Vallarta Blog

It is expected that this year Vallarta will have one million visitors until mid August 2008. It is definitively more than we had in the low season of 2007. One thing is for sure: There are more, much more cars and traffic than last year. Maybe it’s due to all the new Americans, Canadians, Nationals and other International visitors that have moved to Vallarta, adding not only a long-term multi cultural touch to it but also a demand for bigger, better, cheaper stores, houses, cars and services.

Puerto Vallarta is absolutely serious about growing. It has planed to spend over $80 million pesos (around $8 million usd) to finance development projects. Some of the approved projects are the “rescue of the historical center” for 8 million pesos and the “Pier in Boca de Tomatlan” for 2 million pesos.

Somehow, Vallarta seems to have managed to clean up its beaches that Greenpeace tagged back then as polluted. The Health Secretariat of the state of Jalisco said that the water was clean enough for recreational purposes in Vallarta but they added that the test results for the beach in Boca de Tomatlan were not in the recommended parameters by WHO (World Health Organization) standards, showing 504 enterococci in 100 milliliters of water. Six days later they did the tests again and it showed only 226 enterococci, so now the beach is officially clean.

They also said that if a beach reaches too much pollution, over the recommended parameters by the W.H.O. there “will” be a sign pointing out that the pollution of the water is high and that it is not recommended to swim in it. “If you don’t see a warning sign, it means the beaches are clean and good for recreational use,” they say. Let’s hope they don’t “forget” to put those signs up!

The truth is, that especially now in the rainy season, there is much more movement going on. There are more insects and more humidity and heat, allowing diseases to grow and procreate, which is why the levels in the water vary so much depending on the time of measurement. There is no record of any red tide in the Bay of Banderas, and there are just so many hotels and people in the high season, that it’s hard to believe that the water directly in front of Vallarta, is clean and good for “recreational use”. Let’s just hope we’ll never have to read “for excrementional use only” next time we go to the beach.

But let’s don’t worry too much, in fact there has never been so much attention regarding the pollution of our waters and if we believe what they tell us, it seems they will let us know of more health issues in the future. Besides Vallarta has been one of the top cities in Mexico for clean tap water and it is planed for someday in the future to have the water clean enough to drink.

Vallarta has also planed to check on food stands, restaurants and seafood places so that awareness is raised for more precautions handling food that can cause illness because of the increasing heat.

What else is new?
Well.. low season is slow season, but the grass keeps growing, so let’s check out what’s new in PV:

• 18 crocodile babies born at CUC university. Crocodiles can have between 15 and 70 babies! The name of the crocodile is “Morrita” and the biologists Helios and Pablo Hernández are very glad she had babies because it reflects the good care it got this year. They say that last year there were a few problems and it seems like it had to do with the food and the sand.
• 22 million pesos will be spent in Puerto Vallarta this year for security issues. Vallarta is getting ready for the real deal, a big city needs big security, especially in times like these, where the war on drugs seems to be affecting every corner in this country.
• Last Friday there was the inauguration of the ten cinema screens of the corporation MM Cinemas in the new Plaza Galerías. Now Vallarta has, like any other bigger city, at least three cinemas to cover popcorn demands.
• After the horrible incident that happened in a disco in Mexico City where many people lost their life, Puerto Vallarta confirmed that mostly all of its places are secure and have enough exit doors and competent personal to handle difficult situations. There has never really been a real emergency in Puerto Vallarta discos and we’ll hope it will never happen.
• Our neighbor state, Nayarit has its election day today. Who will govern this beautiful place up north of us? Will it be PAN, PRI, PRD, PT, PVE, PRS, NA or AS ?? You can keep track on elections on the official website ieen.org.mx
• Mario Bueno, director of the public work of the Ayuntamiento, admitted that there were many flaws in the repairs / construction of many streets before the rainy season in Vallarta. This is also due to the increase in traffic, which adds more usage to the fragile streets of Vallarta. Sad only that Ayuntamiento sees the problem when it’s too late and only there where there is extreme traffic. There are many streets that haven’t been dealt with for over 20 years! Those streets aren’t some forgotten old hidden paths far far away from Vallarta, they are actually right by Fluvial, the new fancy area of Puerto Vallarta. Not only do the streets damage the cars, they also get very flooded when it rains, causing more and more damage.
• Oil prices force American Airlines to eliminate 11 flights to Mexico. These are only 11 of 190 planed cancellations by American Airlines for the coming months.
• The creation of new artificial reefs in 20 different spots around the Banderas Bay will take place in a few weeks, by dropping concrete blocks into our ocean which will be a basic foundation for the reefs to grow. This will also help the reproduction of many species in the bay, and will also increase the fish industry.
• And at least, Vallarta receives 27 new teachers. Good that our administration sees the importance in educating our future fruits. There is a lot of money flowing around, every year repairing streets instead of making them better the first time, artificial reefs, events, security, and the endless need of more and more that it’s sad to say that most of the people do not have and never had access to good education due to the lack of qualified teachers and money.
• The first real rain showers are coming quick. We’ll see if the city actually did do something against the flooded streets here on Francisco Villa (Pancho Villa), but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the streets turn into lakes and seas all around Vallarta. Let’s see the bright side, where the rain cools us off from the unstoppable heat and where beer and ice cream taste so much better and colder.

