Set in the real-world tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, What We Did to Survive juxtaposes the apparent safety of a luxury resort with the natural environment that surrounds it. Puerto Vallarta sits on Mexico’s Pacific coast along Banderas Bay, a large coastal bay bordered by beaches, open water, and the rising terrain of the Sierra Madre Occidental. The region is known for its combination of coastal and mountainous landscapes, which attract visitors seeking outdoor activities such as sailing, snorkeling, hiking, and wildlife viewing. Tourism is therefore closely connected to the natural features that define the area. This geography makes the setting visually idyllic, but it also places the characters between two environments that can present significant challenges: the ocean and the mountainous tropical landscape. In the novel, the characters spend much of their vacation enjoying the resort’s amenities before venturing beyond the resort grounds. This contrast between the controlled resort environment and the surrounding landscape helps create the conditions that make the novel’s survival scenario possible.

Puerto Vallarta's location on the Pacific coast also exposes visitors to changing marine conditions. Coastal storms, rough seas, and strong currents can create hazards for recreational boaters, particularly when conditions change unexpectedly or proper safety precautions aren’t followed.