The Wayro route from Puerto Vallarta to Cosalá is 381 miles (613 km), about 6 h 56 min of driving without stops.
| Total distance | 381 mi (613 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-15D → SIN 403 → SIN 402 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
Driving Puerto Vallarta to Cosalá: the shape of the trip
MEX-15D (224 mi) and MEX-200 (58 mi) carry about 74% of the 381 miles. It runs through 3 states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D and MEX-15D. None of the 5 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Road-by-road breakdown: Puerto Vallarta to Cosalá
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-200 | 1–6 | 5 | Jalisco |
| MEX-200D | 6–54 | 48 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 54–107 | 53 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 107–331 | 224 | Nayarit, Sinaloa |
| connecting roads | 331–335 | 4 | Sinaloa |
| SIN 403 | 335–345 | 10 | Sinaloa |
| connecting roads | 345–347 | 2 | Sinaloa |
| SIN 402 | 347–381 | 34 | Sinaloa |
- Mile 16 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 190 of this route: Nayarit → Sinaloa (state line)
Places worth a stop between Puerto Vallarta and Cosalá
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 49), Agua Grande Lagoon (mile 215)
- Museums and history: Tepic Cathedral (mile 109), Museo Regional de Nayarit (mile 109)
Rincón de Guayabitos
Gentle waves are the draw at Rincón de Guayabitos, where roughly two kilometers of shoreline make this Compostela, Nayarit, beach town a favorite escape for people from Tepic and Guadalajara.
Tepic Cathedral
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also known as Tepic Cathedral, stands on the main square in the center of Tepic and is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tepic.
Museo Regional de Nayarit
In the city of Tepic, the Museo Regional de Nayarit focuses on the different cultural traditions of pre-Hispanic Nayarit.
Agua Grande Lagoon
Agua Grande is a large coastal lagoon in the Mexican state of Sinaloa that drains into the Pacific Ocean through the Teacapán Estuary.
Las Labradas
Las Labradas is an archaeological site set right on the coast of the municipality of San Ignacio, in the southern part of the Mexican state of Sinaloa.
More drives to Cosalá
- Sombrerete to Cosalá
- Aguascalientes to Cosalá
- San Juan de los Lagos to Cosalá
- Tepatitlán to Cosalá
- Guadalajara to Cosalá
- Tequila to Cosalá
From Puerto Vallarta to other places in Mexico
- Puerto Vallarta to Tecomán
- Puerto Vallarta to El Rosario, Sinaloa
- Puerto Vallarta to Tepatitlán
- Puerto Vallarta to Nochistlán
- Puerto Vallarta to San Ignacio, Sinaloa, Sinaloa
- Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Arteaga
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puerto Vallarta to Cosalá?
About 6 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 381 miles.
How far is Cosalá from Puerto Vallarta by car?
About 381 miles (613 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Puerto Vallarta to Cosalá?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Puerto Vallarta to Cosalá?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Sinaloa Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Puerto Vallarta to Cosalá use?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-15D, SIN 403 and SIN 402. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puerto Vallarta and Cosalá?
Closest to the road: Rincón de Guayabitos (beach, mile 49, 2 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Nayarit (museum, mile 109, 1 mi from the route); Tepic Cathedral (cathedral, mile 109, 1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.