Good sweat!

In the above picture you can see three boats heading (at full speed) towards a couple of whales.

These pictures where taken on March 29. According to vallartawhales.com the season ends on March 24. The date changes, depending on the source, like on puertovallartatours.net it says the season is until March 31st.

 No matter if the season is on or not, it is not ok for boats to turn towards whales, especially on full speed.

We were sitting on the beach and had noticed the whales before these boats showed up. It looked like two whales playing together and constantly jumping out of the water. Of course they disappeared as soon as the boats in the above picture sped towards them… pretty sad.

In the next picture you can see how close the 3 boats are from the whales. And then people ask themselves how it’s possible that every year there are accidents with whales.

 This combined with some news talking about Vallarta being one of Mexico’s most polluted beaches.. is.. sad.

Please inform yourself well enough to know if you are participating in a real eco friendly tour/ride/adventure or if you are contributing to endangering our whales from being hit or maybe even never come back home to the Bay of Banderas.

Fishing trips in Puerto Vallarta? The hardest part may be deciding when to go to this tropical paradise? Different seasons mean different fish.

So, decide on the type of fish you want to land first and then make your travel arrangements.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is located on Banderas Bay on the Pacific Ocean. Population in the coastal city normally averages around 350,000, but it hosts over 3 million visitors a year, among them many deep sea fishing enthusiasts.

The tropical weather is perfect for fishing trips. Expect year-round daytime temperatures to average 80º F (27º C); nighttime gets a little cooler.

Fishing trips in Puerto Vallarta run year round, but if you are intent on landing a whopper-sized tuna, then you’ll need to visit between June and February.

Marlin (blue, black and striped) is available from later summer through November and during the spring months of March and April.

Sailfish are in season year round, but to improve your chances of landing this fish, visit during the winter months between November and April. One of Puerto Vallarta’s largest fishing events, its Sailfish tournament, is held in November.

If you can only take holidays beginning in May or June, set your sights on Dorado or Yellowfin tuna. These fish remain in season through the summer and into the late fall. Tuna, in fact, is only out of season for 3 months of the year: March, April and May.

Fishing trips and charter excursions abound in Puerto Vallarta. Trips leave every morning and cater to private intimate groups or larger groups of 4 fishermen or more.

Most fishing trips in Puerto Vallarta are complete packages, which include transportation, fishing gear, bait, ice chests, and drinks. However, be sure to check with your charter company as some expect you to bring along any food or drink you may require.

Fishing licenses, sold by the charter, will also be at your expense

Your fishing charter hosts will be expecting a 10-15% tip, so bring your Pesos. The peso is the local currency, but US dollars are readily accepted, as well.

