Mexico
Puerto Vallarta is a Pacific beach town on the Bay of Banderas, backed by jungle-covered mountains. For decades it has been Mexico's, and arguably Latin America's, favourite gay beach destination. The Zona Romántica (Old Town) is packed with gay bars, gay-owned guesthouses and restaurants. The nearby Playa Los Muertos is an all-day beach scene, and every winter the town fills with LGBTQI+ visitors from across North America.
The Zona Romántica, also called the Old Town, lies south of the Río Cuale. It is a grid of cobbled streets, bougainvillea and whitewashed buildings climbing the hillside, and it is the centre of gay Puerto Vallarta. Within a few blocks you'll find dozens of gay and gay-friendly bars, cabaret venues, restaurants and gay-owned boutique hotels and guesthouses, many with rooftop pools and bay views. Calle Basilio Badillo, Olas Altas and Lázaro Cárdenas are the main streets to wander.
Playa Los Muertos is the main beach of the Zona Romántica. Its southern end, known as the Blue Chairs after the beach club that made it famous, has been the town's gay beach for decades. Rent a lounger, order a michelada and watch the parade of vendors, swimmers and sunset-seekers. Gay boat trips leave from the Los Muertos pier to the beaches at Las Ánimas and Yelapa and to the snorkelling at Los Arcos. Several gay-run tour operators also offer jungle hikes, tequila tastings and whale-watching trips.
Nights in Puerto Vallarta start with sunset cocktails on a rooftop or on the beach, then move to the bars of the Zona Romántica. The town has some of the best drag and cabaret shows in Mexico, plus dance clubs, go-go bars and relaxed neighbourhood spots that stay busy until the early hours. Vallarta Pride, usually held in late May, brings a week of parties, a parade along the Malecón and community events. The busiest stretch of the year is the high season from December to April, when the town is full of gay snowbirds from the US and Canada.
The best weather is from November to April: dry, sunny days in the high 20s °C, warm sea temperatures and humpback whales in the bay from December to March. This is also peak season, so book gay guesthouses early, especially around Christmas, New Year and Easter. From June to October it is hot and humid, with heavy afternoon rain and some hurricane risk. Prices drop, the town gets much quieter, and the landscape turns lush and green.
Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) has direct flights from many US and Canadian cities, and it is 20 to 30 minutes from the Zona Romántica. Official airport taxis are convenient. Taxis are cheaper if you walk across the pedestrian bridge to the main road, and Uber also operates in town. The Zona Romántica and Malecón are easy to walk, though the cobbles and hills call for sensible shoes. Local buses are cheap and reach Mismaloya and the beaches to the south.
Puerto Vallarta is one of the most welcoming places in Latin America for LGBTQI+ travellers. In the Zona Romántica, on Playa Los Muertos and along the Malecón, holding hands and showing affection are completely normal. Same-sex marriage is legal throughout Mexico, and the local tourism industry actively courts gay visitors.
The main tourist areas are generally safe. Some governments advise caution for parts of Jalisco state, but this is due to cartel violence that rarely affects visitors in Puerto Vallarta's tourist zones. Use official taxis or ride-hailing late at night, keep an eye on your drinks, drink bottled or filtered water, and respect red flags on the beach because Pacific rip currents can be strong.
Mexico is generally safe for LGBTQ+ travellers in major tourist cities. Same-sex marriage is legal across all states (achieved progressively 2009–2022). Mexico City has a vibrant queer culture. Exercise more caution in rural areas and states with higher rates of anti-LGBTQ+ violence.
1.7km away
