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Is Puerto Vallarta Safe Right Now? Travel Advisory and Cartel News (2026)

Los Arcos / sailboats under clouds off Puerto Vallarta
Photo: terri_bateman, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Is Puerto Vallarta safe to visit? Here is the current U.S. State Department advisory for the state it’s in, official safety guidance, which criminal groups are reported in the area, and our latest coverage. Conditions change; check the full advisory before you travel.

All destinations and border crossings · Mexico travel and border-crossing safety guide

Top photo: Los Arcos / sailboats under clouds off Puerto Vallarta. Photo: terri_bateman, CC BY 2.0 (license), via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

  • U.S. advisory for Jalisco: Level 3: Reconsider travel (issued 2026-05-29)
  • Groups reported in Jalisco: 6; strongest: Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)
  • Incidents on record since 2024: 19 (latest 2026-03)

How to read this page

  • Official: the advisory level, quote and guidance come from the U.S. State Department and other government sources, with dates.
  • Reported: cartel presence is what research groups and news reports say about the whole state. It is not a statement about tourist zones, hotels or specific neighborhoods.
  • Our coverage: the latest-stories list is The Narco Blog’s own reporting, linked to its sources.
  • What it doesn’t tell you: real-time conditions. Check the full advisory, U.S. consulate alerts and local authorities before you go. We are a news site, not a travel authority.

U.S. travel advisory for Jalisco

Level 3: Reconsider travel (Mexico advisory issued 2026-05-29).

There are no restrictions on travel in the Guadalajara Metropolitan area, Puerto Vallarta (including neighboring Riviera Nayarit), Chapala, and Ajijic.

Read the full advisory at travel.state.gov

Criminal groups reported in Jalisco

Reported presence is state-wide and as stated by each source; it doesn’t describe any specific neighborhood or tourist zone.

Recent incidents

Notable security incidents reported in or near Puerto Vallarta since 2024, newest first. An incident list is not a measure of risk to visitors.

  • 2026-03: The Norwegian Bliss was the first cruise ship to return to Puerto Vallarta after the February violence, which saw cruise lines avoid the port for several days. [Shipboard Cruiser, 2026-03]
  • 2026-02-23: At least 23 inmates broke out of a prison near Puerto Vallarta amid the unrest following El Mencho's death. [TravelPirates, 2026-02-23]
  • 2026-02-23: An Arizona couple stranded in Puerto Vallarta described the bus they were on being burned while nearby flights were suspended. [Aberdeen News (USA Today), 2026-02-23]
  • 2026-02-22: Mexican forces killed alleged cartel leader El Mencho in a Tapalpa operation on February 22, 2026, the trigger for nationwide retaliatory violence. (1 killed) [Mexico Daily Post, 2026-02-22]
  • 2026-02-22: Cartel members torched vehicles and blockaded roads in and around Puerto Vallarta after El Mencho's killing. [Mexico Daily Post, 2026-02-22]
  • 2026-02-22: The US Embassy issued a shelter-in-place advisory for Americans in Puerto Vallarta as violence erupted around the city. [Men's Journal, 2026-02-22]
  • 2026-02-22: Canada updated its travel advisory for Mexico after the cartel violence in Puerto Vallarta. [Men's Journal, 2026-02-22]
  • 2026-02-22: The Puerto Vallarta airport cancelled all international flights and most domestic ones as the violence spread. [Men's Journal, 2026-02-22]
  • 2026-02-22: A G Adventures bus carrying travelers was torched in Puerto Vallarta; the group was moved to a naval base and none of the travelers were harmed. [TravelWeek, 2026-02-22]
  • 2026-02-22: At least 62 people were killed across the violence wave, including 25 National Guard members, and 70 people were arrested. (62 killed, 70 arrested) [Aberdeen News (USA Today), 2026-02-23]
  • 2026-02-22: The Holland America ship Zuiderdam cancelled its scheduled Puerto Vallarta call after the cartel violence broke out. [Shipboard Cruiser, 2026-02-22]
  • 2026-02-22: The governor of Jalisco publicly warned of violence risk around Puerto Vallarta as the cartel retaliation unfolded. [Mexico Daily Post, 2026-02-22]
  • 2026-02-22: Cars were torched in parking lots and fires were set near the Costco area in Puerto Vallarta during the February violence. [DG Kaye Writer, 2026-04-01]
  • 2026-02-22: Panic spread at the Puerto Vallarta airport amid false reports of an attack; the US consul said the airport was secured and no Americans were killed or kidnapped. [Aberdeen News (USA Today), 2026-02-23]
  • 2026-02-22: Hotels in Puerto Vallarta went into lockdown as cartel-linked violence erupted around the city. [New York Above, 2026-02-22]

Showing 15 of 19 incidents on record.

Practical safety tips

  • The US State Department's 2026 advisory kept Jalisco at Level 3, urging travelers to reconsider travel due to crime and kidnapping. [Parade]
  • The US advisory places no travel restrictions on US government employees in Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, the Guadalajara metro area, Chapala or Ajijic. [TravelPulse]
  • US citizens in Puerto Vallarta were advised to shelter in place during the February 2026 cartel retaliation. [Men's Journal]
  • The Jalisco governor publicly warned residents and visitors of violence risk around Puerto Vallarta in February 2026. [Mexico Daily Post, 2026-02-22]
  • The US consul in Puerto Vallarta confirmed the airport was secured and said no Americans were killed or kidnapped during the February unrest. [Aberdeen News (USA Today), 2026-02-23]
  • Travelers were told to stay inside and avoid travel during the February 2026 violence wave in Puerto Vallarta. [Mexico Daily Post, 2026-02-22]
  • Hotels locked down and cruise itineraries changed during the February 2026 violence in Puerto Vallarta. [Shipboard Cruiser]
  • Travelers stranded in Puerto Vallarta were moved to a naval base for safety; none of the travelers in the group were harmed. [TravelWeek]
  • Travelers were advised to check flight status before heading to the Puerto Vallarta airport during the February disruption. [Men's Journal]
  • A Mexico travel site maintains a cartel-violence travel advisory page tracking incidents and risk levels for visitors. [The Traveler]
  • The February 2026 Puerto Vallarta violence was one of the cases where US shelter-in-place guidance was issued for a major resort city. [Men's Journal]
  • Canada advised against non-essential travel to parts of Mexico and issued updates tied to the February 2026 cartel violence. [Men's Journal]
  • A February 2026 Mexico travel warning roundup noted flight cancellations to Puerto Vallarta and shelter-in-place orders. [DG Kaye Writer, 2026-04-01]
  • The State Department's Mexico advisory pages note that US government employees face no restrictions in Puerto Vallarta specifically. [TravelPulse]

Groups reported around Puerto Vallarta

  • The CJNG (Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion) is the dominant criminal group in Puerto Vallarta and the state of Jalisco. [Mexico Daily Post, 2026-02-22]
  • Puerto Vallarta sits inside a CJNG security environment, exposed when the group mobilizes across Jalisco. [TravelPirates]
  • Rival criminal groups have clashed in Jalisco tourist areas, pulling resort zones into cartel conflict. [Parade]
  • Cartels in Jalisco have diversified into legal businesses and extortion beyond drug trafficking. [Crunch Updates]
  • Jalisco's Jalisco Seguro security program has shown mixed results against entrenched cartel power. [Crunch Updates]
  • The separation between Jalisco tourist zones and cartel-controlled territory has eroded, with violence reaching resort areas. [Crunch Updates]

Latest coverage

Read our latest stories about Puerto Vallarta →

Last reviewed: September 30, 2026. Territory, leadership and advisories change; tell us about errors via our corrections page.