What to Expect from a Vallarta Lifestyle

So, what is it that foreigners do once they make the move to Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit to join the full-time community there? The list of potentials is endless, to be honest, as there is really something for everyone here. Get to know the Vallarta Lifestyle:

The Beach | Vallarta Lifestyle

The beaches and coves around Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit are, not surprisingly, at the top of this list, and for good reason! There is such variety in the beaches of Banderas Bay that you can be absolutely certain of finding the right beach on which to practice your favorite sport (whatever that may be!). Whether you wish to find stunning scenery to photograph, amazing coves to explore, or you want to swim, surf, paddle board, snorkel, scuba dive, or even freedive you can be sure to find the perfect place to do it all when you live in Puerto Vallarta. Get ready to put your hiking boots on, however, because there are simply not enough days in the year to see all that Puerto Vallarta’s coastline has to offer.

Vallarta’s Farmers Markets

During high season (October to May) you will find that Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit is the hub for some really lovely farmers markets! On Sundays there is a market in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle which benefits from stunning ocean views and access to some of the freshest seafood in town. Don’t forget to watch the street performers when stop to grab a bite to eat! On Saturdays from 9:30am to 2:00pm you will find the Old Town Farmers Market in Puerto Vallarta. This market has everything from street food and live music to art, clothing, jewelry, crafts, and locally grown produce! You can find the Old Town market at Lazaro Cardenas Park (adjacent to Los Muertos Beach).

Charity and volunteering

There are few better ways to make friends than through passion for a shared cause, and in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit there are plenty of wonderful charitable causes which would benefit from your time and attention. There are animal shelters, orphanages, and old people’s homes; there is also “children of the dump”, a women and children’s refuge. There are also some schools for disabled children which could benefit from your experience and help. What better way to make friends than by giving back to the community in which you now live, laugh, and love?

Movie Theatres

Puerto Vallarta has almost as many movie theatres as gas stations (well, maybe not quite), and they’re generally reasonably priced as well as utterly charming. Thanks to this variety you can be sure you’ll find one that suits you to a T fairly quickly! At the Isla shopping center, for example, there is a VIP cinema which features in show waiters who will attend to your needs through each showing. If you have kids, on the other hand, there is the cinema adjacent to Pitillal which has a slide running all the way from the top row to a pre-show kids area.

Live Theater

If you’re a lover of live theater you should definitely get involved with Act II entertainment (found on the corner of Basilio Badillo and Insurgentes Street). They are always on the look out for fresh talent, and besides the viewings are affordable; even if you don’t want your shot at stardom you can enjoy the productions they put on! The theatre itself also has a lovely piano bar which is a great place to kick back, have a drink, and meet new people for those who enjoy a bit of luxury.

Taking a road trips

When you live in Banderas Bay, there are plenty of place to explore. Hire a car or take to public transport and explore the many wonderful colonial towns, lakeside villages, and seaside cities which pepper this landscape.

Share with us what do you like the most of the Vallarta Lifestyle!

Interesting Facts about Banderas Bay

Banderas Bay is one of the most stunning and desirable vacation spots in Mexico, and there is no doubt that Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit provides the best base from which to sample all the delights of this region. If you read on you’ll find out some really interesting facts about Banderas Bay with which to impress your friends when you get together again.

Los Muertos Beach

Los Muertos beach is one of the most beloved beaches around Banderas Bay, but many people are a little put off when they realise that the name translates, literally, to The Beach of the Dead. Legend has it that, centuries ago, locals fought off a pirate raid on this beach, and did so with such ferocity that many pirates died on the sands. If you talk to locals in the bars they’ll happily tell you about how many skeletons were found when the first hotels were being built on the beach! Nonetheless, any party you have here is sure to be lively so don’t give Los Muertos the swerve!

Banderas Bay

Banderas Bay is the biggest bay in Mexico, but it’s also one of the deepest and largest bays in the world as a whole! Sitting at over 900 meters it is practically fathomless, and at 42 kilometres wide it is in amongst the 10 largest in the world. The name Banderas, too, has significance as it is based on the Spanish word for flag! It is said that the Spanish Conquistadores, upon arrival, faced 20,000 armed natives with feathered flags, ready to defend their territory!

Las Peñas

The town of Puerto Vallarta, that sites at the heart of Banderas Bay, used to be called Las Peñas, in the 1800s, but was renamed after state governor Ignacio Vallarta in the 1900s.

Source of Income

Today, Puerto Vallarta’s 9 billion peso economy is based most upon tourism and the service industry, but before it became such a hotspot the town was a fishing centre. In those days the main source of revenue for Puerto Vallarta was the export of Corn, Coconuts, Beans, and Bananas to the USA (and, of course, feeding the local market).

The Movie Industry

Many famous faces have graced the shores of Banderas Bay for business and pleasure, and Puerto Vallarta, arguably, became what it is today because of one special movie. The Night of the Iguana, starring Richard Burton, put Puerto Vallarta on the map and the romance of Burton and Elizabeth Taylor made it infamous! This is, arguably, why so many big budget films (like 2011’s Limitless) have been filmed here since. These sands have seen the likes of Robert De Niro and Arnold Schwarzenegger!

Population

In the 1880s Puerto Vallarta had a population of around 1,500 people; today there are over 300, 000 inhabitants in Puerto Vallarta. The population boom was sudden and exponential. In the last 20 years the population has grown by a staggering average of 7.5% each year!

Mariachi Music

If you’ve been to Mexico before you’ll know that this is a culture which loves to party, and mariachi music is a key part of this! The state of Jalisco, where you can find Banderas Bay and Puerto Vallarta, is the epicentre of mariachi and in Puerto Vallarta alone you will find dozens of talented groups. There’s even a kids mariachi band in the city!

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