Maybe you have visited Puerto Vallarta on vacation in the past or perhaps you are planning a getaway soon at this sought out beach destination. You may be a Puerto Vallarta veteran or a Banderas Bay expert, but we are sure there are some facts that you may not even know about Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Continue to read and you will learn all you need to know about Puerto Vallarta.
Banderas Bay
Banderas Bay is one of the deepest bays worldwide at is it over 900 meters deep and 42 kilometers wide from edge to edge, which is why it has been ranked in the top 10 largest bays worldwide; and, of course, it is the biggest in Mexico. Banderas Bay got its name during the Spanish conquest of Mexico. The Spanish forces were greeted by natives of over 20,000 and they were holding feather flags. The natives were armed with their bows and arrows as they were ready to defend their land. Banderas means “Flags” in Spanish, which is how Banderas Bay supposedly got its name.
Los Muertos Beach (Playa Los Muertos)
The Los Muertos Beach or Playa Los Muertos means Beach of the Dead, and this beach has an interesting history. Legend has it that many, many centuries ago, pirates stormed this beach to steal and take whatever they could and to also bury their treasures. Many pirates were killed on this beach as locals defended their land, which is why the gruesome name was given. When the first hotel was being constructed on this beach apparently many skeletons were found here. Don’t worry, the only dead you will find there today are the skeletons performers that come out around the Day of the Dead (November 2nd).
Las Peñas
During the eighteen hundreds, Puerto Vallarta was originally known as Las Peñas (meaning comb), then in the early nineteen hundreds the name was changed to Puerto Vallarta after Ignacio Vallarta a former state governor.
Puerto Vallarta’s Source of Income
Puerto Vallarta’s annual income is estimated at over nine billion pesos annually, and the main source of Puerto Vallarta’s income is based on tourism. In the early nineteenth century, the main source of income for Puerto Vallarta came from fishing and exporting of bananas, corn, coconuts, and beans to the United States along with the local market.
Puerto Vallarta’s Movie Industry
Puerto Vallarta has been featured in many movies. The Night of the Iguana that was directed by John Huston became famous in the 1960’s and it starred Richard Burton, Deborah Kerr, and Ava Gardner who all came to Banderas Bay for the filming of this movie. While Richard Burton was filming the movie he started having an affair with Elizabeth Taylor and the two had their second home in Puerto Vallarta. There were several other movies that were filmed in Puerto Vallarta, which include Herbie Goes Bananas in 1980, Limitless with Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro in 2011, and Predator with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987.
Puerto Vallarta’s Population
In Mexico, Puerto Vallarta is one of the fastest growing cities in Mexico. The population in Puerto Vallarta has increased yearly by 7.56% within the past twenty years. During the 1880’s, the city had a total of 1,500 residents, but in 2010 the city had a total of 255,725 residents, which means Puerto Vallarta’s population is over 300,000 today!
Here is all you need to know about Puerto Vallarta. I bet you didn’t know all of these Puerto Vallarta facts.