News in Puerto Vallarta

Never a dull moment in this Famous Town - PUERTO VALLARTA.

Over 2 million tourists visit Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, annually - making this resort town the second most visited destination in Mexico. Although Puerto Vallarta is best known for its beaches, it offers an extremely wide variety of other attractions. The town has a pleasant climate, great scenic beauty, world class accommodations to suit every budget, numerous quality restaurants, excellent shopping, a vibrant nightlife and many opportunities to engage in several water sports activities and sightseeing excursions. Perhaps no other destination in Mexico offers the diversity of activities that Puerto Vallarta does. Further, the town itself has the look and charm of a colonial Mexican village with its picturesque buildings and cobblestone streets. There is never a dull moment in this famous resort town - Puerto Vallarta.
Puerto Vallarta is situated on Mexico's Pacific Coast in the State of Jalisco. The town sits on the shore of one of the world's largest bays - the "Bahia de Banderas" or "Bay of Flags". The Sierra Madre Mountains form a majestic backdrop to the town.

Puerto Vallarta has a semi-tropical climate with an average daily temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months and 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. It has about 340 sunny days annually, although late afternoon or evening showers (of short duration) are common in some months. Winter is the high season for travel to Puerto Vallarta, as the weather is somewhat cooler and rain showers less frequent than in other seasons.

Unlike other Mexican tourist destinations such as Cancun, Puerto Vallarta was not a planned resort town. In the 1960s, Puerto Vallarta was a small fishing village of about 10,000 residents. The town became world famous in 1964 when Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton stayed there during the filming of Tennessee Williams's "Night of the Iguana." The press followed the couple, and many reporters began writing about the beauty and charm of the region. Shortly thereafter, the town began receiving an increasingly large number of visitors and considerable investments in tourist facilities and infrastructure were made. Today, Puerto Vallarta has about 300,000 residents and is one of the world's top resort towns. The following describes some of Puerto Vallarta's major attractions:

Beaches & Water sports

Beach lovers have much to choose from, as there are more than a dozen large beaches that border the Bahia de las Banderas, in close proximity to Puerto Vallarta. These white sandy beaches, with crystalline water and studded with tall palm trees on their shores, are among the most beautiful in the world.

The nearest beach to town is Playa Los Muertos (The Beach of the Dead). The beach got this name as a result of a number of ancient battles between pirates and Indians that occurred there, leaving many dead on the shore. Playa Los Muertos is perhaps the most popular (and crowded) of all the beaches in the Puerto Vallarta region. There are many restaurants on this beach where you can sample delicious fresh seafood such as shrimp and red snapper. You will also find on the beach a large number of small shops selling a variety of crafts made by local artisans. A number of short daytime and evening harbor cruises of the bay are also available.

Water sport activities on the beach of Puerto Vallarta include jet skiing, parasailing, snorkeling and tube rides, and there are several outlets where you can rent the necessary equipment and arrange for lessons, if necessary. Horseback riding on the beach is another popular activity.

Walking Excursions

One of the best activities, especially for those who enjoy exercise, is to take a walking tour through the meandering, cobblestone streets of Puerto Vallarta. You will see many charming colonial buildings, white-stucco houses with red-tile Spanish roofs and a gorgeous variety of flowers and fauna. The architecture is quite interesting, particularly the Church of Guadalupe with its red brick bell tower topped by a crown. This church is Puerto Vallarta's signature landmark. You may also view the white-balconied former home of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

Another good place to walk is along the Malecon, the seaside boardwalk in the center of town overlooking the bay. Here you will find a large number of shops, restaurants, bars, and street artists. Bands play live music in the streets, and the whole place is characterized by a festive atmosphere. The crowds in the Malecon promenade tend to be large - particularly in the evenings. A great place for people-watching!

Nightlife, dining, and more in Puerto Vallarta

Nightlife in Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta has a varied and lively nightlife, and the town has an extremely large number of nightclubs, bars and discos. There is music for everyone, including live Mariachi music, salsa dance clubs, Mexican folk music, live blues bands, sports bars and live rock and roll. Most nightclubs do not open until quite late (10 p.m. - 11.p.m) and don't close until about 4 a.m.

Dining in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta probably has more restaurants than any other resort town in Mexico. The dining establishments are everywhere in town and range from pricey restaurants serving gourmet food to eateries serving inexpensive (but nonetheless delicious) meals for the budget traveler. Puerto Vallarta has a great culinary reputation for its seafood dishes - particularly shrimp, lobster, and red snapper. Many eateries also specialize in world class French cuisine and authentic Mexican dishes.

Sport fishing in Puerto Vallarta

Deep sea fishing is very popular in the waters surrounding Puerto Vallarta, and the season runs from November to May. The waters are abundant with sailfish, billfish, marlin and tuna and the rental of a charter boat with a fishing guide is easy to arrange. A major international fishing event, the Puerto Vallarta Sailfish Tournament, takes place each year in November.

Shopping in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta offers some truly outstanding shopping. There are many designer boutiques, fine art galleries, craft shops and traditional market stalls. The Municipal Market on the north side of town is a lively place and vendors there sell a wide variety of Mexican foods and local handicrafts. Pottery, locally made fabrics and items made of silver are among the best deals here.

There is never a dull moment in this famous resort town - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.