interactive parrot center. The cost of this 7-hour tour is $85 per person for adults, and $70 per person for kids. The tour includes round trip transportation, continental breakfast, buffet lunch, open bar, snorkeling and kayaking equipment, guided nature walk, parrot encounter, yoga lesson and paella cooking class.
Malecon/Sea Walk
The Malecon sea walk is a fun way to explore Puerto Vallarta's beaches. Check out the bronze sculptures dotting the shoreline, and take in some of the stores, bars and restaurants. You can also do some parasailing or hop on a boat for a trip on the bay.
Rhythms of the Night Show
Las Caletas by night becomes the mystic setting for this dance show. After a romantic sunset cruise, you will be taken to a beach where shimmering torches light your way to a spectacle of dance, song and mysticism. Arrange your show tickets through Vallarta Adventures, which produces the show.
Vallarta Adventures offers their Rhythms of the Night tour that takes you on a voyage of discovery, transporting you to a mystical and spiritual land that time forgot. Your adventure begins with a scenic ocean cruise across Banderas Bay to the isolated cove of Las Caletas. Once on shore, you'll follow a torchlit trail past re-enactments of ancient rituals and customs. Enticing aromas of freshly grilled steak, chicken and fish lure you towards your private beachside table bathed in the soft glow of candles. The dinner buffet is complimented by freshly prepared vegetables, salads, authentic handmade tortillas and dessert. The show is a hypnotic and exhilarating spectacle; stories of an ancient civilization are told through live music and modern dance as one of Mexico's most innovative contemporary dance troupes. After the show, end a perfect evening with a nightcap and dancing beneath the stars on the short cruise back to your point of departure. The cost of this 5-hour tour is $89 per person. The tour includes round trip sunset cruise, open bar, candlelight dinner and contemporary dance show at the pyramid amphitheater.
Snorkel and Sailing
Vallarta Adventures offers their Yelapa and Majahuitas snorkeling, swimming and kayaking tour. In the morning, you'll leave Puerto Vallarta aboard our luxury catamaran and head for the peaceful and isolated cove of Majahuitas, situated on the southern coast of the bay. Here you can swim, snorkel and kayak to your heart's content. After lunch aboard the catamaran, you'll head for the fishing village of Yelapa, where you can hike through the jungle to the Cola de Caballo waterfalls, go for a swim in crystal clear waters or just kick-back and bury your toes in the sand of its expansive beach. The cruise back to Puerto Vallarta with an open bar and festive atmosphere. The cost of this 7-hour tour is $55 per person for adults, and $39 for kids. The tour includes continental breakfast, lunch, open bar on board and snorkeling and kayaking equipment.
Puerto Vallarta Tours by Johann and Sandra offer a Los Arcos Snorkeling half-day sailing tour that will take you past Puerto Vallarta, getting great photo opportunities on your way to enjoy snorkeling at the Los Arcos marine park. Afterwards, feast on snacks and enjoy an adult beverage from the open bar as you sail back to port. The cost of this 4-hour tour is $50 per person for adults, and $20 per person for kids. Tour includes continental breakfast, snacks, open bar, snorkeling equipment, soft drinks and sailing (weather permitting).
Walking Tour of Downtown
Don't go to Puerto Vallarta without visiting the Centro, or downtown area. The red-tiled houses along the central streets house chic art galleries, clothing boutiques and shops selling interesting folk art, and the palm-lined seafront Malecon is filled with bars and discos. On the main square, Plaza de Armas, you'll find the Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe church and the modern Palacio Municipal, which also houses a helpful tourist office. It's a short walk up a steep walkway to Casa Kimberly, the erstwhile home of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (it has been operating as a B & B, and is now undergoing refurbishment).
South of the Centro is the Rio Cuale, and then the Olas Altas area, also known as the Romantic Zone. Here you'll find lots of upscale restaurants, bars, art galleries and other shops located in older turn-of-the-century buildings.
Water Sports
Bahia Banderas is a paradise for water sports enthusiasts. In Puerto Vallarta, you can do some windsurfing, deep sea fishing, diving, snorkeling, yachting, kayaking and parasailing. Check Vallarta Adventures for its water sports offerings.
Whale Watching
Whale watching expeditions in Banderas Bay get close enough so you can see mothers swimming with their young. With some luck a curious a baby will approach the boat and you'll be able to touch them. Arrange your whale watching tour through Vallarta Adventures.
Vallarta Adventures offers their Whale Watching Photo Safari tour that takes you to sea on their new all-weather inflatable speed boats. Guided by talented marine mammal behavior experts who are passionate about protecting wildlife and the environment, you'll follow the whales across Banderas Bay while the guides' knowledge and insight will give you a deeper understanding and appreciation for the wildlife that you'll encounter. This trip is available from December 8 through March 23. The cost of this 4-hour tour is $85 per person for adults, and $60 for kids. The tour includes snacks, soda and water.
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Discount on Day Passes at the Crown Paradise Club
