| > | | | | idiosyncrasies of this beautiful culture is one of the best |
| If you want to discover the best-kept secret of | | | | rewards for visiting Puerto Vallarta and once you start |
| Mexico, you have to read this article. What is it about | | | | to understand Mexican culture, you will only want to |
| Puerto Vallarta that makes it so attractive that more | | | | learn more. But don’t look only for the exotic |
| than 50,000 expats chose it as their home? 1. | | | | side of it, the Día de Muertos or the religious |
| Climate | | | | pilgrimages, for instance, even when those celebrations |
| Warm during the winter and humid in the summer, | | | | are actually quite impressive, there are is much more |
| Puerto Vallarta has the perfect location on the map; | | | | to discover on the day-to.day life of Mexico. You might |
| just below the desert, but not too much as to make | | | | travel for the beaches and just to have some relaxing |
| the tropical heat unbearable. In fact it is right on the | | | | vacations, but if you are open to it, Mexican Culture will |
| 20° North Latitude below the Tropic of Cancer, | | | | surprise you. |
| that’s right same as Hawaii. Puerto Vallarta | | | | 6. The people |
| combines the lushness of the jungle with the beauty of | | | | You have to travel a lot in order to be qualified to |
| the Sierra Madre Mountains and the wonder of the | | | | compare people and cultures. Well, I have done it, and I |
| Pacific Ocean. The ocean breeze and the fresh | | | | can tell you that, there are no warmer people in the |
| mountain air combine with the unrivaled sunny days | | | | world. Mexicans always smile, they always say |
| Mexico is known for, to create the best weather in the | | | | please and thank you, they will kiss and |
| world. It is no wonder why Puerto Vallarta has | | | | hug you, so be prepared; they will touch you all the |
| become a favorite vacation spot. Vallarta boasts three | | | | time, they are a happy people and they like to show it. |
| hundred sunny days a year, some of those being hot | | | | You will have a lot of fun around them, they will make |
| summer days that then get a refreshing rain. If you are | | | | you feel at home, you just have to let go and learn |
| ever in Puerto Vallarta anytime from the beginning of | | | | from their laid-back and unpretentious attitude towards |
| November through to the end of May you will find | | | | life. This way to understand life, where people work to |
| yourself in a paradise hard to leave behind. | | | | live and not live to work, might be arguable, but for a |
| 2. Great value for your money | | | | place like Puerto Vallarta, where people travel to |
| While it is a commonly known fact that the peso is | | | | forget for a while about the problems of daily life, |
| worth less than the dollar, be it US or Canadian, you | | | | it’s just perfect. |
| never truly appreciate it quite as much as when you | | | | 7. Things to do |
| vacation in Mexico. Being on vacations and knowing | | | | There is almost everything to do, except maybe those |
| that your hard earned money can buy you twice as | | | | boring winter games that include snow and cold, |
| much fun as it could back home is simply refreshing. | | | | Puerto Vallarta offers to visitors a formidable variety |
| And for those lucky enough to be permanent | | | | of activities. Eco-tours, golf (7 courses), ATV’s, |
| vacationers whose retirement dollars allow them a life | | | | scuba diving, canopy, whale-watching, swimming with |
| equal or better to what they had back home when | | | | dolphins or sea lions, a theater, museums, plenty of art |
| they still worked, it is simply incredible. Getting more | | | | galleries, gourmet restaurants, festivals (film, food, wine), |
| for less is good on anyone’s book, but when | | | | surfing, botanical gardens, old towns to visit, a zoo, lots |
| talking real estate this is simply great. One can get a | | | | of discotheques and nightclubs, and much, much more. I |
| beautiful home for the price of a New York studio. On | | | | am telling you, this place is worth the trip. Whether your |
| top of that, Puerto Vallarta has a large array of first | | | | dream vacation consists of lounging by the beach or |
| class real estate developments, from stunning | | | | zipping from tree top to tree top Vallarta has it. If you |
| penthouses, state of the art smart homes on the | | | | want to enjoy a five star gourmet dinner or just have |
| beach to rustic homes on the mountain side, many built | | | | tacos at a stand, this is the right place to come. The |
| with Americans and Canadians in mind so just make | | | | culture scene the little coffe shops in old town add to |
| your choice and become one of those people on | | | | the incredible allure of this great city. Many visitors |
| vacations for life. | | | | come because the large array of Puerto Vallarta tours |
| 3. Stunning beaches | | | | and activities. |
| Nothing new for Mexican destinations, but Puerto | | | | 8. Accessibility from USA and Canada |
| Vallarta has a great story to tell. In 1964 American film | | | | Accessibility is not to be forgotten when planning a |
| director John Huston, chose Mismaloya beach in | | | | vacation. There are some other incredible corners in |
