In this typical mexican town square, centered with a bandstand, you can enjoy the real mexican ambiance with a

and restaurants to choose from.

CITY SIGHTS

MAIN PLAZA

Local band playing every Thursday and Sunday nights. On the ocean side of the plaza you can be part of the free musi-cal and cultural events performed in Los

Arcos outdoor theater on weekends.At the east side of the plaza stands Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, con-sidered the heart of Puerto Vallarta´s downtown. It was built during a 12-year period starting in 1921 and it´s original crown, damaged by an ear-thquake, is said to have been mo-deled after the one worn by Doña Carlota, the empress of the Empe-ror Maximilian in the XVIII century.

MALECON Stroll along the beachfront boardwalk at downtown and be amazed by the impressive bronze sculptures by well known artists, street performances and beautiful sunsets. Paralell to the male-con you’ll find 10 blocks of shops, bars.

& SHOPPING

Recorre de norte a sur la ciudad entera y descubre la historia y las anécdotas de la Iglesia de Guadalu-pe, la Isla del Río Cuale junto con su Mercado de Artesanías, el Malecón y sus esculturas. Para una ex-periencia más citadina, Puerto Vallarta también ofrece grandes centros o plazas comerciales dentro de las cuales destacan Plaza Genoveza, Plaza Marina, Galerías Vallarta, Plaza Península y Plaza Caracol, con tiendas departametales, cadenas de comida y lugares de entretenimiento y en algunos casos cines.

CONOCIENDO VALLARTA

This picturesque little island located in the river cuale, four blocks south of the church of our Lady of Guadalupe, brings out a lively cultural atmosphere during the day and a becomes the perfect place to stroll out on its trails, suspension bridges and plazas. At the center of the island stands the Mercado Municipal Río Cuale, an open door market devoted to artisans shaded with enormous fig trees, where

you can find ceramics, jewelry, a variety of souvenirs and typical Mexican clothing ware. You may also find different local artists displaying and making their own artwork at site but if its food what you´re looking for, you may choose the best view of the river from numerous cafes and restaurants providing diverse cuisine options. For cultural activities you have the Centro Cultural Río Cuale at the eastern tip of the island for afternoon theater performances or the Museo Río Cuale located at the eastern tip of the island to marvel at the collection of pre-Columbian ceramics of the state of Jalisco.

RÍO CUALE ISLAND

Puerto Vallarta is second only to Mexico City as a tourist destination for gastronomy in all of México. With more than 200 restaurants, Puerto Vallarta provides cuisine that is a true delight to the palate of visitors and residents who join in the joy of dining.

A wide variety of flavors, aromas, exotic spices, gourmet dishes, comfort food, as well as, tasty snacks are offered. Eateries, where an array of delicious food is served, begins with traditional Mexican dishes such as sea food and tacos.

However, visitors also can easily discover many international cuisines, inclu-ding Greek, Japanese, Italian, Argentine, Austrian, French, and German.You’ll find most of the best restaurants at downtown, some of them with a spectacular ocean view and others hidden away from the crowds but all of them with something special to offer you!

En la variedad está el gusto, los lugares para comer en Puerto Vallarta van desde la tradicional mexicana hasta la griega, japonesa, italiana, argentina, austriaca, china, francesa, y desde

luego los mariscos, quesadillas, tacos y demás platillos tradicionales no sólo del destino sino de todo el país.

Los chefs de Puerto Vallarta son reconocidos a nivel mun-dial por su calidad al cocinar, sin embargo la belleza de los restaurantes es poco superada por los de otra parte del país ya que la mayoría cuenta con vistas panorámi-

cas, al mar los muelles e incluso a todo Puerto Vallarta.

La mayoría de los mejores restaurantes se encuentran en el centro de Puerto Vallarta, aunque los hoteles tienen

dignos representantes ante el mundo en esta materia.Más tradicional y vallertense, en algunas esquinas podrá encontrar tostadas de ceviche, quesadillas de carne asada, fruta picada, burritos, snacks diver-sos. Y de beber la tradicional tuba, tejuino, aguas frescas y por qué no, un vasito de tradicional Raicilla.

PUERTO VALLARTA´S CUISINE

Even though Puerto Vallarta is considered the ideal tropical paradise to relax on the beach, it is also the perfect destination for those

who enjoy extreme sports and any other recreational activity you may think of.

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

There is always something for every type of traveler, from kite surfing and surfing off the beach to scuba diving, snorkeling and swim-ming with dolphins.

If land is what attracts you, hikes through the jungle, horseback riding and mountain biking could be on your list; and for the more adventurous why not try a canopy tour or drive your own ATV through the countryside!

As Puerto Vallarta prides itself on its frien-dly English speaking Tourist Police who are always willing to assist with directions, aid and present the feeling and reality of securi-ty for guests at its highest level. One will not feel uncomfortable walking the main Male-con along the beach or exploring the interior areas of Puerto Vallarta. Of course one must always use common sense and precautions.

