As much as we enjoyed the pool, beach and terrace time at our resort, we knew we wanted to venture out into the city. What better place to start than the mile-long stretch of boardwalk known as El Malecón and its colorful block-lettered Puerto Vallarta sign.
We enjoyed the numerous sculptures that the Malecón has to offer, including the iconic Caballito statue of a boy riding a seahorse and interactive In Search of Reason sculpture by Sergio Bustamante where Suz climbed a few rungs of the 30-foot ladder and I rubbed the toe of one of the “searchers” for good luck.
One morning we hiked up from the Malecón, along the increasingly steep Abasolo Street, to Mirador del Cerro de la Cruz (The Hill of the Cross Lookout). The panoramic views of the city and the bay were well worth the climb, but we definitely understand why many visitors opt for the tiny box-like funicular that runs during high season.
Back on the boardwalk during the day, we were fortunate to catch a glimpse of a sunbathing crocodile from the walking bridge over the Cuales River.
The vibe changed each day as night approached. One evening we looked up as we heard someone playing a flute followed by the sound of drums. We saw a group of people who appeared to be dressed in traditional clothing sitting on top of a very tall pole. Suddenly, they jumped off the pole (thankfully attached to ropes) and begin flying in circles as they wound closer and closer to the earth. Amazingly, the music continued. We later found out they are the Voladores de Papantia (Flying Men of Puerto Vallarta).
In case that wasn’t enough - we ran into the “squirrel man” during the walk back to our hotel. Suzette and the squirrel became fast friends, as you can see.
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