The densely layered hillsides of Puerto Vallarta rise above Playa de los Muertos, one of the city’s most iconic and active beachfronts. The shoreline is packed with rows of umbrellas and sunbathers, backed by mid-century and modern resort towers stacked against the green slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Fishermen, swimmers, and jet-ski riders share the bay, while pelicans glide overhead. The neighborhood of Zona Romántica just inland mixes narrow cobblestone streets with lively bars and cafes, making this stretch of the Bahía de Banderas one of Mexico’s most photographed coastal skylines and a focal point of everyday life for both locals and visitors.

Along the long shoreline of Nuevo Vallarta, visitors stroll the water’s edge where the resort towers of Riviera Nayarit meet the Pacific. The line of hotels and condominiums stretches toward Puerto Vallarta in the distance, marking one of Mexico’s most developed coastal corridors. Behind the beachfront skyline rise the forested slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental, framing the region’s distinctive geography—where mountains descend sharply into the sea and urban leisure merges with natural backdrop.

Along the shoreline of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, people gather where the city meets the Pacific Ocean. Families cool off in the surf as the day winds down, while a local horse handler offers rides along the sand — a long-standing tradition of the bayfront. The beach, backed by the green ridges of the Sierra Madre, remains one of the central gathering spaces for Vallarta residents and visitors alike, blending tourism, community, and everyday coastal life.