YOU CAN LITERALLY DO ANY IMAGINABLE OUTDOOR ACTIVITY IN PUERTO VALLARTA:

ATV’S Explore Mexico’s countryside on your own semi-automatic, four-wheeled ATV. From the streets of beautiful local villages to off-road dusty trails and scenic rivers of the Sierra Ma-dre mountains, get to know Puerto Vallarta up close.

www.canopyvallarta.net www.haciendadonaengracia.com

www.chicos-diveshop.com

CANOPYZip lining or “tirolesa” in Spanish, consists of hooking yourself to a cable, then jumping off either the top of a tree or the edge of a moun-tain, “zipping” effortlessly through the air over huge tropical trees at speeds of 30 to 40 miles per hour while enjoying spectacular views, and arriving safely at the other end of the line. If you dare to let the adrenalin pump through your veins zip into this adventure at any of the many series of thrilling zip lines in Puerto Vallarta.

www.canopyvallarta.net

DOLPHIN ENCOUNTERSIf you have dreamed of a chance to swim with dolphins, ever marvelled at their overwhel-ming beauty and intelligence - then Va-llarta is an option. Listed below are ope-rators with captive dolphin programs as well as one with an open-ocean encounter.

www.sealifeparkvallarta.com www.vallarta-adventures.com

www.wildlifeconnection.com

HIKINGAs Puerto Vallarta is nestled between the Sie-rra Madre foot hills, hiking around it promises magnificent views and an unforgettable expe-rience for anyone interested in nature. Hike through picturesque mountain towns, along ri-vers with its fresh waters and waterfalls deep in

the jungle or simply wander around the coast from one fishing village to another. The op-tions are ample and the reward is imaginable.

www.ecotoursvallarta.comwww.haciendadonaengracia.com

HORSEBACK RIDINGExperience the beautiful countryside area of Puerto Vallarta and be part of the breathtaking natural scenery as you ride along rivers or on jungle and mountain trails surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. Magnificent views of the Banderas Bay and town below will make your ride even more beautiful.

www.haciendadonaengracia.com www.michaparrita.com

www.ranchoelcharro.com www.ranchojodeagua.com

MOUNTAIN BIKINGExplore the essence of México on a full-sus-pension mountain bike in surrounding sce-nic country locations like Ixtapa, el Río Cua-le and Yelapa or in mountain destinations, such as San Sebastián, Mascota and Talpa.

www.bikemex.com www.ecoridemex.com

www.haciendadonaengracia.comwww.vallartabikes.com

SCUBA DIVING & SNORKELINGPuerto Vallarta’s underwater world is unique, from the tiny invertebrates crawling on the ocean floor to the majestic manta rays gliding through the water. Caves, coral reefs and nu-merous species of colourful fish are also part of the display that you may encounter in popular diving spots such as Los Arcos, Majahuitas and

the Marietas Islands. www.chicos-diveshop.com

PASEOS

hacia el sur de la bahía, hay numerosas playas a las que sólo se puede acceder por mar. Paradisiacos paisajes que conforma la selva, la montaña y el océano se pueden observar fácilmente tomando alguno de los diversos tours que se ofrecen en la terminal marítima o vendedores

ubicados en diferentes puntos de la zona turística.

También se puede hacer de manera independiente toman-do un taxi acuático desde $30 que lo lleve a las playas de Quimixto, Yelapa o Las Animas. En estos lugares le es-peran actividades como buceo, caminatas, cabalgatas a caballo ó simplemente recostarse en la suave arena de estas playas casi vírgenes.

The jungle terrains of the mountain foothills reach directly down to the shore on the south side of the bay all the way to Cabo Corrientes, creating a more secluded atmosphere on its small coves and attractive b e a c h e s surrounded by large boulders and vegetation. Some of the remote southern

beaches, most easily accessible by boat, include Yelapa, a beach of golden sand set on a fishing village; Majahuitas, a beach with swaying palm trees and crystal clear water ideal for snorkeling; Quimixto, a quaint fishing sea side village with a tropical ambiance and a white sand beach; and Las Animas, a pictures que beach with blue calm waters and beachfront restaurants. Boca de Tomatlán, is a tranquil country village with a unique cove, rustic restaurants, a small beach, and the Horcones River emptying into the ocean; Pangas frequently depart from here for beaches further south. Mismaloya, accessible by road through a gorgeous coastal drive, is a pretty jungle-backed cove where John Huston´s “The Night of the Iguana” was filmed; and Conchas Chinas, also with road access and in proximity to downtown, is a series of small sandy coves separated by rocky formations with luxurious homes, condominiums, and hotels as a background.

DOWNTOWN & HOTEL ZONE BEACHES The most popular beach areas of Puerto Vallarta are at downtown. Los Muertos beach, a 2 km strand of fine sand and calm waters visited often by locals with a great variety of restaurants, beach clubs, and shops; Olas

Altas, an extension of Los Muertos beach, offers

Banderas bay, considered México´s lar-gest and one of the world’s deepest na-tural bays has recorded depths of more than 3,000 feet. Its deep waters shelter a broad spectrum of marine life such as dolphins, humpback whales, manta rays, and sea turtles among others spe-cies, while the 100 mile C-shaped coastli-ne, surrounded by a stunning and diver-se landscape, displays everything from majestic tropical mountainsides to huge mangroves and estuaries full of wildlife.

BANDERAS BAY AND IT´S COASTSOUTH SHORE BEACHES