Puerto Vallarta is one of the most important resort cities in Mexico. Because of its position, it is a perfect place to invest. It has all the natural features necessary to be one of the top holiday destinations in the world, like the climate and the fauna.
The climate of the city and of the state of Jalisco is tropical. This means that the average temperature is between 20 and 30 °C. If you add to this the average humidity of 75%, you will get a climate that feels hotter than it is in reality.
The city has four main districts. One of them is called hotel zone, because of the large number of hotels built here. Beside the modern hotels and resorts, the historic buildings are also preserved and maintained in a good condition. There is also a need for this: many tourists are interested in the history of the city.
The city has around 170,000 residents. During the main tourist season, this number grows radically. Over the last decade, tourism became the main branch of the city’s economy. Today nearly half of the city’s population is working in tourism or in a field connected to this. The main employers are the hotels and restaurants, but a large number of employees work in the personal services and transportation field.
Another very important revenue source of the city and the municipality is agriculture. Almost one fifth of the population works in this industry. The main products include different fruits, watermelon and tobacco. An advantage is that the city has all the raw materials for many of the products that are needed because of tourism. Tequila being a local specialty, it’s important to have everything needed for its production.
The majority of tourists are from countries where the winters are from mild to cold. Because of this, the high season starts in late November and ends in March. Because of the Spring Breaks in the US, it’s not unusual to have an extended high season, as an evidence of large number of US visitors. The city is not only popular among foreign tourists; it is also coaxing for residents of other Mexican cities, such as the Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco. Even a large number of tourists from Mexico City come here rather than go to Acapulco.
The local governance didn’t expect the growth of the tourism. The city proved to be small for the hotels that have to be built, so a new district was established outside the city borders. This is the Nuevo Vallarta – meaning New Vallarta – and many hotels were already built here and many more are in construction. In fact, the city was so popular among international tourists – especially among US tourists from the West coast – that many bought houses here. This way today, a large number of condominiums are present in the city.
The development of the municipality started back in the 1960s, having as a target the creation of a resort city. This development included the building of a capable highway system and an airport. Today these are heavily used and are essential. The Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport, named after Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, is handling around 300,000 passengers during a high season month. Even if in the low season month this number is halved, over a year nearly three million visitors arrive at the airport. According to a study, 80% of the flights were international ones.
The fact that agriculture is an important industry in the city, it ensures a rich local cuisine. Puerto Vallarta has some local specialties, such as Huachinango Sarandeado and Ceviche. The Huachinango Sarandeado is very popular among the lovers of intense tastes. The main ingredient of this food is rockfish, which is grilled, but prior to that it is marinated in a special sauce. The recipe of the sauce has many versions and sometimes it is a secret, but it includes roast peppers, spices and even garlic. Ceviche is served on tostada or with tortilla. This is also prepared with a fish flavored with onion, hot peppers and lime juice. Because the local fishermen provide great raw material for Grilled Marlin, this food is also very popular here.
The city has numerous landmarks that are real tourist attractions. Such places include the Parish Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Cuale Archaeological Museum. The last has a large collection of regional art as well as contemporary art. Two markets are also very popular among both locals and tourists. These are the Mercado Isle Cuale and the Mercado Municipal Cuale, and many souvenir boutiques, vendor shops and restaurants are operating here and a cultural center, too. The Malecon is situated along the Col. Centro. The Malecon is a paved walkway featuring several contemporary sculptures.
The main attractions remain the beaches of the city. Four major beaches are situated on the coast of the Bahia de Banderas bay. These beaches got quite uncommon names, this way you can take a bath at the Shrimp Beach, the High Waves Beach, the Beach of the Dead or at the Mouth of Tomatoes. These beaches are very popular among tourists and locals too. If these weren’t enough for you, than you should visit one of the beaches around the city. Around ten additional bathing places are to the north and to the south of the city.
Two annual festivals are also held in the city. These are the Festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe and the May Festival. The last one is also continued in the first week of June. In fact, it is the celebration of the anniversary of Puerto Vallarta becoming a municipality. Outdoor concerts, sporting events take place during this two-week long event and a parade is ending the celebration.
Especially in the last decade, the city became a very popular holiday destination among international tourists. The phrase that numbers don’t lie is perfectly true in case of Puerto Vallarta. More than 5 million tourists every year can’t be wrong, so you should pack you baggage and catch the next flight to this tropical paradise.
