Holidays
  • HOLIDAYS
    • View Holidays Homepage
    • Beach Holidays
      • Adults Only Holidays
      • All Inclusive
      • Beach
      • Family Holidays
      • Long-Haul Holidays
      • Luxury Holidays
      • Nightlife
      • Spa Holidays
      • Sports and Activity
      • View all beach holidays
    • Multi Destination
    • Tours
    • City Breaks
    • Ski
    • Lakes and Mountains
    • Lapland
    • Villas
    • Weddings
    • Accessible Holidays
  • Cruises
  • CRUISES
    • Marella Cruises
      • View Marella Cruises Homepage
      • Cruise Deals
      • Cruise Ships
      • Cruise Types
        • Cruise From the UK
        • Cruise Only
        • Cruise and Stay
        • Themed Cruises
        • Repositional and Transatlantic
      • Destinations
        • Caribbean
        • Western Mediterranean
        • Canary Islands and Atlantic
        • Eastern Mediterranean
        • North Africa And Middle East
        • Asia
        • Central America
        • View All Cruise Destinations
      • Useful Information
        • Cruise Calendar
        • Top Ports Of Call
        • On Board Experience
        • Why cruise with Marella Cruises?
    • TUI River Cruises
      • View TUI River Cruises Homepage
      • European River Cruises
      • River Cruise Ships
      • River Cruise Only
      • Rivers
        • Danube
        • Dutch & Belgian Waterways
        • Main
        • Moselle
        • Rhine
      • Destinations
        • Austria
        • Belgium
        • Croatia
        • Germany
        • Hungary
        • Netherlands
        • Serbia
        • Slovakia
        • Switzerland
      • Useful Information
        • Why cruise with TUI River Cruises?
  • Flights
  • FLIGHTS
    • View Flights Homepage
    • Cheap Flights
    • Our Destinations
      • Where we fly
      • Popular routes
    • Flight Timetable
    • Arrivals and Departures
    • Useful Information
      • Flying with us
      • Before you fly
      • Our fleet
      • Frequently Asked Questions
  • hotel only
  • HOTEL ONLY
  • Deals
  • DEALS
    • View Deals Homepage
    • Summer Holiday Deals
      • Summer Holidays 2021
      • Summer Holidays 2022
      • School Holiday Deals
      • View All Summer Holiday Deals
    • Winter Holiday Deals
      • Winter Holidays 2020
      • Winter Holidays 2021
      • Christmas Holiday Deals
      • Easter Holiday Deals
      • View All Winter Holiday Deals
    • Last Minute Deals
    • Free Kids Place Finder
    • Destination Deals
      • Spain Holiday Deals
      • Greece Holiday Deals
      • Mexico Holiday Deals
      • View All Destination Deals
    • Holiday Type Deals
      • All Inclusive Holiday Deals
      • Luxury Holiday Deals
      • Family Holiday Deals
      • View All Holiday Deals
    • Discount Deals
  • Destinations
  • DESTINATIONS
    • View Destinations Homepage
    • Europe
      • Albania
      • Austria
      • Bulgaria
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Czech Republic
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Lapland
      • Malta
      • Montenegro
      • Portugal
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
      • View All Europe Destinations
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
      • Mexico
      • View All Central America Destinations
    • Africa
      • Cape Verde
      • Egypt
      • Gambia
      • Kenya
      • Mauritius
      • Morocco
      • Seychelles
      • Tanzania
      • Tunisia
      • View All Africa Destinations
    • Caribbean
      • Antigua
      • Aruba
      • Barbados
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Grenada
      • Jamaica
      • St Lucia
      • Trinidad And Tobago
      • View All Caribbean Destinations
    • North America
      • United States Of America
      • View All North America Destinations
    • Asia
      • China
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Jordan
      • Malaysia
      • Maldives
      • Oman
      • Sri Lanka
      • Thailand
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Uzbekistan
      • Vietnam
      • View All Asia Destinations
    • Where’s hot when?
    • Quarantine Free Holidays
    • Popular Destinations
      • Algarve
      • Benidorm
      • Cancun
      • Crete
      • Dubai
      • Florida
      • Fuertaventura
      • Gran Canaria
      • Lanzarote
      • Madeira
      • Majorca
      • Tenerife
  • Extras
  • EXTRAS
  • TravelInformation
  • Travel Information
  • AccountAndBooking
logo
Shortlisted holidays
  • Shortlist( )
  • Travel Information
  • Account & Booking
  • HOLIDAYS
  • CRUISES
  • FLIGHTS
  • HOTEL ONLY
  • DEALS
  • DESTINATIONS
  • EXTRAS

Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. To find out more, please read our Cookie Notice. Close

List
    See all destinations
    See departure airports for
    See what dates we fly to this route
    see what dates this destination is available
    Flexible by +/-3 days
    7 nights
    Clear search
    Child ages (on return date) Edit ages
    • Latest
    • Video
    • Active
    • Culture
    • Family
    • Food
    • Style
    Puerto Vallarta / Hard Rock Cafe

    “It’s a Mexican standoff”

    We pit these big-hitting beach resorts against each other

    Cancun vs Puerto Vallarta

    East Coast or West Coast? When you’re choosing between Mexico’s premier beach paradises, it’s more than a matter of plumping for Pacific or Caribbean, left or right. Because while both offer sun, sea and sand, they’ve each got distinctly different personalities. Caribbean Cancun brings flashy fun, parties and pyramids, while laid-back Puerto Vallarta, on the Pacific Ocean, is a truer taste of Mexico. Here’s a guide to deciding which one’s for you.

