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Puerto Vallarta Malecon Boardwalk & Outdoor Culture Mexico is an open society by North American standards. By this I mean that people, especially in the tropical coastal areas of the country, spend a considerable amount of time with their doors open: visiting with their neighbors, kids playing in the streets, or working outdoors doing physical labor. The Mexicans love to talk, visit, listen to music, drink, play soccer, party and enjoy the company of their family and friends. So there is a lot of activity in Mexican neighborhoods. Mexico is still a traditional society in many ways. People in their neighborhoods know their neighbors' names and the names of their neighbors' children, which is an amazing fact to anyone who has spent most of their life living in a larger American or Canadian city or suburb. It is not unusual to see an entire neighborhood in the street celebrating the birthday of one of the children: the street will be brightly decorated, there is loud music, food and drink, and often a piñata full of candies and sweets is swinging overhead as the blindfolded kids try to break it open with a stick. Wakes are still often held in the home of the family, with many of the neighbors in attendance through the night. A local custom to follow from these traditions is the popularity of the downtown Puerto Vallarta malecon and its many local attractions and artwork. The Malecon is the Heart Jewel of the town and its main man-made tourist draw, a one mile long seawall promenade or boardwalk that stretches the length of downtown Vallarta from the Cuale River at the south end to the Hotel Rosita in the north, some 15-16 city blocks. Near the south end of this waterfront boulevard is the large outdoor amphitheater Los Arcos (the Arches) where entertainment and many outdoor attractions occur such as the Xiutla folkloric dancers, live music, cultural events and the ever popular clown shows. Strolling north, one passes numerous landmark attractions and statues including one of this beach town's most beloved pieces, the Friendship Fountain, with its three dolphins by sculptor James Bottoms which was donated to PV by Santa Barbara in 1987 (notice the boy in the traditional Huichol/Cora clothes on the left in the Fountain photo, below right). Then the famous nine foot high statue of the youth riding The Sea Horse, a Puerto Vallarta symbol. Sculpted by Rafael Zamarripa, this beauty has stood for over 25 years on the malecon.  One of the more popular additions to the Puerto Vallarta malecon, the sculpture In Search of Reason by Guadalajara artist Sergio Bustamante, has two pillow-head figures ascending their ladder to the sky. People love to climb this one and have their picture taken. Then the recently placed group of strange abstract bronze figures by Alejandro Colunga entitled The Rotunda of the Sea with its half human, half alien sea or space creatures. One must see, then sit on them as they are half in the shape of chairs and tables, to experience their odd effect on the senses.  Tapatio Adrian Reynoso's unique blend of bronze and polymer resins, Nature As Mother, a spiraling wave on a snail appears next on the walk north. At last we come to the bronze sculpture of the hetero couple in love immortalized in La Nostalgia by Ramiz Barquet, which I adore. Barquet (1920-2010) has more public art on display in this beach town than any other Puerto Vallarta artist. At the north end of El Malecon in Puerto Vallarta is the local fishermen's open market, where fresh fish caught the night before can be bought at a good price. Just past that end of the boardwalk and down the short half block to the beach by the Hotel Rosita is the 2001 sculpture The Millenniums by Mathis Lidice. See the two photos of this beautiful and moving work below.

The Puerto Vallarta malecon boardwalk is popular at sunset and up until around 11pm or so, by which time most people are returning home or headed out to their favorite night clubs. Half the town dresses up and turns out to stroll on Saturday and Sunday evenings. The malecon can also be a good location to make friends. The south end of the malecon between the boy on his seahorse and The Arches/Los Arcos used to be a more frequented meeting and conversation spot for gay men.

The city has recently completed an extension of the malecon, the New Malecon, at the old main malecon's southern end, so that one can now continue walking along the ocean-front from downtown PV over to the South Side/Zona Romantica or Los Muertos beach area. Follow the people around the back or front of the Los Arcos/the Arches amphitheater area and you will go along the seawall promenade to the footbridge over the Cuale River - you soon end up at the northern end of the Olas Atlas area and along Los Muertos beach. Along the way there are a number of pleasant art works and sculptures. This area has become a particularly popular hangout as one can catch a bite to eat from one of the food stalls and restaurants or stop at a bar along the way to people watch, plus there are also vendors and street artists selling a variety of handicrafts, souvenirs and trinkets. Additionally the New Malecon is quieter than the main malecon as there is no auto traffic. Take a look at even more Puerto Vallarta malecon pictures.

A leisurely evening walk downtown along the Puerto Vallarta malecon boardwalk is a pleasure and a must thing to do while on vacation holiday here.

(As an aside, it's kind of surprising that a beach resort town which relies so heavily on the Malecon and downtown area as one of its main tourist draws, as its truly unique jewel, has made so little effort to keep the actual surface of the boardwalk clean and in good repair - it's starting to look more than slightly tarnished and spotted - while about a hundred million pesos have been spent constructing the old Malecon, the new extension, the pedestrian bridge over the Cuale River, and in refurbishing sidewalks and store fronts throughout downtown over the past few years. So, go figure....Note: Not more than 2-3 months after posting this 'complaint', the town cleaned the surface of the malecon and is working on other minor repairs, so the boardwalk is looking much better these days.)

Walking Art Tour of El Malecon
Pto. Vallarta art gallery Galeria Pacifico (since 1987) sponsors a Public Sculpture Walking Tour that starts at 9:30am every Tuesday during the winter months at the Millennium sculpture near the Hotel Rosita at the north end of the boardwalk. You can meet some of the sculptors of the statues and hear them speak about their work along the mile long malecon. Knowledgeable Pacifico Gallery owner Gary Thompson acts as your guide and informs you about the current local art scene and PV's many artists. The Walking Art Tour every Tuesday, 9:30am-11:30am, Nov 18 to April 14. Free, no reservation. For further information call the art gallery at Tel: 222-1982
 
 

Puerto Vallarta nightclub Hilo

downtown Puerto Vallarta malecon

sculpture La Nostalgia by Ramiz Barquet

 

Mandala bar and disco

Mariscos Tino's restaurant downtown

Puerto Vallarta sunset from malecon

 

Los Arcos amphitheater

sculpture of St. Pascual patron of cooks

statue to Xiutla folkloric dancers