Visiting Puerto Vallarta - Part 19

The South Zone continued;

The South Zone has several remnants of Hollywood history. In and around Mismaloya in 1963, Richard Burton, Ava Gardner and Tennessee Williams filmed The Night of the Iguana. The villa they stayed at has now been turned into a boutique hotel. It only has a small number of rooms but they are really special. Although the price is on the higher side it is not out of reach for a one or two-night stay. Even if you do not stay you can still take in the ambience of the place by booking a table at their restaurant. Although there are several great beaches in the South Zone, a visit to the Mismaloya Beach where the Taylor-Burton love was first seen in public is a must do. In 1987, the jungle scenes in the movie Predator were filmed on location in the hills behind Mismaloya.

If you travel further down the highway from Mismaloya you come to scenic and tranquil Boca de Tomatlan. Boca de Tomatlán is an authentic Mexican fishing village, 10 miles south of downtown Vallarta and is accessible by land or water. The village is situated on the mountainside, the Horcones River and the Boca Bay. However, you will find most of the businesses, restaurants, and parking on the east side of the river. From Boca you can take a water taxi which is about $10 USD each way to several remote beaches accessible only by water. Some of these beaches are Las Animas, Quimixto, and Yelapa. Yelapa is a little village; a visit here along with making the short hike up winding cobblestone streets to the closer of two waterfalls is an almost magical excursion that must be experienced. If you have a group of four or more then a better deal is available. It can be very affordable to hire a private panga boat and captain for the day at Boca. You will then have the luxury of being shuttled to each of the various small beaches on your own time schedule. This option let you enjoying fishing or snorkelling during the day at any place you fancy without being tied to a schedule.

As you continue down Highway 200 from Boca de Tomatlan you will reach the Vallarta Botanical Gardens which is just 30 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta’s. The entrance fee is just $5 USD per person, and for this, you can stroll through lush gardens in a mountain setting, and view a huge granite half dome encrusted with orchids, plumeria and wild vanilla. There are world-class plant collections and miles of hiking trails. After your trip is complete you can relax with a cool beverage at their on-site restaurant and enjoy a delicious and affordable lunch.

Continued in part 20