by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 5:00 AM ET, Fri December 31, 2021
Puerto Vallarta, located on the western coast of Mexico, is one of the best destinations in Mexico to visit in the winter months.
Its warm climate, ranging from 62-81 degrees Fahrenheit during winter, ensures that travelers can enjoy the beaches and outdoor activities during the winter months, too. This season is also quite dry in Puerto Vallarta, so travelers escaping the dreary winter weather up north can enjoy the sunlight again.
December through March is also the best time of year to watch whales off the Pacific coast, in places like Banderas Bay. Thousands of humpback whales, sperm whales, orcas and others join the dolphins feeding, mating and birthing their young in the region's warm waters before continuing their migrations further north to Alaska.
Since they mate and give birth right off the coast near Puerto Vallarta, travelers taking whale-watching tours or just watching the ocean from the beach can enjoy seeing the whales at their most active, breaching, jumping and teaching their calves how to swim.
But what about traveling during the pandemic?
The state of Jalisco, in which Puerto Vallarta is located, has been given the World Travel & Tourism Council's 'Safe Travels' stamp for its efforts at safe and effective COVID-19 prevention and response. Masks are mandatory in public areas and commercial areas, including outside on the streets. Hotels and resorts are currently allowed to operate at maximum capacity, with pools and other public areas within the properties operating at 80 percent capacity.
Most hotels and resorts provide on-site testing to satisfy reentry requirements for travelers from the United States. Some of them also provide complimentary on-site testing, like the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, the Westin Resort & SPA Puerto Vallarta, Secrets Vallarta Bay and many more. For a full list of resorts offering on-site testing for free or for purchase, please click here.
Tours and other recreational activities can be done at 85 percent capacity, with restaurants, bars, clubs and casinos operating below full capacity, too. Tour operators often also provide more personalized, smaller group tours for families, which can help with physical distancing.
Travelers returning to the U.S. from travel abroad should know that they now only have 24 hours to test themselves for COVID-19 prior to returning home. Some resorts, like the AMR Collection's Secrets Vallarta Bay, even provide up to fourteen days of quarantine time past the infected guest's checkout date in case of a positive test result. Be sure to check the resort's coronavirus policy when traveling abroad to ensure that you'll be taken care of in case of infection.
Travelers to Mexico should note that the U.S. Department of State has currently listed Mexico as a Level 3 risk country. Travelers who visit the country should be fully vaccinated and have their booster shot in order to stay protected.
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