The small river island is located between Centro and the Romantic Zone in Puerta Vallarta, and I access it from the pedestrian bridge at the malecón; Isla Rio Cuale looks green, lush and inviting, and I pass by lovely restaurants and bars with river views, one of them a dog café where you can sit at a table in a fenced-in area with dogs running around and interacting with the patrons — what a cool idea, and I imagine that you can adopt these dogs there and take them home (I am not sure if that is true but it seems like a nice idea anyway).
The middle stretch of the island has shop after shop of souvenirs and Mexican handcrafted art, some of them very nice, and some novelties like dried puffer fish and reptiles which is a little sad.
On the final stretch of the island, I see gardens, a children’s playground, and a few more restaurants before there is an opportunity to leave the island via a shaky suspension bridge. If you are looking for a memento or gifts to take home, Isla Rio Cuale is a good spot to get something nice, and you can take a rest at a café or have a meal at a nice restaurant there.
Not too far from the island is the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, the main church whose crowned tower can be seen protruding above the surrounding buildings as a landmark. When I get there, the service has just concluded and I still hear the organ playing and the choir singing a hymn as I sit down on one of the benches.
It’s not a pretentious church, and I particularly like the decorations with colourful fabric and lots of sea horses (the symbol of Puerto Vallarta) around the altar and the columns. Outside of the church is, of course, a plaza with the typical gazebo at its center, this one with holiday decorations. The plaza offers a few shaded benches which I gladly make use of to enjoy the vibe of the town.
Very colourful. At least there is a place for stray dogs!
C