IF THERE'S ONLY ONE THING YOU DO IN PUERTO VALLARTA make this it ...
Photo: Frida's Pyramid - Diego Rivera gave Frida Kahlo the gift of a garden pyramid to display her collection of pre-Hispanic art with potted plants
Nature has something new for us to admire year-round. And particularly during the spring months, many plant species put on an incredible show.
There's no better place than the Vallarta Botanical Gardens, to enjoy that beauty. Located in the mountaintops of Cabo Corrientes (the further peninsula in the state of Jalisco), this 64-acre botanical garden was founded in 2004, open to the public in 2005.
And it's only a 30 min relaxing bus or taxi ride from downtown Puerto Vallarta.
Sitting 1300 ft above sea level, the gardens exhibit and preserve the most beautiful and exotic plants in Mexico. Several degrees cooler than sea level, there's plenty of easy areas to walk, explore and enjoy, with plenty of benches to rest.
Ranked one of the top 10 Botanical Gardens in North America, it's known for it's astounding collection of orchids, as well as oaks, bromeliads, agaves and wild palm trees.
Photo: only one example of their collection of orchids
You're bombarded by colours, birds, butterflies and is on the Monarch Butterfly Migration Path.
Photo: Monarch Butterfly Migration - showing Manitoba as the most northern point on the Monarch's migration path
They're home to a Scattering Garden, allowing Ash Scattering; a Pet Cemetery; International Peace Garden + Pink Chapel; the Bridge of Dreams; Cactus House; Conversatory of Orchids + Native Plants; Aquatic + Tropical House; Begonia House and numerous nature trails, leading you throughout the woods for a forest-bathing encounter.
Speaking of bathing - they encourage you to bring your swimsuit and enjoy a refreshing dip in the canyon-fed, fresh water Los Horcones River that flows at the foot of the gardens.
Once you've had your dip and dried off in the warm breezes and sun that greet you throughout the gardens, it's time to head to the Hacienda de Oro - for an authentic Mexican lunch and the best margaritas!
Photo: Getting ready to begin our authentic Mexican lunch - Missing: my margarita - it was on the way!
The covered, open-air restaurant is surrounded by glass hearts, hummingbirds and real life exotic birds who live and come to feed in the gardens surrounding them. There's also a gift shop featuring the best local wares, ingredients and seeds specific to Mexico and the area.
Photo: Waiting for our table and enjoying the mountain breezes as the glass hearts and hummingbirds tinkle
Look for their new logo (they're on Facebook), which features the rare flowering plant Bourreria rubra, endemic to the Jalisco coast and on display at the gardens.
Supported by donations and memberships from around the world, they've a reciprocal program with their Sister Garden, The Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens, in Santa Barbara, CA.
In my life before Travel, I was in the Ornamental Horticulture Industry, attending college in Santa Barbara for Landscape Horticulture. The botanical gardens in SB were one of my favourite haunts and a constant destination for inspiration. Serendipitously, I was thrilled to find out about this most recent development for the Vallarta Gardens.
It's a magical and must-see, when going to Puerto Vallarta. Believe me when I say, you'll be returning year after year ... to see how the gardens have changed and flourished.
Photo: Cactus House
But don't take my word for it, experience for yourself ... you won't be disappointed.
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