Zoológico de Vallarta

The Zoológico de Vallarta is a privately run zoo set in the jungle above Mismaloya, on the south shore of Banderas Bay, about 20 kilometers from downtown Puerto Vallarta. It sits at Camino al Edén 700, the narrow road that leaves Highway 200 at Mismaloya and follows the river inland toward El Edén, so the enclosures climb a forested hillside rather than spreading over flat ground. The property covers roughly 64 hectares, of which only about 5 are built up; the rest is kept as forest reserved for future growth. It is organized as a civil association and says it receives no public subsidies.

The collection mixes local wildlife with big animals from other continents. Among the species on show are jaguars, leopards, African lions and Bengal tigers, macaques, coatis and coyotes, ostriches, scarlet macaws and flamingos, plus a reptile house side with marsh crocodiles, giant tortoises, boas, pythons, green iguanas and Gila monsters. The zoo's trademark is contact: you can buy food at the entrance and hand-feed many of the animals through the fences, from ostriches to monkeys, which is why families with children make up much of the crowd. There is a restaurant on site, environmental education workshops, a volunteer program and an animal adoption scheme, and the zoo has long promoted its breeding of jaguars and tigers.

The place has drawn criticism over the years from animal-welfare groups and from visitors posting on social media. In October 2025 Profepa, Mexico's federal environmental enforcement agency, carried out a four-day inspection of enclosures, food, water and paperwork and reported that the animals were in good health, while issuing recommendations on hygiene, emergency response and welfare. The zoo says that well over half of its animals were rescued. Expect steep paths and heat: wear comfortable shoes, go early, and combine the visit with Mismaloya beach, a short ride downhill.