Mexico - Where to stay in PV for best beaches

Most of what I read has indicated to avoid the hotel zone and marina area if you want nice beaches. So I was looking at either Puerto Nuevo of Mismaloya. Any suggestions?

Most of what I read has indicated to avoid the hotel zone and marina area if you want nice beaches. So I was looking at either Puerto Nuevo of Mismaloya. Any suggestions?

I've stayed at the Westin in the marina and thought the beach was wonderful. They have beautiful beds/cabanas that you can rent and you can walk for miles down the beach.

Probably the best beach in the PV area is at Paradise Village, which is in Nuevo Vallarta, just the other side of the airport.

PV is not really known for its great beaches (yes, it has them, but it's not the Caribbean).

We stayed at the Hotel Garza Blanca over 10 years ago. We thought the beach there was wonderful. Our hotel room was a villa with its own private pool up the hill from the hotel.

Not sure if the hotel exists anymore. From checking recently on the web, I see that the rooms on the hill are individual villas for rent. I'm not sure about beach access from the villas, but the beach here (Palo Maria) wasn't grubby.

Garza Blanca is about half-way between Puerto Vallarta and Mismaloya.

Years ago, we used to camp and dive areas like Cruz de Huanacaxtle (http://www.lacruzdehuanacaxtle.com/), Punta Mita, Higuera Blanca, Sayulita, Rincón de Guayabitos (Bahia Jaltemba,) Bucerías, etc. (some are actually actually north and over the Jalisco border line in the neighboring state of Nayarit.) Very nice beaches! ^ (It has been a long time since we camped in our van at Rincón, dove and enjoyed the lovely coral and prolific fish and mollusc populations at El Islote, and even skin dived for Pinctada mazatlanica oysters, finding some pearls...)

Now, they have new hotels and resorts in the places closer to Puerto Vallarta, smaller hotels and B&Bs farther north (Rincón de Guayabitos,) and it is easy to rent a car at the airport and drive north (highway to Tepic.) No more than ninety minutes from the airport for the farther destinations, a different world; the beaches and bays north of Vallarta are nice indeed!

If you want the hustle and bustle of a major tourist destination, stay in Punta de Mita or southward to Mismaloya. If you want a quieter more pristine destination, head north up the Nayarit coast. I think there is some limited information at www.vallartaonlie,com, but I'd rev up my Google and search.

By the way, Mexico's next HUUUGE megaresort development will be Litibú (lee-tee-BOO,) established by Mexico’s National Trust Fund for Tourism Development, FONATUR (other development concepts incldued Cancún, Ixtapa, Los Cabos, Loreto and Huatulco,) is planned to start one mile north of Punta de Mita and into Bucerias. As FONATUR's recent persiflage says, "Litibú is located just 30 minutes away from the dynamic area of Puerto Vallarta and 1 mile north of Punta Mita, it is planned to be one of the most exclusive Real Estate beach developments. Its main attraction will be a spectacular Golf Course designed by Greg Norman, surrounded by upscale residences and luxury condominiums and villas, as well as shopping malls, entertainment centers and beach clubs, among other amenities."

Go there now, unless you enjoy Cancún on steroids and at twice the prices.

Playa de Los Muertos was a nice beach but SO many vendors. One would come up to you literally every 2 minutes. I don't know if other PV beaches are the same. But staying in this area really gave you the feel of the culture. The absolute best beach is Las Animas. Only accessible by boat...but wow....words can't explain the beauty of it. Highest recommendations. Find a tour operator that is offering a trip for about $30 including open bar :)

I have stayed at the Marriott Casa Magna (in Marina Vallarta) a number of times and the beach there is average, if not a little below. Its got a nice view into the bay and beyond from the beach but in terms of laying out or swimming the currents are strong and it is at a steep slope.