Top 10 Things to do in Puerto Vallarta

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Puerto Vallarta MaleconWithout doubt the most popular, fun and typical place to visit in the city, the Malecon in Downtown Puerto Vallarta, is a seaside promenade by the edge of the ocean, a pedestrian walkway that has recently been completely remodeled and is a sight you must not miss.Stroll along, enjoy the view of the ocean, the beautiful statues along the way, admire the bay, in the afternoon the sunsets that color everything in tones of orange and red, enjoy watching Mexican family life, the street artists, the vendors and if you are feeling tired or hungry, walk into one of the innumerable stores, restaurants and bars along the other side.At night the malecon is also a great place to start off the night, many of the "in" discos and nightclubs are located here too. The Malecon has two areas, the original version on Díaz Ordaz and what is called Malecón II that extends south to the Cuale River (see image).

Our Lady of Guadalupe ChurchPuerto Vallarta's Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church is the symbol of the city, it dominates the downtown skyline and is one of the favorite icons that you'll find not only in photos and shirts, but on postcards and souvenirs.There is no way you can miss the church, it's a block from the main square and its very height will make it very easy to spot.The church is always active, you'll hear the bells every day from early morning calling the faithful to mass, things really become active in the first 12 days of December when the Our Lady of Guadalupe Festival celebrations are held.There are English and Spanish masses and you can visit the church itself most of the day (don't forget to be respectful).

The Romantic ZoneSouth of the Cuale River you enter the Romantic zone, also known as Viejo Vallarta (Old Vallarta), this is the busiest part of town. The streets are smaller, there are more shops, cafes, bars and restaurants per square foot than anywhere else in town. Here you'll enjoy the famous cobblestone village streets that are so common in all the typical Mexican towns. This is the real traditional Mexican part of Vallarta.

Smaller hotels, older shops, more traditional taco stands and markets are part of the attractions in this part of town, this place is active all day, at night the fun never stops. So, if you fall into the claws of an all-inclusive, don't forget to escape a few nights and really get to feel what Mexico and Vallarta are all about.

Los Muertos Beach

Puerto Vallarta's most famous and popular beach, over a mile long and walking distance from the Malecon, in the Romantic Zone, walk along Malecon II and cross the bridge over the Cuale river.

The scary name (Deadmen's Beach) seems to have come from local and archeological findings which dug up bones of indigenous tribes that used the area as a cemetery.

Playa Los Muertos offers many stores, restaurants and bars, where you can enjoy local dishes, a cold beer while you take off your shoes and dig your feet into the sand. This is the area where water taxis take off to the paradise-like beaches of the south zone, if you enjoy people watching, you'll have fun here, this is it, the heart of all Puerto Vallarta's beaches.

Isla Río CualeIn the middle of Puerto Vallarta, between downtown Puerto Vallarta and the Romantic Zone you'll find the Cuale River and an island between two arms of the river: Isla Rio Cuale (Cuale River Island), an extraordinary place of cobbled passages and dense trees with large iguanas hidden among the branches.Cuale River Island has a central walkway lined with small shops with Mexican souvenirs, talavera, silver jewelry, clothes, authentic handicrafts and more. On the island you'll find quite a few good restaurants and cafés, like the River Café and Le Bistro Jazz Café.On the island you'll also find a small archeological museum and statue of John Huston.

MismaloyaMismaloya beach is the place that started it all for Puerto Vallarta as a tourist destination.In the early 60's Mismaloya was a small village that enjoyed a pristine bay and beach where a small river met the sea. Access was only by sea, which made the place completely natural and wild.The beach is some 900 feet long in a soft curve, surrounded by jungle and the Sierra Madre Mountains.In 1963 John Huston filmed "The Night of the Iguana" on a set installed at Mismaloya, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and the director later bought houses in the city and the area, which made Puerto Vallarta suddenly an attractive place to visit.Today Mismaloya offers excellent accommodations, restaurants, palapas and all kinds of entertaining activities. There are also small shops offering jewelry and local crafts.

Naval Historical MuseumAt the southern end of the Malecón, the seaside walkway, right beside the open air amphitheater you'll find the Naval Historical Museum (Museo Histórico Naval). The Naval Museum in Puerto Vallarta was opened in November 2006, it offers a permanent exposition with 5 areas that include documents, charts, maps, scale boat and ship replicas, navigation instruments, uniforms, cannons, whale skeletons. There are also temporary exhibitions.If you go upstairs you'll find a coffee shop that has a great panoramic view of the bay.The Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9AM to 7:30PMSaturdays and Sundays open from 10AM to 7:30PM. Access is free.Address: Zaragoza 4, Downtown Puerto Vallarta, Phone: (322) 223-5357.

Marina VallartaAnother great family trip should include Marina Vallarta, a luxurious area that is located just 15 minutes from downtown Puerto Vallarta.The area includes many 5 star and Grand Tourism hotels/resorts, that offer the best restaurants and spas. The area's heart is, as you would expect, a Marina, walk the surrounding boardwalk and you'll enjoy restaurants, cafés, shops and different stores, even a spa.The main landmark here is the lighthouse, which is an outdoor restaurant that offers delicious dishes and a beautiful panoramic view from above.

Los Arcos National Marine ParkIn 1984, Los Arcos, the 5 small natural granite islets south of Downtown Vallarta, located in the bay, between Las Gemelas Beach and Mismaloya Beach in the south zone, were classified as a National Marine Park.

The ocean around them is very deep, up to 1600 fee, which makes the waters among the deepest in Banderas Bay.

The small islands are breeding areas for a number of important sea bird species and some land species too, such as parrots. The sea around the islands is also teaming with life and is a popular destination for snorkeling and scuba diving trips, plus bay cruises arrive here all day long.

Manuel Lepe, local artistFinally, you can't leave Puerto Vallarta without enjoying the artwork of one of the greater artists from this city, we are of course talking about Manuel Lepe. His mosaic mural "Fish Vendors" is displayed of the ground floor of the Naval Museum. This work was painted by Manuel Lepe in acrylic and silkscreen.

His paintings of small angels, children and Puerto Vallarta landscapes can be found in the homes of presidents and art collectors. The Queen of England, Elizabeth II, has one of his paintings at the Royal Mews Museum at Windsor Castle.

Other celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Ronald Reagan, John Travolta and others seem to have understood what John Houston thought of the artist: "Manuel Lepe paints to bring joy to the hearts of the child in all of us".

Puerto Vallarta Travel Guide

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