Boca de Tomatlan village, south of Puerto Vallarta

As enjoyable as Puerto Vallarta is, consider planning a day-trip out of town, as there are a number of enjoyable little villages strung up and down the coast. One that's ideal for relaxation, beach-bumming, and a low-keyed pace is Boca de Tomatlan, an authentic fishing village with beautiful golden-sand beaches and a couple of lively restaurants on the beach - it's a short drive south of Puerto Vallarta, along the southern shore Banderas Bay. The excellent, gay-friendly tour company, Vallarta Adventures, brings guests here by boat from downtown's Marine Vallarta, before taking them up to its mountain-top property for zip-lining, mule rides, and hiking.