Is Puerto Vallarta safe? Mexico travel risk
Is Puerto Vallarta safe right now? Checked 17 October 2026
Puerto Vallarta scores 70/100 on our travel risk index (Extreme). The US State Department rates Mexico Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 29 May 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country (updated 16 Oct 2026); Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). The US State Department rates Jalisco, where Puerto Vallarta is, Level 3: Reconsider Travel, higher than Mexico overall (Level 2). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. CDC travel health notice: Level 1, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Mexico (23 Dec 2025). No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Puerto Vallarta scores 70/100 (Extreme). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Mexico (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Puerto Vallarta: nearest emergency and transport facilities, local climate normals, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km, frequently asked questions.
Driven by: security (79/100) and crime and scams (79/100).
A score of 70 is higher than 90% of the cities we score.
Consult the Mexico travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Local Geographic Profile
Coordinates 20.6458° N, 105.2222° W place Puerto Vallarta within Jalisco at an elevation of 21 meters. Heading to Mexico City: 650.2 km E.
Jalisco
20.6458° N, 105.2222° W
21 m
America/Mexico_City
224,166
Emergency & Transport Infrastructure
Surrounding Localities in Mexico
Climate by Month
Hottest: May (31 °C avg high); Wettest: August (324 mm).
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 27° | 27° | 28° | 30° | 31° | 30° | 29° | 30° | 30° | 30° | 28° | 28° |
| Low °C | 17° | 17° | 17° | 18° | 21° | 25° | 24° | 24° | 24° | 24° | 20° | 18° |
| Rain mm | 40 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 147 | 308 | 324 | 306 | 101 | 16 | 16 |
Normals: Puerto Vallarta (0 km away).
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfires | — | — | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tropical Cyclones | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Most wildfire events within 100 km of Puerto Vallarta happened in May (4 of 6 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
2 major seismic events recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M5.8 on 8 Sep 2023 (137 km away) — USGS details
CDC Traveler Health Notices for Mexico
- Level 1 - Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Mexico (Level 1, 23 Dec 2025)
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public Domain).
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Mexico travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Mexico entry requirements.
Nearby Destinations with Scored Guides
Questions travellers ask about Puerto Vallarta
Is Puerto Vallarta safe?
Puerto Vallarta currently scores 70/100 on our composite travel risk index (extreme risk; lower is safer). It already includes the current US State Department advisory for Mexico (Level 2 of 4). Official advice can change quickly, so check it again shortly before you travel.
Sources: Travel Risk Calculator — Puerto Vallarta · Methodology
How safe is Puerto Vallarta right now?
As of 17 October 2026, official travel advice for Mexico is Level 2 (US State Department). No natural hazard events were recorded within roughly 100 km in the last 14 days. Live weather, alerts, and news refresh throughout the day on this page.
Sources: US State Department · UK FCDO (OGL v3.0) · Global Affairs Canada · GDACS
What is the travel advisory for Puerto Vallarta?
Official advice for Mexico: US — Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; UK — FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country; CA — Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). Advice can differ by region, so read the full notice before you go.
Sources: US State Department · UK FCDO (OGL v3.0) · Global Affairs Canada
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