If you would like to have a real jungle experience and see some cute furry animals, then a must go-to place is the Vallarta Zoo.
Hi, it’s Maya! Many people have asked me what would be a really good day-trip to do in Puerto Vallarta? Well, there are many different fun and interesting things you can do in one day such as shopping, sight-seeing, adventures, day-cruises, water parks, zip lines, eating and drinking, or just hangin’ out on the beach with your toes in the sand. Most of these are just a few minutes from downtown and a short ride in a taxi, Uber, or city bus. Quick FYI; if you are leaving from the airport or ship terminal the taxis that are permitted there are more expensive than the yellow city cabs that you can find just outside. And don’t worry-Puerto Vallarta is just like any civilized city, it is mostly good neighborhoods with a few questionable outlying areas, and for the most part good family people, just like anywhere else. Just use the same common sense you use at home and you will be fine, and I promise I won’t send you anywhere that I wouldn’t feel safe myself. What you should really be watching out for while walking around is uneven pavement and protruding sharp objects that may be electrically active.
My favorite jungle adventure is the Zoologico de Vallarta, or the Vallarta zoo. It is located just outside the town of Mismaloya, about 20 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta, or 45 minutes from the marina area. It’s an easy cab ride and don’t worry, there are cabs to get you back (or go further,) too. And don’t forget your bug spray!
So, not only is it a zoo, it’s a nonprofit zoo, and it’s also a wild life sanctuary, where they breed endangered cats and rescue abused animals. One of their pigmy hippos was originally a circus animal, and was stuck in a cage so small she couldn’t even turn around. So though some people shy from zoos, it’s great to go support this zoo, not only for pleasure but also to help them out!
But, there is a stop you must make before you actually get there. When you’re on the main road and turn onto the dirt road, the first thing you see on the right is a little taco stand that has fresh juices and waters and a big variety of taco meats. They’re super delicious and right on the road, and even if your not hungry you should stop to get at least one taco just to taste them, or to get a super-fresh-couldn’t-be-fresher juice before you hike through the zoo. Wait, hike through the zoo? Yep! The zoo is made up of winding, sometimes uphill, cobblestone trails. We love our zoo, but I have to be honest, it could be a challenge for wheelchairs or anyone who has difficulty walking. And one more thing on the way in, the town of Mismaloya is full of tequilleras where they offer tequila sampling.
Once you get to the zoo you have to go through the entrance where they have souvenirs, chips, ice cream, drinks, and, of course, where you pay for your entrance. You can get the ordinary entrance for 12 bucks, or you can get a package for 90 bucks, which includes petting monkeys and lemurs, and tiger, lion, or panther cubs, and you get a t-shirt and souvenir of your choice such as a coffee mug, a picture frame, little boxes, and other cute things. Also, this is where you can buy bags of food for the animals for 5 dollars, which I totally recommend getting at least one bag, because it makes the experience so much cooler!! With the giraffe, if you call “lengua,” (which means tongue) at it, it will stick out it’s super long black tongue and you can put a carrot on it, and it will reel that carrot back in for a tasty snack. They also have tigers, lions, hippos, zebras, deer, pigs, snakes, a variety of birds, and many other animals. I remember going almost every week, more than once, when I was little. It was my favorite place to go when I was younger!
Once you have finished with your experience at the zoo, which is truly unique, you can then take a cab and drive up the road and spend the rest of the day at a river restaurant called El Eden, which was also used in the Arnold Schwarzenegger film “Predator,” and is known as the Predator Set. There’s two restaurants right next to each other, but this is the one on the right. I’m not familiar with the one on the left, but now would be a good time to let you know El Eden does have a lot of stairs, and I don’t think they have a wheelchair ramp, but I do not know about the restaurant on the left. Once down the stairs, it opens up to a large area under a huge palapa that overlooks a beautiful flowing river in a rocky gorge. The water is always super chilly, but also super clean and sparkling, and it’s full of speckled trout, though it’s prohibited to fish. There’s also a large rock that you can slide down, as if it was a slide from a water park! Though, if you’re not into swimming, then you can simply hang out and watch while having a delicious meal with drinks, or they even have some zip lines there.
This is a video of me when I was younger sliding down the rock at El Eden:
If you prefer the beach, then you can have just as good of a time! When you exit the little dirt road from the zoo, then you can park by the Barcelo hotel, which you could also get day passes at. At the left, or south side, of the hotel you can walk down, pass a couple walking bridges, and come to the beautiful beach, with rows of grass shack restaurants. It’s actually a cove, and it’s very calm, so it’s a really nice beach for little kids or small dogs, since big waves and strong currents could be dangerous for them. At the restaurants you could get anything form a seafood platter to a piece of steak or nachos, and all the food is pretty darn good. If you’re in PV for more than one day, then I recommend going to both the river and the beach. Heck, you could go to the zoo twice! It is really is worth it! But, overall, just have fun!!
If you enjoyed this article or found it useful, CLICK HERE to visit my other Day Trippin’ suggestions. And speaking of suggestions, if you plan to visit Vallarta, allow me to give you two. First, especially if you come between December and March, whale-watching season, get yourself good quality, compact binoculars that you can carry around with you, and BRING THEM! Second, especially if you are in a poorer area, tip well and don’t haggle them down too far, they have families to feed! Have a Great Trip!!