Life in Amapas, Puerto Vallarta

Where the jungle meets the Pacific, a neighborhood like no other.

Colonia Amapas is one of Puerto Vallarta's most coveted addresses, a lush, steep laned enclave draped over the Sierra Madre foothills directly south of the Romantic Zone, where the Pacific stretches out endlessly in every direction.

What makes Amapas special is that it is really two worlds stacked on top of each other, divided by the serpentine Carretera 200. Upper Amapas climbs into the hillside above the highway. Lower Amapas hugs the oceanfront below it. Most people fall for one side first, then spend years deciding which they love more.

For this feature, here is the lay of the land, plus the pockets around Amapas that shape daily life here. 

• Upper Amapas
• Lower Amapas
• Playa Las Amapas
• Conchas Chinas
• Zona Romántica
• Los Muertos

Amapas is small, but the contrast between its two halves is the whole story. Here is how they compare.

A tale of two hillsides

Upper Amapas climbs into the hillside above the coastal highway, its winding cobblestone lanes threading past towering tropical trees, bougainvillea draped walls, and gravity defying villas. From up here, the panoramic sweep of Banderas Bay, one of the largest natural bays in the Americas, unfolds before you like a painting that resets itself at every sunset. Lower Amapas hugs the oceanfront below the highway, offering quiet streets, peaceful stretches of Playa Las Amapas, and an easy stroll to the famous shores of Los Muertos.

Upper Amapas

Grand villas and boutique condos perch on the hillside with sweeping panoramic views of the bay, and the streets zigzag steeply through jungle dense foliage. It is quieter, breezier, and endlessly photogenic from every terrace. Living up here means waking to a view that reminds you, daily, where you are. Streets like Callejón de la Igualdad and Calle Hortensia wind ever upward past gated villas, fragrant gardens, and the occasional iguana crossing. The air is cooler, the city softens to a distant murmur, and evening terraces become the finest theaters in town when the sun hits the Pacific at golden hour.

Lower Amapas

Below the highway, life moves at the pace of the tide. Condos here are among the most sought after in Vallarta, with Playa Las Amapas just a short stroll away, a quieter, rockier alternative to the bustle of Los Muertos, beloved by snorkelers and those who prefer their sunsets uninterrupted. The streets are narrow, walkable, and genuinely residential in feel.

Where architecture meets ambition

Amapas has long attracted buyers who refuse to compromise. The market ranges from lovingly restored midcentury Mexican haciendas to sleek contemporary villas with infinity pools that seem to pour directly into Banderas Bay. Properties sell quickly here, and for good reason. The neighborhood reads as a single small colonia, but the range of homes, and the range of price points, is wide. A view villa on an upper lane and a walkable condo near the beach offer two very different lifestyles, often just minutes apart.

The painted Abedul stairs

No feature of Lower Amapas is more iconic or more beloved than the Abedul Street stairs, the mural covered stairway that connects the highway to the beach. For years these steps were neglected and deteriorating. Then the Amapas Neighborhood Association stepped in.

Beginning in April 2023, the association launched a community funded campaign to fully rebuild the stairway with new concrete steps, handrails, lighting, and landscaping. Phase two brought in renowned local muralist Danyol León, also known as Tamale Ringwald, whose vibrant work celebrates Puerto Vallarta icons, Mexican American heritage, and LGBTQ identity across every landing. More than 40 volunteers and paint supplied by Benjamin Moore México brought the vision to life. The project, valued at 1.4 million pesos, was officially inaugurated on November 14, 2024.

Each landing now features a QR code linking to the story behind the murals. It is part staircase, part gallery, part neighborhood history, and entirely Instagram worthy. If you live in Lower Amapas, you walk these stairs. They are the heartbeat of the neighborhood.

The good life, Amapas style

Amapas is not a neighborhood you move to for the restaurants. You move here for the silence, the views, and the sky. But the food comes to you anyway.

Dining with a view

Casa Isabel and the former Vista Grill on Púlpito became legendary for one reason: sunsets framed by the Pacific. Whether you are watching the sun sink into the bay over a mezcal cocktail or lingering over fresh ceviche as the sky turns tangerine, dining in Amapas is an event in itself. The Romantic Zone's full roster of restaurants, from traditional taquerias to celebrated fine dining rooms, is a 10 minute walk away.

Casa Isabel, a hilltop gem

Perched in the Amapas hills with sweeping views over the Romantic Zone and Banderas Bay, Casa Isabel is one of the neighborhood's most beloved boutique properties. This family run, adults only inn offers 14 individually decorated rooms, two infinity pools, multiple sun decks, and a full service bar and grill where the backdrop is the entire Pacific horizon. From the terrace, the city lights up below and the bay stretches out to forever.

Location and getting around

Amapas occupies a golden spot on Puerto Vallarta's southern edge. It is bounded to the north by the Romantic Zone, also called Colonia Emiliano Zapata, which means art galleries, market mornings, and rooftop bars are a 10 minute walk away. To the south lies Conchas Chinas, another exclusive enclave that shares Amapas's hillside character. The airport is roughly 30 minutes by car; downtown and the Malecón boardwalk, about 15.

Getting around within the neighborhood requires some affection for hills. Taxis are abundant, inexpensive, and deeply woven into daily life here. Many residents eventually develop a preference for walking: the streets of Upper Amapas, for all their steepness, reward every climb with a view that makes the effort feel almost absurd.

Who Amapas is best for

Amapas is a great fit if you want a lush, walkable setting minutes from the Romantic Zone, a hillside view home or a beachside condo, privacy and quiet without leaving the city, and a neighborhood with strong, lasting demand. That describes a wide range of buyers: full time residents, part time owners, investors, and anyone who wants to be close to the energy of Vallarta while still feeling tucked into the jungle.

Final thoughts

There is a line locals like to repeat about this place: Amapas is the neighborhood that exists between the jungle and the sea, and most days, you cannot believe you actually live here.

Whether you are drawn to the elevated drama of Upper Amapas, where a morning coffee on the terrace involves watching pelicans wheel across Banderas Bay, or to the beachside intimacy of Lower Amapas, where you can walk the painted stairs to the ocean in flip flops before breakfast, this neighborhood has a way of becoming permanent. People come to visit and find themselves, three months later, asking a realtor about condos.

Frequently asked questions