Two tours offered by Boana Torre Malibu Hotel:

Experience hot springs by candle light. A men-only excusion by bus, with full meal, open bar, every Tuesday. Departs hotel at 4:45pm; returns at midnight.

Horseback riding from ranch north of Vallarta, along river through tropical forest; stop for a dip, and then for food and drinks at hilltop restaurant with a view. Transportation to ranch departs hotel daily at 2:30pm.

Explore Banderas Bay with daylong catamaran excursions that depart every Thursday morning from Los Muertos Pier, two blocks north of Blue Chairs Beach. Look for the boat flying the rainbow flag.  First stop: snorkeling at Los Arcos, three giant rock formations  with tropical fish darting about the crevices Then to a private beach with walking traisl and a waterfall, followed by lunch at restaurant onshore. After the cruise there's a free drink and male strippers at the Blue Chairs Resort by the Sea's rooftop bar.

For whale watchers, gay oceanographer Oscar Frey operates well-respected tours. Most clients are straight, but his outings are very gay-friendly. A four-to-five-hour excursion costs $95 per person, including beverages, snacks and lunch. Whale watching season runs from early December to mid-March.

Plan your visit, or be an online tourist at these gay websites: Gayguidevallarta.com, and Discovery Vallarta. The print quarterly Vallarta Lifestyles, is online at Virtualvallarta.com with restaurant reviews, and information about tours, real estate, activities, shopping, and art galleries. An English-language window onto the area's rich history can be found at Puertovallarta.net; and  Beck's Best: Puerto Vallarta's Restaurant Guide, written by Gary Beck, has an online version at Cafepress.com/vallartaguide

Educational research center and pleasure garden, 20 acres of tropical dry-forest ecosystem at 1,300 feet, 3,000 different plant species. On Highway 200, twelve miles south of Puerto Vallarta towards El Tuito, beautiful mountain setting, rugged Pacific coastline, jungle gorge and majestic granite halfdome, encrusted with orchids, plumeria and wild vanilla. For food and refreshments they have the Hacienda de Oro Restaurant.
Drive or take the  "El Tuito" bus from corner at Carranzas and Aguacat, Zona Romantica. Bus leaves every half hour (or so) for 15 pesos. Taxi fare is about $20 US each way. Address: Carretera Puerto Vallarta a Barra de Navidad Km. 24, Las Juntas y los Veranos Cabo Corrientes Jalisco. C.P. 48447

All-day Banderas Bay gay cruises that set out each Friday from Los Muertos Pier, $70 per person.

Take a trip to the nearby Rio Cuale with huge boulder-strewn riverbeds, swimming, and trails; or to remote villages located in Cabo Corrientes using the newest, very driver friendly, fully-automatic ATVs. Fully bi-lingual services.

It's a center for art creation and exhibition, and Puerto Vallarta's cobbled stone streets of Old Town around the iconic Church of Nuestra Senora de Guadeloupe down to the beachside Malecon, are full of galleries, shops and uniques treasures. From October to  May, many of the local galleries have open-house exhibits with cocktails, from 6-10pm each Wednesday evening.