Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport is off the highway about 8km (5mi) north of the city, near the Marina Vallarta. A number of Mexican and US carriers touch down here on direct flights from domestic hubs inlcuding Mexico City, Tijuana, Guadalajara and León, and North American cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas and Chicago. Two kilometers (1.2mi) north of the airport is a long-distance bus station, which has services to northern destinations inlcuding Tepic (3.5hr) and Mazatlán (8hr), southern sites including Manzanillo (5hr) and Zihuatanejo (15hr), and the key inland cities of Guadalajara (5hr) and Mexico City (13hr).

Getting around

To get from the airport to the city center, you can take a taxi, a colectivo (shuttle van), or a camion (local bus). If you opt for a taxi, catch one across the street from the terminal - the monopolizing 'official' airport cabs often try to charge higher rates. Colectivos are cheaper than taxis, and the camiones are cheapest of all.

Colectivos and camiones both run set routes throughout the city and along the coastal strips at either end, stopping at all of the major hotels as they go. Taxis veer through predetermined city zones, with the price of a ride climbing as you pass into a new zone - negotiate the fare before getting into the vehicle. Water taxis ply the bay between the resort and most of the surrounding beaches, and can be waved down on the main city beaches. Bicycles can be hired at a few places around town including Bike Mex and Eco Ride.