Nestled between the Sierra Madre mountains and Banderas Bay on Mexico's Pacific coast, Puerto Vallarta was a sleepy fishing village until John Huston filmed 'The Night of the Iguana' here in 1963. The cobblestoned Old Town (Zona Romantica) retains its Mexican character with whitewashed buildings and terracotta roofs. Humpback whales visit the bay each winter from December to March.
Nights sit around 26°C and afternoons around 31°C.
Puerto Vallarta barely changes season: afternoons sit around 29°C and nights around 23°C most of the year.
Rain is spread through the year — about 1082 mm in total, from 268 mm in September down to 2 mm in March — so no single month is a washout.
Wind is rarely an issue; most months sit between calm and a light breeze. Air quality is worth watching: May averages an AQI of 62, while February clears to 38.
Days stretch to about 13.2 hours of light in June and shrink to 10.8 in December — something to weigh if you work to a fixed timezone.
For what you're after, the best months in Puerto Vallarta are October – May. Expect fast internet (140 Mbps) and a moderate cost of living (about €1050 a month).
Affiliate links: if you book through them I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
