Zip-lining in Puerto Vallarta usually means a day full of adventurous activity which may include hiking, horses, ATV’s, RZR’s, swimming holes and waterfalls, and great food and fun with family or friends.
Hi, it’s Maya! Many people have asked me what would be a really good day-trip to do in Puerto Vallarta? Well, there are many different fun and interesting things you can do in one day such as shopping, sight-seeing, adventures, day-cruises, water parks, zip lines, eating and drinking, or just hangin’ out on the beach with your toes in the sand. Most of these are just a few minutes from downtown and a short ride in a taxi, Uber, or city bus. Quick FYI; if you are leaving from the airport or ship terminal the taxis that are permitted there are more expensive than the yellow city cabs that you can find just outside. And don’t worry-Puerto Vallarta is just like any civilized city, it is mostly good neighborhoods with a few questionable outlying areas, and for the most part good family people, just like anywhere else. Just use the same common sense you use at home and you will be fine, and I promise I won’t send you anywhere that I wouldn’t feel safe myself. What you should really be watching out for while walking around is uneven pavement, unexpected steps, and protruding sharp objects that may be electrically active.
My first zip-lining experience occurred when I was just 3 years old, and too small and too young to zip-line. Though the tour adventure that my family was on did have small harnesses for children, which almost fit me as it should, and their age limit was just 1 1/2 years older than I was. My dad’s family was in town, all 13 of them, so together we had a party of 17. When they told my dad that I was too small to go, he reared up, stomped his feet, and told them if they couldn’t find a safe way for me to go then he wanted his money back, for all 17 of us! So they put me in a harness and tightened it all up as far as it would go and made it extra secure with a roll of duct tape, and one of their guides rode tandem with me. We zipped down all the runs that day, even the really big one that my mom and older sister chickened out of. They chose to walk the trail back to the restaurant, and ended up missing out on the mule ride.
There are many different places throughout the Banderas Bay area that offer zip-lining. Most of them offer a day full of fun and adventure available in different tour packages that may include a jet boat shuttle across the bay, hiking, horseback or mule riding, ATV trail riding, lunch at a restaurant in the mountains, and swimming in a river or maybe even a really cool waterfall! There are so many package variations that really you need to look through the options yourself to find the package that best appeals to you.
Canopy River is an eco-tourism resort and zip-line destination just a few minutes east of town above the Cuale River offering 12 lines, 2 of which are side-by-side. 10 of the lines reach a height of 600 feet from the ground, and the longest is nearly half a mile! They also offer hiking, mule riding, ATV and RZR trailriding, a river rafting adventure, a repelling wall, and and an absolutely gorgeous restaurant and infinity pool with a beautiful natural landscape backdrop.
But they are probably best known for their Jorullo Bridge, the longest vehicular suspension bridge in the world. It is 1,550 feet long and is nearly 500 feet above the Cuale River leading to the “El Salto” waterfall and swimming hole.
https://www.facebook.com/CanopyRiver/?ref=page_internal
All the way north of Punta de Mita is Vista Paraiso with 10 zip lines offering great views, a restaurant, a petting zoo, hiking, ATV and RZR trailriding, horseback riding, and a charro arena. They have lots of package combinations, some including a horseback ride on the beach or an eco-tour hike. The restaurant it owned by one of the oldest families in the small town, with traditional family recipes, and is a favorite private event venue for locals.
https://vistaparaiso.mx/?fbclid=IwAR3deeN3T2dKasLhEnPyf_5cKfQ3o7UnOEjb6HL5iE8mTcovfsIcdtEfGpE
https://www.facebook.com/ToursVistaParaiso/?ref=page_internal
Northeast of Vallarta and just east of Ixtapa is Rancho Las Vegas with 13 zip lines up to 1260 feet long and 585 feet high! They have a restaurant and bar, petting zoo, rope swing, and swimming area. It is basically a restaurant destination for trailriders, and is offered as an accompaniment to ATV, RZR, and mountain biking tours.
https://wildtreksadventures.com
https://www.facebook.com/wildtreksadventures/?ref=page_internal
Just a half hour from Puerto Vallarta in the jungle east of Ixtapa is Rancho Capomo with 7 zip lines, a nice restaurant and bar, horseback riding, hiking, ATV trailriding, and a pretty big waterfall and swimming hole. It is a really nice place to spend a day relaxing by the river, and is a favorite local getaway.
https://www.facebook.com/ranchocapomotours/photos/?ref=page_internal
East of Mismaloya and past the zoo is the ecopark EDENVA, with a 12 run zip-line and a restaurant beside a huge and beautiful swimming hole of crystal clear water and a really big rope swing. It is a great place to go after a morning trip to the zoo, and you can just hang out or finish your afternoon flying through the jungle enjoying the river vistas below.
https://www.facebook.com/edenvaparque/?ref=page_internal
Nogalito Ecopark is located just a few minutes south of Puerto Vallarta across from Playa Punta Negra and has 11 zip lines. It is an easy drive or taxi ride and is a favorite of the locals. They offer hiking, zip-lining, a nice restaurant, river swimming, and are pet-friendly, so you can bring your pooch. On Sundays they have a special lunch buffet and often have special packages that include the buffet.
https://nogalitoecopark.com/?fh-u=ac357e3c-e094-4710-a3bb-18aeedcc1c2d#inicio
https://www.facebook.com/NogalitoEcopark/?ref=page_internal
Los Veranos has 15 zip lines over the Horcones River, many over 1100 feet! The journey begins with a speedboat ride across the bay to Boca de Tomatlán, or if you prefer there is a travel-by-land option. From there you are taken in an open air Unimog jungle vehicle to Rancho Los Veranos, where they have an absolutely gorgeous restaurant and swimming area, an animal sanctuary with petting zoo, relaxing massage, kayaking, and waterslides. The restaurant is known for its delicious international cuisine, and is attached to a distillery offering tequila tasting.
https://www.facebook.com/LosVeranosCanopyTour/?ref=page_internal
And also based out of Boca de Tomatlán, and after an exhilarating speed boat ride across the bay and a mule trek up the mountain is the Vallarta Adventures Adventurepark, with 12 zip lines, a waterfall repel, and 2 unbelievable river-fed water slides, one of which is the highest drop in all of Mexico. Now I have not been on the water slide myself, but I hear it is really scary, especially at the end when you slide into a long dark tunnel! Vallarta Adventure has what are considered the safest zip-lines in Vallarta, with a double wire safety system. This adventure is more like an extreme sports tour than a laid back tourist activity, and guests will have to hike and climb.
This park is where you will find Puerto Vallarta’s only roller coaster zip line, with curvy ups and downs adding extra fun to your zip line run. And they have the longest and fastest zip line in Mexico with a run of over 4000 feet that you can get up to 60 mph on!
They call it the “Superman” zip line, and they strap you in to a harness in a laying down position, and let you go! The drop is quick and sudden, and the rider feels like they are flying like Superman.
https://www.vallarta-adventures.com/en
https://www.facebook.com/vallarta.adventures/?ref=page_internal
If you enjoyed this article or found it useful, CLICK HERE to visit my other Day Trippin’ suggestions. And speaking of suggestions, if you plan to visit Vallarta, allow me to give you two. First, especially if you come between December and March, whale-watching season, get yourself good quality, compact binoculars that you can carry around with you, and BRING THEM! Second, especially if you are in a poorer area, tip well and don’t haggle them down too far, they have families to feed! Have a Great Trip!!