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Nuevo Vallarta is not Vallarta, and it is not even the same state

North of the airport, across the Ameca river, Puerto Vallarta ends and Nayarit begins. Nuevo Vallarta is the resort strip on that side: a long, flat, walkable beach, a marina, golf, and rows of large all-inclusives. It shares a bay, an airport and a clock with Puerto Vallarta, and almost nothing else.

By our local teamDrivers and coordinators on the ground
Reviewed September 25, 2026 2 min read
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The clock is no longer the problem, and it is worth knowing why

You cross into another state, but you do not change the time. Bahia de Banderas — which is Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias, La Cruz and Sayulita — moved onto Jalisco time in April 2010, precisely to stop the missed flights the one-hour gap was causing. The whole bay has run on the same clock ever since.

The beach is the product

It runs flat and wide for kilometers — Nuevo Vallarta, Flamingos, Bucerías all on the same sand — with gentle shelving and generally moderate surf. You can walk for an hour on it. That is the opposite of Puerto Vallarta town, where the beaches are small and interrupted by rock.

It is Pacific, so read the flags. Calm most days, not all of them.

What is here and what is not

Here

Big all-inclusive resorts, a marina, two golf courses, a handful of shopping plazas, and a dolphin facility.

Not here

A town. There is no center, no square, nowhere to wander after dinner.

Next door

Bucerías, fifteen minutes north, is a real town with a beach and restaurants. La Cruz de Huanacaxtle a bit further has a marina and a Sunday market. Sayulita, an hour north, is the surf town everybody photographs.

Getting into Puerto Vallarta

The old town is about 25 to 35 minutes south, past the airport. Buses run the highway constantly and are cheap; taxis are negotiated and add up. Plan on going in at least twice — the malecón at sunset and dinner in the Zona Romántica are the reasons people remember this trip.

Who it suits

It suits

Families who want a long flat beach and everything included, golfers, and anyone who prefers a resort to a town.

It does not suit

A first trip where the point is Puerto Vallarta itself. You will be commuting to it.

Keep planning

Puerto Vallarta · Puerto Vallarta Airport · Puerto Vallarta

Traveler questions

Is Nuevo Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta?
No. It is north of the airport in the state of Nayarit, and it is a resort strip rather than a town.
Does the time change when I cross into Nayarit?
No. Bahia de Banderas has used Jalisco time since 2010, so Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta run together. The gap only shows up if you leave the bay for the north of the state.
How far is the old town?
About 25 to 35 minutes south, past the airport, by bus or taxi.
Is the beach good?
Long, flat and walkable for kilometers, which is its main advantage over Puerto Vallarta town. It is Pacific, so read the flags.
What is nearby?
Bucerías fifteen minutes north, La Cruz a bit further, and Sayulita about an hour.
Topics Puerto Vallarta

Sources

  1. Puerto Vallarta Tourism Boardvisitpuertovallarta.com · checked 2026-09-25
  2. Riviera Nayarit Tourism Boardrivieranayarit.com · checked 2026-09-25

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