    Best for tomb raiders - Cancun

    All right, they’re more temples than tombs, but let’s not sweat the details. Chichén Itzá, an ancient Mayan city voted into the ‘New Seven Wonders of the World’, is a popular day trip from Cancun and won’t disappoint. Dotted with temples and pyramids dating back to 600 AD, it’s the perfect place to live out your Indiana Jones-slash-Lara Croft fantasies.

    Best for would-be Tarzans - Puerto Vallarta

    Not to be outdone in the adventure stakes, Puerto Vallarta is set against an action-filled backdrop of the jungle-covered Sierra Madre mountains. Adventure-lovers can make like Tarzan and swing (well, zip line) through the trees, or hike tangled forest trails.

     

    Picture: Chichén Itzá

    Best for thrill-seekers - Cancun

    Experiences don’t get much more thrilling than swimming with whale sharks. These quite literally bus-sized creatures, known for being ‘gentle giants’, are the biggest fish in the world. The Quintana Roo coast just south of Cancun is known for huge gatherings of them, and swimming alongside these guys counts as a big fat tick on the bucket list. Swimmers should of course keep a respectful distance, not touch the animals, and refrain from flash photography.

    Best for beach bohemians - Puerto Vallarta

    If you’re more about looking good on the beach than diving into the deep, a day trip to Sayulita, on the upmarket Riviera Nayarit (a short drive from Puerto Vallarta), is for you. It’s an oh-so-fashionably shabby-chic enclave of beachside boutiques and sizzling street food stands, with a generous sprinkling of gorgeous surf guys and girls to boot. Get on board with a surf lesson at the little town’s gloriously unspoiled beach. Or simply soak up the sun after a hard day’s souvenir shopping.

    Best for party people - Cancun

    There’s a reason Cancun is the go-to spot for US college students’ legendary Spring Break. The Hotel Zone is a blaring strip of busy bars and clubs - think of it as Mexico’s answer to Benidorm, with extra tequila. For a spectacularly bonkers night out, Coco Bongo is renowned for its circus-meets-student-union vibe. Plus, er, sausage balloons. Lots of them.

    Best for loved-up couples - Puerto Vallarta

    Prefer sunset cocktails and meals for two on the beach? Puerto Vallarta’s prime position on Banderas Bay is so damn dreamy, there’s even a dedicated Romantic Zone. Find it just south of Downtown, where torch-lit seafront restaurants all point towards sunset. End dinner with a signature ‘Sexy Coffee’, involving a daring tableside fire show. Downtown’s main boardwalk, the Malecón, is also a top spot for clinking drinks as the sun sinks. There’s lots of local life here for people watching, too.

    Best for big kids - Cancun

    Cancun is all about taking time off from being a grown-up. So when you’re not out waving your sausage balloon, you can be running around the Xplore activity park. A day tour here includes driving your own 4x4 over rocky jungle paths, rafting underground rivers in rugged caverns, and flying over the tree-tops in a zip-line hammock. Yes, they really have thought of everything.

    Best for culture vultures - Puerto Vallarta

    If you want to get to know Mexico, Puerto Vallarta offers a more traditional slice of life. You can see petroglyphs carved into rocks by ancient civilisations, visit local cheese-and tortilla-makers, and even try a tasting at a tequila distillery on the Hidden Mexico tour. Catch locals of all ages dancing to folk music in the main town square, Plaza Principal, on Sundays. For more recent history, Las Caletas cove, a quick boat ride away, is a private beach hideout once owned by Hollywood film director John Huston. He famously hosted Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor here in the Sixties, putting Puerto Vallarta on the map as a glamorous spot for celebs. The jungle-backed beach gives Las Caletas a wild, deserted island feel, so it’s a great place to be castaway for a day – particularly as there’s also a handy restaurant right on the sand.

    Plumping for the Pacific or craving the Caribbean?

    Take your pick of our Mexico holidays.

     

    Author: Laura Chubb

    Published: 03.08.2016.

    Tags: latest

    Destinations: Mexico , Cancun , Puerto Vallarta

    SHARE

    •  
    •  
    •  
    •  

      DISCOVER MORE

    • Beach Palace Cancun

      Beach Palace Cancun

      Treat yourself to a stay at , where every room comes with a Jacuzzi® and there are two rooftop pools offering sea views.

