What Does Puerto Vallarta Mean – Whenever we plan to move from the cold winter to sunny Puerto Vallarta, we always try to spend a lot of time on the Puerto Vallarta Malecon. We always have a great time, we look at beautiful art, we eat like kings and we just explore the living room.
There are incredible things to do on the Malecón in Puerto Vallarta, and it’s impossible to do them all without spending an entire weekend there. Think great shopping, great deals, art and of course breathtaking views! It’s no wonder that visiting the Malecón is one of the best things to do in Puerto Vallarta!
What Does Puerto Vallarta Mean
We’ve spent a lot of time on the Malecon over the years, and from our experience we’ve compiled this list of attractions, activities, and tips for your favorite visit!
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So, if you are planning a trip to Puerta Vallarta and want to visit the famous Malecon, this blog is for you!
The Puerto Vallarta Malecón is a kilometer long boardwalk that runs along the beach in downtown Puerto Vallarta. In fact, the word “malecon” translates as “to go down”. Here you will find countless shops, restaurants, art exhibitions, culture and entertainment to make your time fun and exciting. Not to mention the beautiful view of the ocean!
The Malecon is steeped in history. People travel from all over the world to see the sculptures and art that make up the popular Malecon. I dare say, Puerto Vallarta has the most beautiful boardwalk in Mexico!
Puerto Vallarta’s Malecón is a safe place for tourists to hang out. With a lot of security and police deployed in the area, you can capture beautiful scenes with your camera. You’ll also find some of Puerto Vallarta’s best restaurants on the Malecón – so make sure you stop by for lunch!
Puerto Vallarta, Conchas Chinas Beach And Ocean Scenic Coastline 6902555 Stock Photo At Vecteezy
The Puerto Vallarta Malecón starts at the Muele de Playa Los Muertos cell in the Romantic Zone and ends at the Millennium Statue.
The Malecón is on the beach in the center of Puerto Vallarta. Most hotels are within a short walking distance.
Even Puerto Vallarta’s Malecon is safe. But beware of night visitors in quiet places.
The Puerto Vallarta Malecón is open 24/7, but most restaurants close after 10pm and all bars close after 2am.
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The many art sculptures on Puerto Vallarta’s Malecon can be enjoyed by visitors walking from one end to the other. Stop by, take some photos and enjoy the fun sculptures! But let it be a free price, to set the will of God.
I’d say without a doubt, the Malecon Sculpture Walking Tour is one of the best art tours I’ve done. The sculptures are amazing and have stories behind them that have moved many visitors to tears.
The man who leads the tours, Gary Thompson, owns the Pacific Galleria. It was an amazing tour – Gary made the interaction with the cast and guests informative, exciting and familiar.
Not only did I learn a lot about each of the sculptures, but I felt as if I knew some of the people who created them. We have all spoken on the journey that these meetings are the most memorable.
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Free art runs every Tuesday morning from November to mid-April. We enjoyed the tour on Tuesday morning so much that we joined the Thursday evening art tour in the historic center, which I recommend to anyone, even if you are not usually interested in art and culture. The tours are slightly different, so each one is unique and interesting.
The Malecón Art Tour is between one and a half and two hours. We followed our pricing on the Malecon floor, so we had a beautiful sunny Thursday morning and sunset! Gary provides an in-depth history of each sculpture, explaining the artist’s meaning and vision for each piece.
On Tuesday morning the tour starts at 9:30am and starts at the Millennium Sculpture next to Hotel Rosita. The price runs from November to mid-April.
Each night and day, five men dressed in traditional Mesoamerican clothing ascend nearly 30 meters (100-feet) and perform the Danza de los Voladores.
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In this show, one person dances, beats a drum, and plays the pipe on the top of a pole, while the other four ropes tie the pole. At the same time these four men pulled themselves out of the pole. Their descent begins with a terrible head first, then slowly they roll to the ground, dangling by one of their legs!
The descent took two to three minutes, the men’s plates like fans until they reached the beach. It’s fun to watch! My partner and I were biting our nails the whole time, knowing that this was something people would do well.
According to a local woman I was lucky enough to talk to, the Danza de los Voladores is an ancient ceremony that said it brings rain in times of drought. It is so important to Mesoamerican culture that, in 2009, the United Nations added it to UNESCO’s Catalog of Intangible Cultural Heritage to be protected.
Even if it’s not usually your thing, you have to see this one dance floor on the Malecon one time!
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The Los Arcos Amphitheater was one of my favorite parts of our time spent on the Puerto Vallarta Malecón. From small productions to delivering clowns to bladder animals, there’s always something going on. Not to be out of the game, I asked the clown panther to make a balloon – it’s a great achievement!
It is not always easy for us to find out what is going on and find out. The best way to find out what’s going on in the amphitheater is to check out the area’s bulletin board flyers, listen to local radio stations and one of the many magazine publications that have information about Puerto Vallarta. Or just check in with the hotel.
While some small daily events are not listed, larger products are almost always listed in one way. During Dia De Los Muertos we could see an amazing show!
Mexico has no shortage of amazing art, and many of these unique pieces can be seen and bought on the Puerto Vallarta Malecon. Some of the most unique pieces in my home come from my first trip to the Malecon – including my bedroom hammock where I can read for hours.
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You can often find traditional art like this elsewhere, but I love knowing that the money from my purchase is going directly to the artist. Buying from street stalls on the Malecon is a surefire way to support artists so they can continue to create beautiful things.
You see art stalls up and down the Malecon, including the Danza de Los Voladores dancers I mentioned above, and also in the Amphitheater. These stalls usually sell tables; But visit one of the many craft shops.
The most common form of art found on the Malecon is traditional beadwork in the Huichol style of craftsmanship. Also, I found an ornament that I wear all the time, especially in the summer. The ornament is brilliant, beautiful and uniquely crafted.
Together we visited shops that had amazing beaded carvings of different animals (above). They were too big for us to carry around at the time, but they will be beautiful pieces in your home. I’ll be back in a few days for one!
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Mercado Municipal Río Cuale is the place for all necessities and local food. This is my go-to place to get gifts for friends and family. Everything here has a fixed price (although you can negotiate!).
For example, here is a list of things that my partner and I bought in one of the halls of our municipality of Río Quele: colorful clothes, a blanket, a Puerta Vallarta t-shirt, a necklace and earrings, beautiful. a wooden turtle bobblehead knickknack, a traditional style blanket, a sugar skull pencil holder, three types of tequila and a plate of tacos.
If that doesn’t sound like one of the happiest shopping trips ever, I don’t know what is! In addition, only the tip of the iceberg is actually available.
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Even if you don’t plan to go shopping in Puerta Vallarta, it’s fun to look for different things and visit vendors. All of them
