Puerto Vallarta, A Tale of Two Cities Sheila O'Connor - TheEpochTimes
go to original May 22, 2012

The sunset over the beach near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The destination has extraordinary options for vacationers seeking traditional culture, pure resort get-away, or a mix of the two. (Sheila O’Connor)

For some travelers, resorts and tourist attractions are enough to flame their fires for adventure. For others, wanderlust is only satisfied if it carries them to the depths of cultural immersion. As for me, I want a bit of both and always find such a wondrous blend of local culture and resort amenities in what U.S. News & World Report called Mexico’s Top Vacation Destination in 2010, Puerto Vallarta (PV).

Situated along the Pacific Coast, just beneath the Tropic of Cancer, Puerto Vallarta sits along the sheltered waters of Bahía de Banderas and is well protected from extreme weather by the bay’s headlands. Banderas Bay is the largest natural bay in Mexico and provides shelter for more than 500 cruising boats - both power and sail - seeking shelter from Hurricane season (June through November). These waters are also fertile cruising grounds for many sailboats and race regattas, creating a visual feast.

Besides Americans, Canadians, and Europeans, PV is also a popular vacation destination for middle class Mexican families, which provides wonderful opportunities for cultural exchange. On a family trip some years back, we stayed at the Hotel Regina, where we were befriended by a married couple of dentists from Mexico City. Their kids played each day with ours by the pool and offered us the chance to discover how our lives were far more similar, despite the obvious difference in nationality.

In fact, on two trips to PV, I have been much impressed with the local people and how friendly they are. Not only the shop owners and hospitality staff, but also on the street. Many people speak English, at least partially, and can offer tips and directions as well as conversation.

Must-See Attractions

A main attraction in PV is the Malecon - the long boardwalk and stretch of beaches that make up the central part of town. PV is a great place to walk around and talk to people, and the Malecon is perfect for an after-dinner stroll. Artists and vendors display their wares, and across the street are numerous restaurants, bars, and shops that vary from the tourista to boutiques and fine art galleries.

The hotel row in the heart of downtown is perhaps the most tourista part of PV, with many restaurants, hotels, smaller resorts, beach shops, and the echoes of beach vendors and barkers for tourist attractions. The latter can be quite annoying as three to four times each block you’ll be offered the deal of a lifetime for para-gliding, sport fishing, party boats, timeshare presentations, and the like. Thankfully, this is isolated to this one part of town. Just turn a deaf ear and don’t let it distract you from the fun of exploring the many shops and eateries.

To truly expand your experience of PV, plan to wear comfortable shoes and do a lot of walking. When you’ve walked the full length of PV’s main beach drag, try taking the bus ($0.50 for the return trip) and break out your best or worst Spanish with the locals. You’re sure to get a smile in return.

Having taken a taxi one night (less than $4 to most places) to Los Arbolitos Restaurant and Bar for a scrumptious fish dinner, we decided to walk it off with a stroll back to the main drag. Though it was a dark night, we traversed about 12 city blocks of downtown residences, shops, and diners for the locals. I’m always a cautious traveler who recommends conservative judgment, but I nevertheless felt very safe as we went. We then took the bus the rest of the way to our hotel.

Exploring Along the Coast

PV’s location straddles the states of Nayarit to the north and Jalisco to the south. It is here that you can easily venture into tropical jungle to the south or north to extensive coastline beaches. Rent a car (I prefer a Jeep) and explore these two directions for enriching experiences. Sayulita is only 24 miles (40 kms) north of the Puerto Vallarta airport and offers a quieter foray into village life. The region’s long golden beaches are popular for wandering surfers and the sleepy little village provides a popular hangout.

After a bit of wandering through the mercado (market) - rich with local artistry - we settled in for a relaxing lunch at one of the beach palapas (thatched hut). Our adventure grew as an American approached us, asking if we’d give his wife a ride back to their villa. As luck would have it, they were from Santa Rosa, practically neighbors to us in Northern California! They were waiting for a mechanic to finish fixing their car. She just had some dental work done and understandably didn’t want to wait to get home.

