Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco and Mazatlan Holidays
Mexico’s Pacific coast was once a playground for the rich and famous, it’s a region of extreme contrast and diversity and with its palm fringed beaches and luxury resorts its once again becoming a hot destination for that stylish retreat.

Nuevo Vallarta boasts stunning beaches, it’s stylish, relaxed and much quieter than its neighbour Puerto Vallarta. It is however still in easy reach should you wish a livelier night out.

Puerto Vallarta’s history is visible in the whitewashed buildings, cobblestone streets and the graceful cathedral. Its golden sandy beaches and indigo waters invite carefree bay-side relaxation, the lush Sierra Madres beckon you on horse, bike or foot, stroll the malecón with the locals, or see the dolphins, humpback whales and manta rays in their natural habitat.

Mazatlan tempts you to spend your whole holiday on the beach, but venturing out is worth the effort. Stroll through Old Mazatlan to explore the hundreds of national historic landmarks, dine on local specialties al fresco in the charming Plaza Mechado, visit Stone Island for a range of beach activities or for a scenic round, tee off at top-rated Estrella del Mar .

Finally Acapulco offers breathtaking mountain views, raucous nightlife and a C-shaped bay with a plethora of beaches. It provides a more traditional, yet reasonably priced holiday than compared with its cousin, Cancun. The city's charms are many, from Pie de la Cuesta, a quiet village perfect for a moonlit stroll, to watching the divers soar off the magnificent cliffs at La Quebrada.

Where ever you choose to visit on the Pacific Coast, you will be charmed by the local traditions and feel a real sense of Mexican culture, the atmosphere and the surroundings will captivate you and you will be left wondering why you have not visited sooner.

Weather
The temperature averages about 28C, it’s quite humid, with approx 300 sunny days a year, providing a great all year round climate. The rainy season is between mid-May and mid-October but usually just consists of hot sunny days with short bursts of tropical rain in the late afternoon or during the night. The winter months tend to be more popular as it’s less humid and the evenings are cooler.By Day
Spend your days on the stunning beaches, wander through the numerous markets or take one of the many tours and visit the mountains and jungle. The marine life is spectacular, go diving, snorkeling, whale watching or why not swim with the dolphins. The area has on offer all the sports you can imagine, from a range of watersports, golf, tennis fishing, you can even go bungee jumping. By Night
The west coast offers much in the way of night time entertainment, Nuevo Vallarta is the quietest tourist destination; Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan cater for both the relaxed and the all night party animals with a wide range of restaurants, bars and clubs to choose from. Puerto Vallarta is the most popular and has two main areas, along the beach front (Malecon) and in the Los Muertos neighborhood, as you wander the cobbled streets from bar to bar you can watch an array of street performers and if you don’t feel like visiting a club then you can generally find a great beach party. The last major tourist destination is Acapulco, which is known for its upbeat atmosphere and all night parties however can be a little rough. Top Attractions
• Canopy Tour de Los Veranos – Zip through the jungle, flying from tree to tree, a truly amazing experience.
• Yelapa – visit the laid back Mexican village with lots to explore.
• Malecon (Puerto Vallarta) – visit the beachfront, shops bars and clubs.
• Carlos O’Briens (Puerto Vallarta) A favourite hot spot for drinking.
• La Inglesia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe – a beautiful church, famous for its crown of angels.
• Pie de la Cuesta (Acapulco) a beautiful and quiet village set between the ocean and a lagoon.
• El Anclote – Remote beach north of Puerto Vallarta which is well worth a visit.
• Cici (Acapulco) – Experience the water rides at this thrilling waterpark.
• Rancho Capomo – An amazing ranch to go horse riding.
• El Eden – Scenic Rainforest and the site Predator was filmed.
Events
Day of the King (Jan) Mexican Flag Day (Feb) Sailing World Championship (Mar) Fishing Tournament (Mar) Easter (Apr) Labour Day (May) Cinco de Mayo – commemorates defeating the French (May) Navy Day (Jun) Day of the Charros (Sep) El Grito de Dolores (Sep) Independence Day (Sep) Golf World Cup (Oct/Nov) Day of the Dead (Nov) Gourmet Festival (Nov) Film Festival (Nov/Dec) Surf Classic (Dec) Christmas & New Year (Dec)Local Flavours
You’ll be able to find just about any kind of food from international cuisine, to specialities from all over Mexico. There’s everything from street vendors to fine dining establishments. Their local food tends to be quite spicy and well seasoned and generally includes various types of pepper and is accompanied by tortillas or tacos (not the Tex-Mex kind). It’s famous for its tequila and it’s also a great place to shop, from the colourful street markets to the classy galleries. Good buys include tequila, liquors and locally made items.History
The main area on the west coast is Banderas Bay where the city of Puerto Vallerta is located. It was originally used by the Spanish to seek refuge from pirates and was later used to ship silver from nearby mines, but in the 1900s the discovery of silver in the USA brought down the price of silver substantially. The main settlement was elevated to multiplicity status in 1918 and renamed after former governor Ignacio Vallarta and in the 1930’s it started to become a popular tourist destination. With the release of John Huston’s movie version of ‘The Night of the Iguana’ in 1964, showcasing some of the stunning beaches, tourism grew substantially, the paparazzi then publicised the affair between Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor which attracted more publicity to the resort, so that in the 1970s, large investors brought about a massive expansion to the towns and turned what was once quiet fishing villages, in to thriving tourist resorts and now tourism has become the leading industry.Size & Location
To the north of Mexico is the USA, to the west and south is the Pacific Ocean, to the east is the Gulf of Mexico and to the southeast are Belize, Guatemala and the Caribbean Sea. It has 9,330 km of coastline and has an area of 1,972,550km2. Puerto Vallarta is currently the most popular destination on the west coast and is 1300 square km with a population of 250,000.