Gardens of the World: Mexico – Los Jardines Botanicos de Vallarta / Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden

Puerto Vallarta is a beautiful city on the coast of the state of Jalisco inside a broad bay. It is known primarily for facilities for tourism. People come to enjoy long beaches of fine sand, five stars hotels and fine mexican cuisine. They probably come across a botanical garden by accident only.

Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden is located about 15 km south of the city. The access is by the only highway going in that direction. You can take an expensive tour to get there but a cheap ride by the bus will take you there as well. That way you can mingle with the natives and if you can speak Spanish, you can learn some things, too. The bus will climb to the elevation of about 400 m above the beaches into Sierra Madre mountains and will stop right at the entrance.

The garden was founded in 2004 and opened to the public in 2005. My visit brought me there in 2008, in October on a weekday around noon and I was the only visitor there. The location is wonderful. The botanical garden in natural environment. Main part and its buildings are located in a dry forest dropping down towards the river which is available for bathing, if you wish. There is even wet tropical jungle surrounding a small canyon with a creek running through it. All this on 20 hectares of land.

At present they claim to grow about 3000 species of plants. Smaller plants are grown in special lath houses; some specialized for orchids, some for mixed families. They have displays of butterflies and historical artefacts as well. Lots of native epiphytes are just attached to the trees and some are growing in such fashion naturally. Tillandsias abound in this area and you can see them all in this place. The showy Tillandsia jaliscomonticola is included in the logo of these gardens. Once you enter the wet jungle you can admire orchids, heliconias, gingers, and around the buildings in drier area you can inspect agaves, aloes and other xerophytes, even cacti.

Once you get tired and too hot you can hit the restaurant on the top floor of the building for a cool drink and again admire the scenery towards the river where you can take a swim. A worthwhile visit to take you away from tourist monotony.

These images were taken in October of 2008.