A Romantic Babymoon in Mexico: A 5-Day Itinerary
A slow, five-day babymoon itinerary for Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, including spas, whale watching and more
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Key takeaways
Banderas Bay, the stretch of Pacific coast from Puerto Vallarta to Punta Mita, suits a slow babymoon: the airport is 20 to 45 minutes from most resorts, there's no sargassum, and December to April is dry and mild.
Five days is enough for two beach mornings, a whale-watching trip in season, the Vallarta Botanical Garden and a sunset on the Malecón, with every afternoon left free.
Plan around the second trimester. ACOG calls weeks 14 to 28 the best time to travel, and some airlines ask for a doctor's certificate late in pregnancy.
Skip the swim into the Marietas Islands' Hidden Beach, which some tour operators don't allow pregnant guests to make. A boat trip around the islands is the gentler option.
Cooked local dishes such as pescado zarandeado are an easy yes. Ceviche, aguachile and unheated queso fresco are worth skipping.
Why Banderas Bay works for a relaxing babymoon
This itinerary leaves every afternoon free for a nap. It's built around Banderas Bay on Mexico's Pacific coast, where Puerto Vallarta sits on the Jalisco side and the beach towns of Riviera Nayarit run north to Punta Mita. Transfers from the airport take under an hour, and the bay's water is calmer than the open Pacific.
Each day has one plan for the morning, when energy is highest, and leaves the afternoon for the pool, a massage or sleep. Distances are small, so you can base yourself in one hotel for all five nights and avoid packing twice.
Day 1: Arrive and settle in
Fly into Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR). Nuevo Vallarta is about 20 to 35 minutes away by car and Punta Mita about 45. Book your transfer ahead so you aren't negotiating at the curb after a flight.
Keep the first afternoon for the room and the pool. ACOG recommends walking and stretching on any trip of four hours or more, so a slow walk along the beach at sunset is a good way to finish the travel day.
Good to know: Tap water in Mexico isn't safe to drink. Use bottled water, including for brushing your teeth, and ask whether the ice is made from purified water.
Day 2: El Anclote beach and a long lunch in Punta de Mita
Spend the morning at El Anclote, the beach in the village of Punta de Mita. Depending on the tide, you can wade out about 100 yards and still be waist-deep, and its long, slow waves make it the bay's beginner surf spot. If you'd rather stay dry, the palapa restaurants on the sand are made for watching other people learn.
Stay for lunch. Pescado zarandeado, a butterflied snapper or sea bass grilled over charcoal, is a Nayarit specialty, and it's cooked all the way through. In the afternoon, book a massage and tell the therapist how far along you are when you reserve.
Day 3: Whale watching or a boat trip to the Marietas Islands
From December to March, humpback whales come to Banderas Bay to calve. For the 2025 to 2026 season, Mexico's environment ministry set the official whale-watching window in the bay at December 8 to March 23. Tours usually last two to four hours. Boats must stay well back from the whales and are barred from a zone around the Marietas Islands, where mothers rest with calves.
Outside whale season, take a boat trip around the Marietas Islands National Park, about 15 minutes by boat from Punta de Mita. Skip the swim into Hidden Beach (Playa del Amor). Visitors have to swim in wearing a life jacket, the beach is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and some operators don't take pregnant guests on that tour at all.
Head back to the hotel by lunch and keep the afternoon quiet.
Day 4: Vallarta Botanical Garden and a Malecón sunset
Drive about 40 minutes south of downtown Puerto Vallarta to the Vallarta Botanical Garden, on the highway toward Barra de Navidad. It opens from 9am to 6pm, every day from December to March and Tuesday to Sunday the rest of the year. Admission is 300 pesos per adult. Forested trails run through the garden, and some lead down to a river, but you can keep to the paths near the entrance and lunch at Hacienda de Oro, the garden restaurant.
