Mexico - Pacific Coast Holidays

Hollywood’s original screen sirens were among the first to get a soft spot for Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Ava Gardner and Richard Burton fell for the place in the early Sixties, when they came here to film The Night of the Iguana. The Pacific Coast’s chemistry begins with its beaches. Almost 800 kilometres of white sand fringes Mexico’s west side, and sitting pretty in the centre of it all is Banderas Bay. Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta are the big resorts in these parts.

Puerto Vallarta has made waves as the cosmopolitan alternative to Cancun. Just take a look at the Malecón – a mile-long seaside promenade stippled with art installations. Here, street food vendors share pavement space with some of the best restaurants in the country. And lively bars line up next to VIP nightclubs.

Further north, Nuevo Vallarta is a purpose-built resort that teams its beaches with a stylish marina. Walk along the boardwalk here, and you can lust after the super yachts and million-dollar condos. Better still, between December and April you can board speedboats into the bay spot humpback whales on their yearly migration.

Beyond the sand and townscapes, Mexico’s Pacific Coast turns green. Here, the line blurs between mango and papaya plantations and the tropical foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains. This part of the map is prized for its adventure activities, like abseiling, and it’s where you’ll find the longest and fastest zip-lining circuit in Mexico.