Puerto Vallarta
I arrived! After unorganized lineups to get out of customs, there is a huge area inside the airport lined with time share salespeople. I was curious to know what they would offer, but I ran the gauntlet with my head down and came out untouched.
At the airport exit, I made a hard left, taking me over a pedestrian bridge to the other side of the road. Here I knew I would be able to get a taxi or uber for about half the price you would pay for the taxis lined up outside the airport.
I ended up in a taxi for 200 pesos to my downtown hotel ($13), which was the same price uber would have charged me if the app hadn’t turned me down for invalid payment information (it was valid!). Make sure you have pesos. A lot of restaurants will not accept anything but cash either.
The Paramar hotel where I stayed is in the downtown area, close to the old historic center. It is just across the street from the beach, with a rooftop pool and oceanview balcony. I loved it! https://www.booking.com/hotel/mx/grand-paramar.en
Puerto Vallarta and its zones, plus other small towns, circle Banderas Bay. The Sierra Madre mountains provide a backdrop, rising steeply just a few blocks from the beach.
Puerto Vallarta was a small port town until the early 1960’s, when film stars descended to make the movie Night of the Iguana in Mismaloya, not far south of here. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton owned homes here.
The center of activity is old vallarta, known as zona romantica. This is where there are tons of bars and restaurants, shops and art galleries. It’s also the most gay friendly area in all of Mexico. The malecon, or boardwalk, runs from downtown to zona romantica, so it’s easy to walk there. But it’s a long way.
One of the most recognizable landmarks downtown in the church of Guadalupe. It’s right across the street from the tourism office, where you can join free walking tours of the area.
The river running through the middle of downtown holds an island, Isla de Rio Cuale. There are markets and restaurants there. And there is stairway access to Gringo Gulch. That is where you will find very expensive homes, and the old stomping grounds of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Casa Kimberly, where you can rent a room or have dinner.
And that is the lay of the land in downtown Puerto Vallarta. There is lots here to keep you entertained! I went on only one excursion outside the area, and it was amazing. Stay tuned for my next post.