Rest in the afternoon, then walk the Malecón, Puerto Vallarta's waterfront promenade, at sunset. It runs for about a mile, past bronze sculptures including Caballero del Mar and the oversized chairs of La Rotonda del Mar. In recent winters, Galería Pacífico has run a free sculpture walk on Tuesday mornings from mid-November to mid-April. End at the Los Muertos Pier in the Zona Romántica, with its sail-shaped central structure.
Day 5: A slow morning in Sayulita or Bucerías
For a last morning out, Sayulita is about 30 minutes north of Punta Mita. Its main beach is busy, so walk over to its Playa de los Muertos, a small rocky cove with calm, shallow water. Bucerías, about 30 minutes from the airport, is quieter, with a calm beach and a Thursday evening art walk from November to March.
Leave enough time for the drive back to PVR, about an hour from Sayulita.
Where to stay on Banderas Bay
Base yourself in one place. In Punta Mita, Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita has two swimmable beaches and an adults-only pool, and El Anclote is a short drive away. Closer to the airport in Nuevo Vallarta, Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit is all-inclusive with 24-hour room service, about 20 minutes from PVR. In Puerto Vallarta's Marina Vallarta, Casa Velas is an adults-only, all-inclusive hotel with 80 suites, a good fit if you want to be close to town.
When to go to Banderas Bay for a babymoon
Months | Weather in Puerto Vallarta | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
December to April | Dry; highs of about 80°F to 82°F | Whale season, the most comfortable heat |
May | Hotter, still mostly dry | Eastern Pacific hurricane season starts May 15 |
June to September | Hot and humid; most of the rain | Afternoon storms most days |
October and November | Rain tapering off | Hurricane season ends November 30 |
Practical notes for traveling while pregnant
ACOG says the best time to travel is between 14 and 28 weeks and recommends seeing your ob-gyn at least four to six weeks before a trip abroad. It's also the time to confirm your health insurance covers pregnancy care in Mexico.
Check your airline's rules. American Airlines asks for a doctor's certificate within four weeks of your due date, United requires one in the ninth month, and Southwest recommends against flying from the 38th week. On the plane, ACOG suggests an aisle seat, plenty of water and a seat belt worn low across the hips.
Zika is a consideration. The CDC lists Mexico among areas with current or past Zika transmission, and it advises pregnant travelers to talk to a health care provider first, and to prevent mosquito bites and sexual exposure if they go. Pack an EPA-registered insect repellent.
Nayarit, home to Punta Mita, is rated Level 2 in the U.S. State Department's Mexico travel advisory. Jalisco is Level 3, but the advisory places no restrictions on Puerto Vallarta and neighboring Riviera Nayarit.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I go in Mexico for a relaxing babymoon?
Banderas Bay, between Puerto Vallarta and Punta Mita, is an easy choice: short transfers, calm bay beaches, no sargassum, and dry weather from December to April. Los Cabos is another Pacific option, though fewer of its beaches are calm enough to swim.
How many days do you need for a babymoon?
Four or five nights at one hotel is enough to rest without moving bags. This itinerary fills five days with one outing each morning and free afternoons.
What month of pregnancy is best for a babymoon?
The second trimester, from 14 to 28 weeks, is the window ACOG calls the best time to travel.
Is 24 weeks too early for a babymoon?
No. At 24 weeks, you're inside the 14 to 28 week window ACOG recommends for travel.
Is 37 weeks too late for a babymoon?
For a trip abroad, usually yes. Most airlines allow domestic flights until about 36 weeks, international cutoffs can be earlier, and American Airlines requires a doctor's certificate and coordinator clearance for international travel within four weeks of your due date.
Can you go whale watching while pregnant?
Ask your doctor first. Tours on Banderas Bay usually last two to four hours, and the season runs from December into March. Choose a shorter trip and tell the operator you're pregnant when you book.
What should you avoid eating in Mexico while pregnant?
Raw seafood such as ceviche and aguachile, unheated queso fresco, and tap water or ice made from it. Cooked dishes like pescado zarandeado and tacos al pastor are safer choices.
