When choosing a vacation rental in Nuevo Vallarta, you can start by deciding what you want to focus on during your trip: beaches, golf, or local cuisine. Playa Nuevo Nayarit stretches for several kilometers, two golf courses have specific details you can compare, and the local food scene includes Pescado zarandeado and fresh seafood. The wider Bahía de Banderas area offers additional regional highlights.

Beach and access

Playa Nuevo Nayarit, formerly known as Nuevo Vallarta, stretches for several kilometers of uninterrupted beach. At Nuevo Vallarta Beach, you can swim, paddleboard, and kayak. Playa Nuevo Nayarit is also known for its impressive sunsets, which add a distinctive touch alongside the water activities.

Public access to Playa FIBBA is at the FIBBA Club on Boulevard Nuevo Vallarta and Paseo de los Cocoteros. Playa FIBBA has ramps providing universal accessibility to the sand. The beaches of Nuevo Nayarit have held Blue Flag environmental certification since 2013. As certification status can change, it’s a good idea to check the current status before your trip.

Golf, cuisine, and seasonal wildlife watching

Golf enthusiasts can compare two named courses using their key details. The Greg Norman golf course at Vidanta Nuevo Nayarit has 18 holes and a par of 73. Flamingos Golf in Nuevo Nayarit also has 18 holes. Both courses have 18 holes, while the Greg Norman course also has a par of 73.

Local dishes include Pescado zarandeado and fresh seafood. Seasonal whale-watching tours may also depart from Nuevo Vallarta. Together, cuisine and wildlife watching offer two more reasons to visit, alongside the beaches and golf.

More highlights in Bahía de Banderas

Within the wider Bahía de Banderas destination, the Islas Marietas form an archipelago of two islands. You can watch birds and see coral reefs there. The natural calendar of Bahía de Banderas also follows recurring seasonal patterns: humpback whales come to the bay to give birth each year and stay with their calves between December and March. Dolphins and sea turtles come to Bahía de Banderas in summer and leave again in fall. Sightings are not guaranteed; tour schedules and wildlife conditions vary.

Cultural spots in Bahía de Banderas include Sayulita, a former fishing village and Pueblo Mágico with art galleries, restaurants, bars, and a beach. In San Pancho, Circo de los Niños presents circus productions; check current schedules separately. La Bodega Teatro is a multidisciplinary arts center there for performances and events, celebrating local creativity. San Pancho is also home to acrylic paintings depicting colorful characters, scattered across well-known landscapes in the region.

The places offering food and crafts also differ across the wider destination. La Cruz de Huanacaxtle has dozens of local restaurants and a Sunday market selling local products; check whether the market is open before visiting. Local shopping in Bucerías focuses mainly on handicrafts and clothing.

For the overview of the wider destination: Bahía de Banderas.