The Beauty of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Fishing in Puerto Vallarta, or “PV” as the locals call it, is one of Mexico’s top Pacific Coast sport fishing vacation destinations. It is situated midway along the Bay of Banderas with the beautiful Sierra Madres as the backdrop. The Bay shores were explored by the Spanish in the mid 1500s and history reports that the safety of the bay offered ships protection from pirates roaming the coast. Imagine how great the Puerto Vallarta fishing was 500 years ago, must have been amazing. That is if they were interested in fishing so far back in history. Today the population of 350,000 entertains 2,000,000 tourists annually and is a major port of call for all the major cruise lines.

Resort development, which has been rolling along since the early 1960s, has not overwhelmed the natural beauty of the area but brought a level of sophistication and economic growth to the area. PV is at the same latitude as Hawaii, so visitors can enjoy year round balmy temps between 80-90s day highs ,and 60-70s night lows. The best weather coincides with high tourist season, from mid-December through mid-April, although , boasting 350 days of sunshine, with just a short rainy season late summer, makes it an ideal destination year round. Which is why the Puerto Vallarta fishing is so great.

It is easy and inexpensive to get around on city buses ( a mere 5 pesos), a multitude of taxis, or rental cars (more expensive). El Centro, or downtown, is bordered by the Malecon, a milelong boardwalk edged with restaurants, shopping, and sculptural art. It is the perfect place to people watch, sight passing whales or view perfect sunsets with a Marguerita in hand. Dining options are so plentiful that you would be hard pressed not to find something that fit’s the wallet and fills your belly with the best in fresh seafood, of course Mexican, and any other national cuisine you prefer.

This city and its environs are a shopper’s paradise! Leather goods, ceramics, folk art, Huichol art, blown glassware, silver and semi-precious stones and the usual tourist trinkets range from inexpensive to designer/artisan in quality . You will want to shop the downtown Municipal Market (Mercado) but don’t miss the fine art galleries and design studios offering the works of one of the largest resident art communities in Mexico. Cultural exhibits, concerts and folkloric dance as well as strolling mariachis are plentiful.

Enjoy miles of beautiful beaches. Some are more remote and worth a day trip for investigating. Vallarta Adventures offers a multitude of eco-friendly tours for exploring nearby beaches, islands, and mountains. There is golf at several fine locations, and Tequila tours, a bountiful Botanical Garden, Zoo, Dolphin/Sea Park, Whale Watching for other diversions when you want to do something other than sit on the beach.

Banderas Bay is famous for sport fishing! There are options for the serious angler, tournament competitor or novice. Tuna, Marlin, Dorado (Mahi), Sailfish, Rooster, Snapper and Jack Cravelle are a few of the species . The San Andreas shelf just offshore, and the many islands just outside the bay creates the perfect fishing grounds. Marina Vallarta is the focal point for this activity as well as boasting another boardwalk replete with dining and shopping options. El Faro, or “The Lighthouse “, will be the meeting point for scheduled fishing adventures.

No matter what you decide to do you will have a great time and want to return for more in years to come! That is why so many visitors have decided after several return visits to call PV “home”.

Mi casa es su casa....