As we wound our way along narrow dirt roads, through lush vegetation, we were glad for having rented a Jeep. We learned that the couple was buying a piece of property with two simple villas, hoping to live in one and rent the other. We pulled into their driveway and immediately understood why. Both houses were situated on the low side of a ridge with a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean, framed by a private beach shared only with one neighbor on the opposite ridge. There, they could sit and watch the sunset from a deck sitting ten yards below the house, as they entertained guests surrounded by tropical vegetation in their own private paradise.

The next day, we drove south for some jungle bird watching and to see the beach at Playa Mismaloya, where they filmed the 1964 movie “The Night of the Iguana” (Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, Deborah Kerr, and Sue Lyon). Now you’ll find the beautiful cove protected by Hotel La Jolla de Mismaloya, with restaurants and all the amenities of a top resort, available to non-guests for a day use fee. Nearby, a short drive above Mismaloya takes you to where they filmed part of the Arnold Schwarzenegger film, “Predator,” in the jungle around what is now called the El Eden Canopy Tour. Here you’ll find zip lines, a restaurant and bar, and natural water slides. I found great excitement, however, not in the attractions, but in seeing a serpentine line of leaf cutter ants winding along the jungle floor.

As they always say, timing is everything. While PV’s average temperature is 86° F, the warmest months are May through October, where it can get to well over 100° F. This is tropical monsoon season and no coincidence that these months also have the greatest rainfall. It’s the humidity that makes this period relatively uncomfortable. Therefore, the winter is more popular to visit PV to escape cold weather at home. It’s also a good time for festivals. There are numerous festivals to be found on the internet to help you plan the best time to visit PV - from sailing regattas, wine, and food to art, golf, music, and surfing, to name but a few.

Cinco de Mayo (5th of May) commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). The holiday is largely observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. A common misconception is that the date is connected to Mexico’s Independence Day (Sept. 16th); it’s actually not a big deal in most of Mexico. As such, it is more of a celebration by PV’s bar owners that Americans want to come drink cold cerveza (beer.)

Beyond taco plates, seafood, and cold beer, Puerto Vallarta has gained international recognition as a great place for gourmet food. If you should happen to be there in November, then you can check out that claim for yourself. The International Gourmet Festival was founded 17 years ago by two chefs who wanted to promote Puerto Vallarta’s vibrant culinary scene. From November 8–18, 2012, Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit will once again become the center of the international gourmet scene. Last year, this festival was culinary art at its best. Local chefs invited over 30 of their prestigious colleagues from celebrated restaurants to stay at their hotels and create gastronomic delicacies to be served in their hosts’ restaurants.

The beginning of winter is the focal point of Mexico’s biggest religious holiday with the elaborate 12-day Festival for the Virgin of Guadalupe, Puerto Vallarta’s revered patron saint. Every evening, from the 1st through the 12th, there is a parade of pilgrimage. The earlier parades are comprised of small children from local schools and groups, followed by progressive nights with older, more skilled participants from near and far.

The groups are always comprised of the same composition - mariachis, native cultures in ancestral garb, and many pilgrims with lit candles, all walking to the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The main plaza along the Malecon is also filled with numerous street vendors for local delicacies, like spit-fired meat for Tacos al Carbon. I’m not an adventurous street-food vendor type, but I figured this is when they put their best foot forward, and I took a chance without regrets - yum.

We stayed at the Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa, which served as an excellent kicking off point for all of the above. The hotel is only 9 minutes away from downtown Puerto Vallarta. Just 9 minutes in time - it has to be said - but a world away in location, luring you back to the lap of luxury after a day of cultural exploration. From the lobby alone you get your fill of beautiful natural scenery as you gaze at white sandy beaches, an azure ocean that’s warm enough to swim in and the spectacular Arcos monument.

And when it’s time to fall asleep at the Garza Blanca, you can leave your beachfront door open. That’s because the sound of the waves will lull you to sleep. Tomorrow, after all, is another day in paradise.

Sheila O’Connor is a writer based in San Francisco who writes on a variety of topics, including travel. When Sheila is not off traveling the world, she is at home with her husband and three children.