Town Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit Municipality of Bahía de Banderas Banderas Bay Riviera Nayarit
Busy working town on Highway 200 between Nuevo Vallarta and Bucerías, one of the largest in Bahía de Banderas; taquerías, cenadurías and local life.
From Puerto Vallarta: 20 min by car (17 km by road) How to get there ↓
Near here
Plan your visit to Mezcales
Where to stay near Mezcales
Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Mezcales.
Tours to Mezcales
Day trips around Sayulita sometimes stop in Mezcales; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.
Tours from Bucerias
City tour express, Butterfly, tequila, river and beach (free kids)
★ 4.6 (238) · From US$22
How to get to Mezcales
- From Puerto Vallarta: about 20 min by road (~17 km)
- Nearest airport: Puerto Vallarta (PVR), 41 min by car to Sayulita
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Tours from Bucerias, near Mezcales
Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.
About Mezcales
Mezcales is a town on the coastal plain of Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, strung along Highway 200 a few kilometers inland from the beaches of Nuevo Vallarta and Flamingos, on the stretch of road between the Ameca River bridge and Bucerías. It is the hub of a cluster of fast-growing communities: San Clemente de Lima lies about a kilometer and a half to the southwest, Mezcalitos and Valle Dorado a little under two kilometers to the east and southeast, Tondoroque about two kilometers to the northwest, and the municipal seat, Valle de Banderas, roughly seven kilometers inland. A road runs from here up the valley to San Vicente.
It was a tiny farming settlement for most of its history: in 1893 it was counted among the notable places of the valley with all of 40 inhabitants, living like their neighbours from maize, fishing and hunting. Its growth since then has followed the hotels. In 2005 Mezcales had about 3,800 people, in 2010 about 20,100, and the 2020 census counted 24,309, making it the third most populous locality of Bahía de Banderas after San Vicente and San José del Valle. More than half the residents over twelve are in work, and almost every home has power and piped water. New housing developments keep appearing; in 2026 the federal consumer agency Profeco halted sales at one of them over changes to its purchase contracts.
There are no monuments to tour, but Mezcales is a real, everyday Nayarit town a short drive from the resort strip. Along Avenida México and the side streets are family comedores, birria stands, seafood and burrito joints and the evening cenadurías that open when the heat breaks, and the regional buses between Puerto Vallarta and the Nayarit coast pass straight through on the highway.
How to get to Mezcales
Drive from Puerto Vallarta: 20 min, 17 km
From downtown Puerto Vallarta follow Avenida Francisco Medina Ascencio and Highway 200 north past the airport and across the Ameca River into Nayarit; Mezcales is on the highway (called Carretera a Tepic here), about 19 km and 20 minutes from downtown. The ATM regional buses (grey or white with red and blue stripes) run from Puerto Vallarta through Mezcales on their way to Bucerías and Punta de Mita; in Vallarta they stop at the Walmart stop near Marina Vallarta and by the airport footbridge.
Directions to Mezcales on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Mezcales
- Puerto Vallarta · 17 km by road, 20 min
- Tepic · 147 km by road, 2 h 5 min
- Autlán · about 185 km by road, ~2 h 45 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
What to see in Mezcales 2
Sights with their own page, closest to the centre first.
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Aquaventuras Park · Landmark · 3 km from the centre
Water park on Highway 200 at the entrance to Nuevo Vallarta, ten minutes from the airport: slides, a lazy river, zip line and a dolphin and sea lion habitat. -
Paradise Village Marina · Landmark · 4 km from the centre
A 200-berth marina in a sheltered estuary inside the Paradise Village resort in Nuevo Vallarta, base of the Vallarta Yacht Club.
Map of Mezcales
Neighbourhoods and villages of Mezcales
Part of Mezcales or just outside it, closest first.
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San Clemente de Lima · Town · 1 km from the centre
Young valley town next to Mezcales that grew from a hamlet of under 200 people to nearly 10,000 in fifteen years; named for Saint Clement. -
Mezcalitos · Village · 2 km from the centre
A small community on Boulevard Nuevo Vallarta, between Valle Dorado and Mezcales, a couple of kilometers from the resorts of Nuevo Vallarta. -
Tondoroque · Village · 2 km from the centre
A small roadside community on Highway 200 between Mezcales and Bucerías, next to the Flamingos golf course and a few minutes from the beach. -
Nuevo Vallarta · Town · 3 km from the centre
Planned resort town just across the Ameca River from Puerto Vallarta: long beach, big hotels, canals, marinas and golf. Officially Nuevo Nayarit since 2022. -
San Vicente · Town · 4 km from the centre
The most populous town of Bahía de Banderas, a valley town named for Saint Vincent Ferrer, with a church, a kiosk plaza and lively food streets.
Day trips and tours from Mezcales
The closest Pueblos Mágicos and places to visit, with the drive from Mezcales and tours that leave from it.
Times marked ~ are estimated from the distance. Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Before you go: getting to and around Mezcales
- The nearest airport is Puerto Vallarta (PVR).
- The best months to go are March, April, May, and November.
- 2 of the places on this page are more than 3 km from the centre: take a taxi, a ride-hailing app or a local bus.
- For day trips a rental car gives the most freedom; the tours above leave from Mezcales.
Visiting Mezcales: what to see and do
Eat at a family comedor or a birria stand on the side streets.
Go out for supper at the evening cenadurías.
Drive up the valley road to San Vicente and San José del Valle.
Head to the beaches of Nuevo Vallarta and Flamingos, a few minutes away.
Continue north on Highway 200 to Bucerías.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Mezcales
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Mezcales.
Tours & activities
Day trips around Sayulita sometimes stop in Mezcales; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at PVR (Puerto Vallarta): about 41 min by road to Sayulita, then 23 km more to Mezcales, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Puerto Vallarta (PVR), about 41 min by road from Sayulita, the base for Mezcales.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Sayulita: download a map of the way to Mezcales before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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When to go to Mezcales warm
Mezcales shares the climate of Sayulita, 23 km away. The best months to visit are March, April, May, and November.
See the month-by-month climate of Sayulita
Weather in Mezcales now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Sayulita
Sayulita is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Mezcales, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Mascota · Jalisco · 56 km away
- Talpa de Allende · Jalisco · 62 km away
- Compostela · Nayarit · 69 km away
- San Sebastián del Oeste · Jalisco · 73 km away
Near Mezcales
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.