Puerto Vallarta

A seafront promenade running past the old town, bronze sculptures set along its length. The sun sets over open water across the bay, which makes dusk the busiest hour. At Los Arcos, an open stage framed by arches, street shows take place each evening.

A crown sits atop the bell tower of this church; the original fell in the 1995 earthquake and a new one replaced it. From early December to the 12th, neighbourhoods and firms walk to it in procession daily, and the street outside jams every evening then.

The beach of the Romantic Zone, south of the Cuale River, with a pier capped by a sail-shaped spire. Water taxis to Yelapa and other southern coast villages leave from it. Beach restaurants lend chairs on condition that you order food or drinks.

A long thin island in the Cuale River, which splits the old town in two; swinging footbridges link both ends. Craft stalls and small restaurants line it under the trees. A seated John Huston, the director whose film made the town famous, is cast in bronze.

A lookout marked by a cross, high above the old town, reached by steep stairs where a lane ends. Over red roofs it surveys the whole bay and the church crown. With little shade on the stairs, many climbers wait until the sun sinks.

A fishing settlement at the bay's far south end with no road in, reachable by boat alone. A forest path behind it climbs to a waterfall and returns to the sand. On the beach, women balance trays of pie on their heads and sell slices.

An uninhabited island park where the bay meets the open ocean, with a Hidden Beach reached only by swimming through a sea tunnel. Daily entry there is capped, so a licensed operator's boat is booked ahead. Blue-footed boobies nest around the islands.

Humpbacks arrive from December to March to give birth and raise calves inside the bay. Boats are required to keep a set distance, so go with a licensed operator. Morning departures, on calm flat water, reportedly find whales more easily.

A garden off the mountain road south to El Tuito, collecting orchids, ferns and other western highland plants. Swimming is allowed in the river beneath the grounds. A bus runs from town, though infrequently, so check the return time first.

A surf village in Nayarit to the north, roughly one hour by car. Its waves are even and modest, so beginners flock here and lesson shops line the sand. Rain flushes the village stream into the sea, so skip swimming the day after a downpour.

Granite rock islands rising off Mismaloya to the south, with sea tunnels the waves have bored through that boats pass under. Protected as a marine park, the rocks draw shoals of tropical fish round snorkellers. Pelicans and cormorants perch on top.

The cove where John Huston shot his 1963 film of the Iguana play, known locally as La Noche de la Iguana. Elizabeth Taylor's visits to Richard Burton put it in papers worldwide, and Vallarta became a resort after that. Set remains still stand on the point.

A fishing village at a river mouth, where water taxis leave for Yelapa and Las Animas beach. A forest trail also follows the coast to Las Animas in about two hours. Many hikers take the boat back.

A 17th-century silver-mining town, a 90-minute mountain drive inland and much cooler than the coast for its altitude. White-walled, tile-roofed houses line its stone lanes. Coffee farms on the surrounding slopes supply the cafes in town.

The headland closing off Banderas Bay to the north, with several surf breaks. It is the closest point to the Marietas Islands, so small boats leave for them from the fishing pier here. The very tip is a gated luxury resort and closed to the public.

A seaside town in Nayarit about 20 minutes north of the airport, strung along a long, flat sandy beach. A steady sea breeze blows every afternoon, drawing plenty of kitesurfers. Seafront restaurants put that day's fresh-landed seafood on the grill.