Puerto Vallarta*

LAID BACK AND LIVELY PUERTO VALLARTA

Whether you are dying of love or just dying to get out of town, consider Puerto Vallarta. Here are pale sand beaches, a shark-free surf and reliable sunshine at decent prices. The city has good drinking water, safe streets and everywhere the aura of welcoming friendliness.

Although founded in 1851 one could say it was discovered by John Huston, who came to film “Night of the Iguana” in 1964. The population then was 300, but this Hollywood Christopher Columbus really put the town on the map. With some help from the scandal of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, then both married to others and trysting here, the buzz brought people. Today, the population of Puerto Vallarta is 300,000. That includes the 5000 Americans who own property here.

The town is comprised of an old section and a new, divided by a bridge over the Cuale river which runs between them. Near the Centro, is El Malecón, a boulevard along the shore of Banderos Bay, the largest in Mexico, on which Puerto Vallarta is situated. Local artists have created the large pieces that are displayed along this stretch against the backdrop of sky and glistening sea. This lovers’ dream of a walkway is popular at sunset and photographers are everywhere snapping the large stone seahorse, symbol of the city, or the children who are free to clamber other user-friendly statuary. Local artists’ contributions may also be seen at their studios and galleries.

Of particular interest is the Galeria EM, where world-class works in glass are manufactured and displayed, and Galeria Dante, with its large selection of sculpture from Mexico and around the world. Sergio Bustamente, considered one of the leading artists of Mexico, has his own gallery and the studio of Richard Baker, a professional watercolorist and American transplant is worth a visit. Check a local events calendar for the Art Walk, a festive occasion in which galleries are open and cocktails are served. It takes place every few weeks in the old town near the main square.

This is an easy city to get around in. Buses run frequently, the fare is four pesos–about 50 cents–and there’s much to see. Conchas Chinas is where the rich have their eye-popping estates, all coconut-white stucco with moorish arches, domes, wrought iron touches, surrounded by paper and mango trees, bougainvillea and “copa de oro,” flowers that do really glow like gold.

On the Federal Road 200, look out at the water and see Los Arcos, a huge rock formation in the sea, through which boats and adventurous swimmers can maneuver. Stop at Le Kliff too, a restaurant that caters to tourists, and for a good reason. It is built like a multilevel fantasy of wood, bamboo and terracotta, has travel-brochure views and is so lush with vegetation there’s hardly room for chairs and tables.

Dining in Puerto Vallarta can be an iffy experience, but there are a few sure bets. The Café Des Artistes is French, a five-star, with a plant-kingdom ambience, top food, top prices: Entrees range from $20 to $35 and there is a tasting menu at $76. For a more modest tab and local seafood, head for Puerto Nuevo, for a typical Mexican meal try Las Palomas or La Chata, which offers 85 kinds of chili. Try the molé here with or without Tequila. That ubiquitous drink is only produced in the town of Tequila, but at Aqui es Jalixco, in nearby Pitillal, learn everything you ever wanted to know about it through demonstrations and tastings, which are free.

Between meals, there’s much to do. Predictably, there are water sports: off-boat parasailing, deep sea/sport fishing, water-skiing, and no end of beaches. Water taxis are available for island-hops; a very popular way to spend a few hours is whale watching. There are the usual land sports like tennis and golf and the more exotic: botanical trail rides, hot-air ballooning and for about $50 a shot, bungee-jumping.

At the end of the day, a bit of spa activity can soothe those aching muscles. The Piedra Viva Spa at the Hacienda Hotel has something called “The Ritual,” an elemental treatment involving a sweat lodge, mud bath, massage and primal music. After treatment one is likely to feel like floating out of the place, which looks a bit like a Tarzan movie set complete with palapa covered huts and a poetic little brook. Spa fans came away wildly enthusiastic about the unique three hour event, calling it “a spiritual experience”. For more conservative spa activity, the Premiere Hotel offers a variety of hydrotherapies, scrubs, and body treatments. While there are hotels in all price ranges in Puerto Vallarta, the Premiere, a gem of a new hotel well-situated on the beach and near town, is also a good bet for anyone demanding not only a spa but dramatic architecture, indoor and outdoor private jacuzzis and seaside glamour.
Pack lightly; the only jackets to be seen here are on the members of the Mariachi bands, which seem to be everywhere. The best of them can be heard at the Tequila Restaurant, which features music seven nights a week. Listening to “La Bamba” and “Guantanamera” may be a good way to feel the soul of Puerto Vallarta, and to wrap up a perfect day in this pocket of romance on the west coast of Mexico.