| Puerto Vallarta, as the location for his film The Night of | | | | the world, but somehow they are always plenty of |
| the Iguana, starring Richard Burton and Ava Gardner. | | | | flight hours to Puerto Vallarta. Many cities in the US |
| Huston also brought in, his soon-to-be-wife Elizabeth | | | | and Canada have direct flights to Puerto Vallarta, |
| Taylor, putting Puerto Vallarta in the international | | | | making it so easy and cheap to come down there, |
| spotlight and making its beaches world famous. But | | | | that it makes it even harder to invent excuses for not |
| Mismaloya is only one of a plethora of enchanting | | | | spending a week or maybe just a weekend in such a |
| beaches that offer something for all walks of life. | | | | beautiful place. Puerto Vallarta is just a three hours |
| Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie looking to | | | | flight from Los Angeles, and that is all it takes to feel |
| do some kite surfing or simply someone that likes to | | | | like you are in a complete different world, the |
| lay by the water being tended to, Puerto Vallarta has | | | | mountains, the rivers and the ocean make their |
| the right beach for you. Many of those beaches have | | | | presence felt at every corner, but you won’t |
| been certified by the Mexican Government for their | | | | miss civilization a bit, as luxury hotels have everything in |
| cleanliness and beauty. By the north end of the Bay | | | | place to make you feel at home. On top of that the |
| you can find fine sand beaches that extend for | | | | ongoing commercial relationships provided by NAFTA |
| kilometers. On the other end you find small island | | | | allow for crossing of people and goods without mayor |
| coves only accessible by water. Imagine taking your | | | | hassles. |
| loved one by water taxi to a private beach cove and | | | | 9. Services |
| spending a romantic afternoon. Puerto Vallarta’s | | | | This point is mentioned quite a lot by the large expat |
| beaches are waiting for you to come and lay by their | | | | community in Puerto Vallarta (nearly 50,000 and |
| waves. | | | | growing). One of the biggest fears of those moving |
| 4. Amazing mountains | | | | abroad USA and Canada is that they might not get |
| This is what puts Puerto Vallarta in a completely | | | | the same quality services at the places they move to. |
| different league from other vacation destinations. It is | | | | But that’s just not the case with Puerto Vallarta, |
| not the typical Mexican resort destination with exquisite | | | | as the city has defined its identity as a perfect place |
| beaches and luxury hotels, I mean, it does have those | | | | for retirees and developed the proper infrastructure to |
| things, but the Sierra Madre Mountains and their tropical | | | | please them. You will find excellent medical services, a |
| forests with lush jungle vegetation, give the town a | | | | big focus on security, a diversity of financial businesses |
| completely different atmosphere, far away from the | | | | and all kinds of information and technology services, |
| just beach and nothing else to do kind of | | | | such as high-speed internet, digital cable TV and |
| destination. The beauty of this vacation destination | | | | everything to help you avoid missing home while you |
| spawns from the fact that the bay is nestled in the | | | | are on vacations in Mexico. |
| Sierra Madre Mountains. They surround the bay like a | | | | 10. The nightlife |
| mother’s bosom protecting it and offering | | | | Especially on Spring Break, but not limited to it. The |
| magnificent views. There is nothing that compares to | | | | Malecon, a beautiful boardwalk by the beach, |
| watching the sun rise in the mountains every day and | | | | has been called Puerto Vallarta’s Bourbon |
| set in the Pacific Ocean. During the summer season | | | | Street because it has club after club open all night |
| the rains make the surrounding mountains glow an | | | | long. World famous club brands as Hard Rock Café, |
| emerald green that is difficult to explain by mere | | | | Señor Frog’s or La Bodeguita del Medio |
| words. A hike up the mountain trails will take you to a | | | | (where Hemingway used to go in Havana), compete |
| time long before when mankind was one with nature | | | | with local clubs such as Mandala, Zoo or Punto V, to |
| and you to will feel its beckoning. The vegetation and | | | | see who throws the best party in town. There is the |
| the bird calls combine to the mystic feel of being | | | | world famous Foam Party at Collage every |
| surrounded by mountains. | | | | Tuesday and many salsa discos to feel the Latin vibe. |
| 5. Mexican Culture | | | | Puerto Vallarta also has its own share of electronic |
| You just can’t get bored with it. The mixture of | | | | festivals with some of the best DJs in the world, |
| indigenous traditions with Spaniard customs has | | | | playing outdoors till dawn, with people dancing and |
| produced an amazingly rich culture, an explosion of | | | | jumping in the sand just a few steps away from the |
| color, spirituality, flavors, images and sounds that will | | | | ocean. |
| never stop impressing you. Slowly discovering the little | | | | |