Friendly Vallarta
The seaside community of Puerto Vallarta has been voted the 'world's friendliest city' but a warm welcome is just the beginning at the Pacific paradise
Pat Neisser
Published on
Feb 05, 2008
Rising hills roll down to the gentle Bay of Banderas. Colourful flowers vie with lush green foliage, sandwiched between an azure sky and matching sea. The omnipresent sun covers the red-tile-roofed casas and cobblestone streets with a golden light.
Puerto Vallarta, a seashore community of 220,000 on Mexico's Pacific coast, voted the world's friendliest city in 2005, was just a village before John Huston, Elizabeth Taylor, and Richard Burton brought the world to its door while filming Night of the Iguana in 1963. Today the original village, now called El Centro or Viejo Vallarta, is filled with shops, galleries, restaurants, and bars.
First arrivals should stroll along the three-mile malecon, a boardwalk dotted with enormous sculptures, the shimmering sea on one side and shops and eateries on the other.
To the south is the tiny Rio Cuale that connects the mountains to the sea. It has its own island filled with eateries and shops. You may meet a sleepy iguana or a talkative parrot and find that perfect straw hat.
PV, as it's commonly dubbed by visitors, has entered the 21st century without losing its charm. Cleverly keeping the original village intact while expanding north of the airport, city officials have added a new highway. Hotels hug the glittering bay, and a 500-slip marina, private homes, golf courses, and elegant spa-resorts have sprung up.
Festivals blossom monthly. One to catch is the International Gourmet Festival each November.
Puerto Vallarta's major sport -- shopping -- keeps everyone searching for a designer outfit, authentic Huachol Indian artifacts, or a great piece of jewelry. Chic boutiques and unusual art galleries abound.
Golf is also popular. One scenic course is Marina Vallarta, which is open to the public and abuts the new four-star adults-only Casas Velas boutique hotel.
For water sports, Los Muertos Beach south of Rio Cuale is a favourite. You can parasail, kayak, jet ski, surf, and swim here.
The more adventurous can log on to vallarta-adventures.com for the word on scuba and deep-sea diving, canopy tours above the rainforest, horseback riding, tennis, whale watching, swimming with dolphins, kayaking, Jeep adventures, and boat trips to Caletas and other nearby islands.
For a lively cruise on a pirate ship complete with sword fights and snorkeling, log onto marigalante.com.mx.
For more information, log onto visitpuertovallarata.com.