Ten Facts About Puerto Vallarta
1. Puerto Vallarta is consistently referred to as a small, quaint fishing village that grew into a vacation resort. Puerto Vallarta was never a small quaint fishing village. As it remains today, with cruise ships coming and going, Puerto Vallarta has always been a PORT. Silver mines abounded in the surrounding mountains and the Bay of Banderas was a safe harbor for loading precious metal, as well as the import of salt, necessary in mining efforts. Later, Puerto Vallarta became the terminal for produce companies such as Montgomery, who supplied the north with bananas, mangoes, corn, tobacco, beans, coconuts and other products from the fertile Ameca Valley. The area has been populated since 1850.
2. Nuevo Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta are two different places. Nuevo is located in the northern state of Nayarit and in a completely different time zone. Some resorts set their clocks to Puerto Vallarta time so it’s always a good idea to ask how to set your watch.
3. Sunday is family day in Mexico. On Sunday evenings, regardless of the season, the Malecón hosts diverse markets, street performers, food, music and the Municipal Band performing in the Plaza at 7 p.m. sharp. The seventeen member band has been entertaining locals and tourists alike with traditional and international musical selections since 1981.
4. No one is completely sure how many ex-pats live in Puerto Vallarta. It’s been estimated around 60,000 but countless come and go, once the snow melts in their northern abodes. However, incalculable foreigners live in Mexico illegally, having allowed their visas to run out. This is not advised.
5. Puerto Vallarta, in the State of Jalisco, is the origin of Tequila and Mariachi. A visit to the town of Tequila is highly recommended. In Guadalajara, a large plaza is devoted to Mariachi bands and every night is alive with competing groups, showing off their hats, costumes and musical talents.
6. Vallartenses (people born and raised in Puerto Vallarta) are not fond of the abbreviation used to indicate their city. PV is what non-locals call Puerto Vallarta, in an effort to avoid learning the correct pronunciation. Vallartenses consider this nothing more than laziness. Same goes for the shortening of the lovely village of Punta de Mita, which has been clipped to not include the designating de. Traditionally it is the Point of Mita.
7. Puerto Vallarta is on the same latitude as the Hawaiian Islands. The tropical temperatures are the same and daily rainfall is common in the months from June to October.
8. Puerto Vallarta, as aforementioned, is located on the beautiful Bay of Banderas (Bay of Flags, another indication of its port designation, accepting all nations). The bay is listed among the top ten largest bays in the world and is a breeding ground for humpback whales and dolphins, which are responsible for keeping the shark population down to nearly zero.
9. The average temperature for Puerto Vallarta ranges in the 80’s F; upper 20’s – low 30’s C. In January the daytime temperature average is 81°F and July is around 88°F. The humidity, on the other hand, will be much higher in September than in February.
10. Puerto Vallarta is a rambling place, extending from the settlement of Mismaloya to the south, all the way past the airport to the north. The eastern edge runs along a large community, actually part of Puerto Vallarta proper, called Pitillal and easily pronounced by foreigners as PTL.
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Thanks to our Guest Blogger Adam Garcia for this great article!
Harriet Cochran Murray, Director of Cochran Real Estate, is a seasoned Real Estate professional both here in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and in the United States. Harriet has served in many capacities as a board member and President for the local Real Estate Association AMPI (AMPI is the national association of real estate professionals). She is also a member of FIABCI and NAR in the United States. Harriet’s expertise and experience in the Real Estate and especially in the Mexican market makes her Viewpoint blog articles both informational and intriguing. Harriet is a Buyer’s Agent who specializes in getting the best deal on the right property for her clients.
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