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Puerto Vallarta
almost defies description as a resort.
Offering an extremely wide variety of attractions and
entertainment options. Puerto Vallarta has something
special for everyone, regardless of your personal preferences.
There are many cultural events and exhibits, exciting day trips
to the jungle, relaxing days at the beach and countless romantic
hideaways. Immeasurable activities, both on and off the
water that will keep you entertained, until it is sadly time to
depart. Night life abounds with many popular night clubs
and an array of quality restaurants to please even the most
discriminating palette. Puerto Vallarta is yours to savor
and is, without a doubt, one of the friendliest and cleanest
beach resorts in all of Mexico.
This
beautiful city by the bay has a population of over 300,000
friendly residents and covers more than 1,200 square kilometers.
This is a city with modern infrastructure and conveniences
that has somehow managed to maintain its unique Old Mexico
charm, unlike so many of the other more glitzy resorts. In
many any areas of Puerto Vallarta you will feel like you are
taking a step back in time. A step back to a much simpler
time, donkeys are still used for delivery in many parts of this
unique city. Many of the crafts available here are made by local
Indians who have been producing their wares using the same
methods for hundreds of years.
A
modern marina and cruise ship port attract visitors on ships and
yachts from all over the world. The city's clean, friendly
atmosphere, unique Old Mexico ambiance and incredibly diverse
shopping possibilities attract International and Mexican
tourists in droves. These unique attractions lure many of
these visitors to return over and over again. Many of
these tourists end up becoming full time residents or retiring
in Puerto Vallarta.
Puerto
Vallarta enjoys over 300 sunny days a year with temperatures
averaging right around 83 degrees. Many visitors do not
realize that Puerto Vallarta is situated on the same latitude as
Hawaii and enjoys a similar sunny and tropical climate.
English is widely spoken, especially in the downtown shopping
and dining areas.
Because
Puerto Vallarta lies on Bahia Banderas, the second largest
natural bay in North America and has over 100 miles of coast
line, it is a haven for anyone who enjoys any type of beach
activity, from whale watching to parasailing. Bungee
jumping over the Pacific, windsurfing, snorkeling, scuba diving,
jet skiing or fishing are yours for the asking. The surf, at
most beaches is normally very calm and safe for swimming year
around.
Distinctly different beach zones with more than forty individual
beaches mark Puerto Vallarta as one of the favorite destinations
for the true beach lover. The first zone is north of Puerto
Vallarta. Playa de Oro and the Marina district are here.
The Playa de Oro is a wide, sandy beach with a few rocky areas
interspersed. It is also very popular with guests and locals
alike, because of its water sports. Even further north,
the beaches of Banderas Bay are pristine and quiet as they reach
up toward Punta de Mita. If you're into surfing,
these northern beaches, which are subject to strong surf,
perfect for catching a wave, the best windsurfing also takes
place in this area.
Puerto Vallarta's most popular beach, Playa de los Muertos, is
located just south of the malecon and the River Cuale.
This beach is surrounded by the neighborhood of Olas Altas (Old
Town or Zona Romantica), with it's indescribable variety of
restaurants and shops. It is lined with beachfront
hotels and restaurants and is usually bustling with activity,
sun worshipers by day, the dining and nightlife crowd after
dark. The beachfront bars and restaurants in this area are a
great place to catch one of the incredible Vallarta sunsets.
South
of town, you'll find numerous small coves and beaches.
Playa de Mismaloya used to be a quiet, fairly remote cove, it is
still fairly remote and remains a beautiful beach in spite of
development and is a great place to relax on the beach for a
day. Boca de Tomatlan, the last beach that is accessible
by road is more primitive with several small seafood restaurants
and taco stands. It is a great swimming beach, very quiet
and peaceful. You can hire local pangas here to take you
to Yepala, Las Animas or Quimixto.
Destiladeras and Los Venaderos are two of the more enjoyable
beaches in the northern area. Snorkeling and also
wind surfing (under the right conditions) are also great at the
Las Marietas Islands , which have been preserved by the Mexican
government as a bird sanctuary. These islands are
accessible by boats which can be rented on most of the northern
beaches.
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