Besides fishing trips in Puerto Vallarta, you might also want to soak up the sun on a beach. Banderas Bay is dotted with 25 miles of enticing sandy beaches. Or if it’s mountains you seek, the picturesque Sierra Madre chain is to the east.

Oh, and make sure when booking your fishing trips in Puerto Vallarta, that your charter offers purified or bottled drinking water. You don’t want a case of the trots detracting from your fishing adventure.

FishingMentor.com

By: Jack Mitchell

The world’s finest destination for vacation is Puerto Vallarta Mexico. It is well- known for its legitimate environment located on a large bay of beautiful sandy beaches and they are filled with big lunkers.

This is the real Mexico complete with cobblestone streets and colonial architecture with beautiful weather that goes along with, and friendly people bringing their warm smiles.

Puerto Vallarta is one of the loveliest places you can spot on the globe. It combines a unique ethnic culture with today’s resort facilities, reflected in a variety and inspiring activities and convenient accommodations.

Puerto Vallarta’s geographical diversity is represented in its mountains, jungles, waterfalls, rivers and weather is not a hindrance for your fabtastic vacation. They always have a great weather that will not spoil your ultimate vacation in life.

As the Puerto Vallarta’s popularity has grown bigger and bigger, more tourist flock in, luckily it does not get crowded in the view of the fact that it is located on the huge Banderas bay (”also known as Bay of Flags”), one of the largest natural bay of Pacific Ocean.

Banderas Bay is one of the most excellent locations for sport fishing in the globe. Angler’s from around the world come back every year to find out if they can beat the last year’s big fish that had been caught.

It is a brilliant place to find bass fish, mahi-mahi, marlin, tuna, Dorado, rooster tail, and red snapper for the reason that it is a 40- mile-wide bay, with a depth of two miles.

Some of the other species that can be caught in the area include Amberjack, Pargo, Snook, Jack Crevalle, Snapper, Grouper, Rainbow Runner, Red Snapper, Rooster Fish, Sierra, Spanish Macarel, Triggerfish, and many more.

One of Mexico’s hottest bass fishing lake is known as Agua Milpa, which opened in the fall of 1997.the 70,000 acre lake, one of the most easy to get to of Mexico’s hot bass fishing lake can get to by paved road in 3 hours, either your heading from Guadalajara or Puerto Vallarta or by air to Tepic, Nayarit then a short 45 minute ride to the lodge.

The largemouth bass fish lake was secluded from fishing until the fall of ‘97. It is an ideal food base and has an ideal growing temperature for bass fishing making it as there own paradise.

Agua Milpa Lake is loaded with aggressive largemouth bass, averaging from 2 ½ to 10 pounds. The most numbered healthy bass fish caught was over 50 fishes for just 4 hours and the largest fish caught that time weighs six pounds.

The best fishing rigs in Mexico are the bass fishing boats and motors. They are all equipped with new or nearly new outboards, troll motors and swivel fish.

Fishing fanatics from all over the world meet on this lake to try their luck in catching the largest creatures that are hard to find. They are required to have a fishing license either for daily or annual purposes. Tournaments and most of the fishing activities are coordinated at the Puerto Vallarta Bass club located at the lake Agua Milpa

Catching and releasing fish is now starting to get known in Puerto Vallarta and in the world which make the anglers more concerned about protecting and increasing the sport fish population. Practicing good catch and release techniques provides a first class fishing experience while recognizing our responsibility to maintain our valuable fishing resources for future generations.

When properly handled and released, fish will continue to repopulate the waters for our continued enjoyments. If fishes are not released and handled properly, there will come a time that in the next generation fishes will not be transparent anymore.

Pity the children of the next generation for they may no longer see the beauty and exquisiteness of the fishes that swim in the oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, bays and other aquatic forms. Still pity to them for they can no longer taste the deliciousness of these fishes.

Come and visit Puerto Vallarta if you want to have the big chance of a life time. Choose this place for your next vacation and you won’t regret the adventure you’ll have to experience and the beautiful sceneries and exotic beauties of the place.