Puerto Vallarta

PUERTO VALLARTA

IF YOU WANT A WARM-WEATHER BREAK THAT OUTSHINESTHE OTHERS THEN LET LOOSE AND HAVE THE TIME OFYOUR LIFE IN THE JEWEL OF THE PACIFIC COAST.

Puerto Vallarta sits at the centre of the exquisite Banderas Bay, officially listed as one of the most beautiful in the world. Located in the state of Jalisco, the bay shelters numerous diverse ecosystems, including tropical lagoons, rainforests, mangroves, pristine beaches, reefs, waterfalls and spectacular mountains.

The town at its centre was founded in the mid-19 th century and is now home to around 300,000 people. It comprises several distinctive regions, each with its own specific charms.

El Centro (Downtown) combines the quaint cobblestone streets of a historic centre with the lively nightlife of a modern metropolis, while across the town’s famous boardwalk (Malecón) lies Puerto Vallarta’s main, sumptuous beach.

The South Shore offers another flavour entirely and is the point where the Sierra Madre mountains meet the ocean. It is characterised by tiny, secluded coves and beaches, some only accessible by boat.

Meanwhile, you can find high-end boutique hotels, condos and spas, plus an 18-hole golf course, in the area named after, and surrounding, the exclusive Marina Vallarta.

In short, Puerto Vallarta offers everything one could hope for in a city, beachside or rural retreat.

For most visitors, the plan is simple: soak up the sun and let your stress slip away along 40 miles (64km) of shimmering shoreline. In addition to the breathtaking beaches, Puerto Vallarta’s diverse terrain ranges from river beds and rugged mountains to arid flatlands and lush tropical vegetation, which shelters hundreds of species of wildlife, such as the ocelot, the jaguar and the iguana.

Pacific bottlenose dolphins and spotted dolphins are a common sight in the area’s waters, and the town is home to one of the best education and research facilities about the mammals in the region. Humpback whales are also often seen at Banderas Bay, while the Puerto Vallarta Sea Turtle Conservation Program aims to help preserve one of the world’s vulnerable species: the olive ridley marine turtle, which lays its eggs on the area’s beaches.

Visitors can go scuba diving to get up close and personal with the whales, sea lions, turtles, manta rays and tropical fish.

But if you would rather stay dry, why not hitch a safari tour or drive your own off-road vehicle through the thick jungles of the Sierra Madre? Or for gravity defying thrills, you can strap into the longest zip line in Mexico and reach speeds of up to 62mph (100 kmh). The ride takes you high into the forest canopy.

The daytime temperature here is between 26C-32C (80F-90F) yearround and even the showers during the rainy season tend to arrive only in late afternoon, cooling the air for your evening explorations.

Indulge in the mouth-watering flavours and aromas of Puerto Vallarta’s world-class restaurants, which take full advantage of local ingredients, traditional Mexican recipes and top-rated chefs.

Down by the beach, you can sample traditional “pescado embarazado”, fish pulled fresh from the ocean, marinated in lime and then roasted over coals, before being served with traditional huichol salsa. Or try “birria”, a spicy meat dish eaten with tortilla, or “pozole”, a delicious pork or chicken broth.

Each May, Puerto Vallarta hosts Restaurant Week: the region’s flagship festival of gastronomic excellence, showcasing Mexico’s distinctive cuisine – from the mellow flavours of Oaxaca to the Mediterranean-inspired fare from Veracruz. Restaurants typically have plenty of outdoor seating, in courtyards, gardens and rooftop terraces, for you to enjoy the sights and sounds of Puerto Vallarta long past dusk.

Well-known for the preservation of its Mexican traditions, the city presents an authentic vibe on every street. In the 19 th century, it was a mining town called “Las Peñas” and today it is home to artists and culture vultures from around the world, who have been inspired by the mix of romance and the beauty of the town and its people. The vibrant artistic scene is reflected in more than 30 art galleries showcasing work by local, national and international artists, and well as cultural festivals year round.

There is also a wide array of public art located around the town, particularly lining the Malecón. These pieces include the nine-foot sculpture The Boy on the Seahorse, by Rafael Zamarripa Castañeda, which was installed in 1976 and is now among Puerto Vallarta’s most popular landmarks.

Puerto Vallarta is indisputably a warm and welcoming holiday destination and has been ranked as one of the top 10 LGBT honeymoon destinations in the world, thanks to a host of accommodation options, attractions and activities specifically tailored for the LGBT community. In 2014, Puerto Vallarta became the first destination in Mexico to take part in the World Pride celebrations and it remains at the forefront of the campaign to remove discrimination from the tourism industry.

Throughout the past 180 years, Puerto Vallarta has grown from a tiny harbour town used predominantly by boats carrying salt for the use in nearby silver mines, to a hub for fisherman seeking the rich variety of treasures from the bay to an exclusive hangout of the Hollywood rich and famous.

It is now a bewitching resort town, at once a charming tangle of whitewalled houses, wrought-iron balconies and red-tiled roofs, and the home of high-end luxury hotels and restaurants, and pulsing nightclubs.