Ztai Lounge
- Beckoning visitors to “Find Your Zen,” Ztai offers international cuisine with a Pacific Rim influence, along with the largest wine selection in Puerto Vallarta (according to the facility) and stunning views of the Malecon and Banderas Bay. Three areas are available: The Z-Lounge, which offers live music and signature martinis; Ztai Garden, a good bet to beat the heat in the shade of Vallarta’s oldest tree; and Ztai-Restaurant, with Pacific Rim-influenced international cuisine along with Mexican favourites. www.ztai.com
Las Caletas
- A secluded, private island about one hour by boat south of P.V., and operated by local full-service tour operator Vallarta Adventures, Las Caletas offers a taste of paradise for groups who want to get away from it all—together. Vallarta Adventures’ Rhythms of the Night package offers a buffet dinner and pre-Hispanic cultural show by torchlight. Las Caletas can handle groups of up to 550 for the show and 350 for a beachside dinner. Groups can also avail themselves of snorkelling, team-building programs or just claiming themselves a hammock to sway in the bay breezes. www.vallarta-adventures.com
La Palapa
- This beachside, tropical-style facility lets guests get up close to Banderas Bay and is available for large or small group gatherings. Planners can buy out the facility, and are offered four-course menus with fixed prices. The restaurant’s public relations team can also work with groups to customize menus. Situated on one of the most-popular beaches in Puerto Vallarta, La Palapa can also arrange for tiki-torch-lit gatherings and bonfires. www.lapalapapv.com
De Santos
- Another hip and happening P.V. off-site option, de Santos offers a Mediterranean-styled menu and an open-air terrace for dining and events in the back of the restaurant. The architecture is inspired by the many chapels in the area, featuring white walls and arches. And if the thumping dance beats kicked out by the resident DJ don’t do the trick, check out the lively nightclub next door, one of the most popular in Vallarta. www.desantos.com.mx
Le Kliff Restaurant and Bar
- Perched on a cliff just a short drive south from downtown P.V., Le Kliff boasts a giant palapa, or thatched-roof canopy, that was hailed as the World’s Largest Palapa by The Guinness Book of World Records shortly after it opened in 1983. Seafood is the star of the menu here, and guests can take advantage of its lofty location to catch spectacular views of the sunset or migrating gray whales and giant manta rays from November through April. Le Kliff was even named “The Most Beautiful Restaurant of Mexico” by Mexicana Airlines in March 2006, according to the owners, the Guzman family. www.lekliff.com