I wish I had a peso for every time someone asks me about summer in Puerto Vallarta. Specifically, “How hot does it really get in the summer?” and “What is there to do in Puerto Vallarta in the summer?”
First, let me tell you about rainy season in PV. I spent my youth in Washington, DC, a place famous for the ‘dog days’ of summer. Puerto Vallarta isn’t even close! Here we have the ocean to dip in when it’s hot and muggy, cooling breezes both from the ocean, and here at Rivera Cuale, from the river as well. That same river fills and widens, covering rocks, and bringing the wading birds out to fish. The air in our riverfront location al ways seems cooler and fresher than downtown.
I love the rain because it brings renewal. We are just beginning our rainy season, and with just a couple of rainy periods the mountains are showing so much fresh new green. It’s a seasonal miracle that I never tire of seeing.
And don’t get me started on the gardens. Everywhere you look things are in bloom. It’s a riot of color. The air is filled with very territorial hummingbirds fighting over flowers, a show in itself.
In PV, rainy season generally means nice sunny mornings with the clouds moving in mid afternoon, and a cooling rain by 4 or 5pm, usually lasting no more than an hour or so. Everything is washed clean, the dust settles, the air freshens, and then we await a beautiful sunset. And if we get a storm after sunset, words can’t describe how magnificent the light show is over the ocean. Free entertainment at its best.
So, what else is there to do? There’s always the beach. If it starts to rain, there’s shopping. I’m always amazed to discover new shops that I didn’t know existed. If you are out and about when the rain starts, just pop into your favorite haunt, enjoy a glass of wine or a cold beer, and do some people watching till the rain stops. Happily, the rain seems to coordinate with the cocktail hour anyway.
It’s a great time for year round residents to catch up with old friends that are also here full time. We’re often too busy in high season to do much socializing.
Most of the tours that abound in winter are still available, and quite often these are discounted. Tickets are much easier to come by, and no fighting the crowds. The tour boats and buses are not filled to capacity, so you are not packed in like sardines.
It’s a great time to explore the jungle via a canopy ride or ATV, or just go for a hike. Have a picnic along the river’s edge on the way. Join a gym, take yoga or dance classes, volunteer in the community with a not-for-profit, catch a movie in an air-conditioned theater, or go for a bite to eat – many restaurants offer summer specials, and you don’t need a reservation.
All in all, summer in Puerto Vallarta is all of the things you love in the winter, made even more available.
Written by Estelle Eisen, Rivera Cuale
Email: estelle@riveracuale.com