MARINA VALLARTA
The entrance to this Puerto Vallarta neighbourhood is marked by a large whale sculpture of a mother and baby whale. There is also a huge statue of the Roman god Neptune, the god of freshwater and the sea, holding a trident on top of Neptuno Plaza shopping centre.
Marina Vallarta is located at the northern edge of the city of Puerto Vallarta, just 5 minutes from the airport, 10 to 15 minutes from the downtown area, and 18 minutes from Nuevo Vallarta. It is a 544 acre planned upscale resort and residential development for Puerto Vallarta. The centre of Marina Vallarta boasts a 450 slip marina with slips ranging from 30 to 140 feet in length. The marina has a nice promenade, lots of impressive yachts, sailboats, charter boats, and a variety of watercraft owned by various Puerto Vallarta tour operators.
The marina’s long well-paved boardwalk area is a great place to take a morning or afternoon stroll. Visitors can enjoy seeing all the various yachts, sailboats, and charter boats that are docked here. Also here is the famous El Faro Lighthouse that has a nice bar/lounge at the top with incredible panoramic views that are particularly stunning at sunset. You can enjoy a great meal or Happy Hour drinks at one of the many restaurants that are built on the marina’s long promenade. There is plenty here to keep you busy; exploring all the various shops and boutiques that carry unique items or just indulging yourself with an afternoon spa day. At one of the many salons, you can start with a relaxing massage and finish with a manicure or pedicure beauty treatment. Along the promenade, there is often strolling Mariachi or other friendly musicians ready to entertain visitors by playing music for a tip. Just remember the recommendations for tipping in this tourist community from earlier in this set of articles.
Marina Vallarta is an exclusive zone or town within a town. It boasts Marina Vallarta Club de Golf, an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Joe Finger with lush green gardens and natural lagoons that have alligators, herons, sea geese and iguanas. Marina Vallarta also has tennis facilities, a nightclub, a bowling alley, an American school, a tiny pink post office, a beautiful church, and Plaza Marina which is a large commercial shopping complex.
Plaza Marina is anchored by the giant supermarket Mega and McDonalds. Within Plaza Marina, there are hair salons, a rotisserie chicken kiosk, dental offices, legal offices, banks, ATM machines, and a small variety of other businesses. However, despite the nice interior of this complex, there are still a number of empty and available retail spaces waiting to be filled.
Continued in part 31
Visiting Puerto Vallarta - Part 30
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