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The Malecon Boardwalk and Downtown Puerto Vallarta
- Gay Puerto Vallarta Guide


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puerto vallarta boardwalk - the city's downtown maleconPuerto 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. The malecon is the one mile long seawall walkway 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 folklore dancing, live music, cultural events and the very popular clown shows. Strolling north, one passes numerous landmark artworks and statues including one of Vallarta's most beloved works the Friendship Fountain with its three dolphins by sculptor James Bottoms which was donated by Santa Barbara in 1987 (notice the boy in the traditional Huichol/Cora clothes on the left in the 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. 
 

malecon Friendship Fountain with dolphins by James Bottoms donated to Vallarta by Santa Barbara
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 has more public art on display in this beach town than any other Puerto Vallarta artist.

At the north end of the malecon 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.

So there is quite a collection of public art along this boardwalk walkway, untouched by spray paint. There are also a good number of restaurants, eateries and taquerias in the downtown area, dozens and dozens of stores, art galleries and boutiques for shopping. The most popular straight Puerto Vallarta nightlife area is of course along the downtown Puerto Vallarta malecon strip itself.

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 gone 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 southern end of the malecon, so that one can continue walking along the ocean-front from downtown PV over to the South Side/Zona Romantica/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 on 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 many food stalls, restaurants or bars and there are also vendors and artists selling a variety of 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 on the downtown Puerto Vallarta malecon is a must to do while visiting town.

Walking Art Tour of the Malecon
Puerto 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 Malecon. You can meet some of the sculptors of the statues and hear them speak about their work along the mile long malecon. The knowledgeable Pacifico Gallery owner Gary Thompson acts as your guide and informs you about the current local art scene and its many artisits. The Art Walk every Tuesday, 9:30am-11:30am, Nov 18 to April 14. Free, no reservation. For further info call the art gallery at Tel: 222-1982
 
 
Hilo night club puerto vallarta
Puerto Vallarta nightclub Hilo
downtown Puerto Vallarta malecon boardwalk - picture by Benoit
downtown Puerto Vallarta malecon
La Nostalgia by Ramiz Barquet
sculpture La Nostalgia by Ramiz Barquet

 
club mandala on the puerto vallarta malecon downtown
Mandala bar and disco
Tino's restaurant in downtown puerto vallarta
Mariscos Tino's restaurant downtown

Puerto Vallarta sunset from malecon

 
puerto vallarta los arcos the Arches
Los Arcos amphitheater
puerto vallarta sculpture san pascual bailon
sculpture of St. Pascual patron of cooks
puerto vallarta sculpture to xiutla folk dancers
statue to Xiutla folkloric dancers

puerto vallarta Our Lady of Guadalupe cathedral - photo thanks to meteorry    sculptures on malecon boardwalk by alejandro colunga - Rotunda of the Sea    Rotunda of the Sea statues by Colunga
Puerto Vallarta cathedral of Guadalupe; two photos of sculptures the Rotunda of the Sea by Alejandro Colunga
 

Puerto Vallarta downtown nighclubs    hard rock cafe, mandala and the zoo (l to r) Vallarta malecon
Two photos of Hard Rock Cafe, Mandala, the Zoo and Las Palomas

the malecon puerto vallarta downtown - picture by william clark    los arcos - the arches - picture by michael bottrill    the Xiutla folkloric ballet at los arcos
the Malecon boardwalk; Los Arcos, the Arches amphitheater; Puerto Vallarta Xiutla folkloric dancers performing

sand sculptures on vallarta malecon boardwalk    statue angel of hope by Vallarta artist hector montes garcia    
sand sculptures along the malecon; the Angel of Hope and messenger of Peace; watercolors by local artists

Marigalante pirate ship fireworks    a clown-payaso making balloons for the kids    Nature as Mother statue by Adrian Reynoso
Marigalante fireworks; payaso/clown; Nature as Mother

    malecon sculptures in Search of Reason by bustamante    xiutla dancers sculpture on the new malecon    La Nostalgia by Ramiz Barquet
 

bustamante's very popular sculpture on the vallarta malecon
Hannah Colburn has this to say about Bustamante's statue In Search of Reason:
I love Bustamante's work because it seems to me like creations of a child's imagination coming to life.
He uses his creativity in a unique way that represents a fairy-tale like world of possibilities...
I love how the figures in it, with their triangular heads and wizzard-like cloaks,
look like people from another world. To me it looks like the two figures
climbing the ladder are reaching for the sky, as if summoning god,
searching for some sort of meaning (hence the title)...
 

The Millenniums statue by Mathis Lidice     sculpture The Millenniums - artist Mathis Lidice
Two views of the Puerto Vallarta sculpture "The Millenniums" by Mathis Lidice located just past
the north end of the malecon near the Hotel Rosita.
The lower part evokes the millennium before Christ, linked to the evolution
of life that originated in the sea. Then there appear different symbols of Christ.
Charlemagne represents the first millennium,
Aztec king Nezahualcoyotl the second millennium,
and a woman holding a dove for the third millennium.
"The whole humankind ascends through time in search of peace."
 

more Puerto Vallarta Malecon and downtown photos



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