    • Secrets Vallarta Bay

      Secrets Vallarta Bay

      Adults-only Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta is a stunning seafront property that’s walking distance from Downtown, with gourmet dining, huge rooms and all-inclusive top-shelf spirits.

    • Riu Palace Peninsula

      Riu Palace Peninsula

      The huge, luxurious Riu Palace Peninsula hotel from our Platinum collection is just 15 minutes from Puerto Juarez where you can swim with whale sharks.

    Inspired? Discover more...

    Call us on: 0203 451 2688




    Some images shown throughout this website do not represent current operational guidelines or health and safety measures such as face masks and physical distancing requirements.
     
    To top

    Our top deals tailored to you, straight to your inbox Sign up for offers

    Shop Finder Ask a question? Contact us

    We're part of TUI Group - one of the world's leading travel companies. And all of our holidays are designed to help you Discover Your Smile.

    Registered address: Wigmore House, Wigmore Lane, Luton,Bedfordshire,United Kingdom, LU2 9TN

    . .
    • Holiday Types
    • Popular Destinations
    • Mid/Long haul
    • Short haul
    • Flights To
    • Cruise
    • Hotels

    Holiday Types

    Summer Holidays 2020 Summer Holidays 2021 Winter Holidays 2020 Winter Sun Holidays Cheap Holidays Luxury Holidays Family Holidays All inclusive holidays Package Holidays Beach holidays Discount Codes City Breaks Last minute Holidays Villa Holidays Short Breaks Accessible Holidays Multi-Destination Holidays Escorted Tours

    Popular Destinations

    Algarve holidaystest Benidorm holidays Canary Islands holidays Crete holidays Cyprus holidays Gran Canaria holidays Ibiza holidays Lanzarote holidays Las Vegas Holidays Majorca holidays Menorca holidays Mexico Holidays New York Holidays Tenerife holidays

    Mid/Long haul

    Aruba holidays Bali Holidays Vietnam Holidays Cape Verde holidays Caribbean Holidays Costa Rica Holidays Cuba Holidays Dubai Holidays Egypt holidays Florida holidays Jamaica Holidays Mauritius holidays Sri Lanka Holidays Thailand holidays Sharm El Sheikh Holidays Los Cabos Holidays

    Short Haul

    Benidorm Holidays Portugal holidays Spain holidays Turkey Holidays Zante holidays Morocco holidays Croatia holidays Greece holidays Malta holidays Bulgaria holidays Italy holidays Lapland holidays

    Flights To

    Cheap Flights Tenerife Flights Montego Bay Flights Mauritius Flights Thailand Flights Alicante Flights Lanzarote Flights Ibiza Flights Florida Flights Orlando Flights Spain Flights Cyprus Flights Malta Flights Portugal Flights Turkey Flights Goa Flights Cancun Flights Barbados Flights Popular Flight Routes

    Cruise

    Puerto Limon Caribbean Cruises Fjords Cruise Italian Cruises Mediterranean Cruises Canary Islands and Atlantic Central America Dubrovnik Barcelona All Inclusive Family Cruises Last Minute Cruises Cruises Cruise Deals Cruises from the UK Croatia Cruises from Southampton Summer Cruises 2020 River Cruise Deals

    Hotels

    Hotels in Tenerife Hotels in Gran Canaria Hotels in Lanzarote Hotels in Fuerteventura Hotels in Majorca Hotels in Menorca Hotels in Ibiza Hotels in Cancun Hotels in Riviera Maya Hotels in Playacar Hotels in Playa Del Carmen Hotels in Paphos Hotels in Protaras Hotels in Marmaris Hotels in Bodrum Hotels in Alanya Hotels in Kusadasi

    More from TUI

    About TUI MyTUI app Cookies Notice Manage Cookie Preferences Privacy Notice Terms & Conditions Credit card fees Media Centre Travel Jobs Affiliates Discover Lakes & Mountains Discover Weddings App Store for Ios Google Play Store Travel Money Holiday Budget Calculator TUI Group First Choice Holiday Brochures Travel After Brexit Holiday Weather

      • World of TUI

        Travel Aware – Staying Safe and Healthy Abroad

        The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and National Travel Health Network and Centre have up-to-date advice on staying safe and healthy abroad.

        See gov.uk/travelaware and follow @FCDOtravelGovUK on Twitter and Facebook.com/FCDOtravel - for the latest general FCDO travel advice, including coronavirus travel guidance, security and local laws, and passport and visa information.

        See gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice - for FCDO travel advice about individual destinations.

        See Travel Aware page - for travel advice from TUI.

        See travelhealthpro.org.uk - for current travel health news.

        The advice can change so check regularly for updates.

    All the flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Some of the flights on this website are also financially protected by the ATOL scheme, but ATOL protection does not apply to all flights. This website will provide you with information on the protection that applies in the case of each flight before you make your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk. ATOL protection does not apply to the other holiday and travel services listed on this website.