Here's the plan - Bascially a walking tour of the Puerto Vallarta Malecon, from the South Side-Old Town romantinc zone
across the pedestrian bridge to what I still refer to as the new Malecon or the Malecon extension
and into the downtown area to what is now called the New Malecon,
but which I will simply refer to as the Malecon which extends through
all of Puerto Vallarta downtown for some 10-12 city blocks.
 

Crossing the pedestrian bridge over the Cuale River, about half way across and looking to the right (east)
is the Cuale River Island which has several notable Puerto Vallarta restaurants including Oscar's (shown here on the right),
and the well-known River Cafe and Le Bistro, as well as the Cuale Cultural Center and the Cuale River Museum

Arriving on what has been called since 2007 the New Malecon Extension
 

sculpture of San Pascual (Saint Paschal Baylon) patron of cooks and chefs, in front of Vitea restaurant
on the Malecon Extension. This statue by Ramiz Barquet is one of his 5 or 6 works of public art around town
 

Vecinos Marinos - Marine Neighbors (May 2007) artwork by artist Maritza Vazquez Blu
 

sculpture is actually designated-named on the plaque: Eriza - Dos (sea urchins - two) by BLU
 

Roberto's cafe bar deli at 123 Guerrero street on the New Malecon extension
with some 10-12 tables outside for conversation and eating the delicious bagels, smoothies, cafe latte,
gelato and crepes; liquor and beer also available. Roberto's cafe is pet friendly too.
Good spot to relax and people watch especially on weekends. Telefono: 322-222-8057. Daily, 8am-Midnight

Bronze statue to Xiutla Folkloric Dancers by local sculptor Jim Demetro, unveiled in November 2006,
with the Hotel Zone and Marina Vallarta on the north side of town visible in the far background.
The Xiutla folkloric group with their youthful energy, good looks and graceful style
  have been colorful part of Puerto Vallarta culture for well over 22 years.
 

Tile mural by noted Puerto Vallarta artist Manuel Lepe - Fish Sellers/Vendedores de Pescado, 1981
 

Friendship fountain with dolphins by James Bottoms, a gift from Santa Barbara, CA to
her sister city (since 1972) Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (picture thanks to Benoit)
 

The Friendship Fountain with the 3 dolphins (La Fuente de la Amistad) has been on
the downtown malecon since 1987 & is one of its most famous attractions
 

Los Arcos - The Arches at the Los Arcos Amphitheater
 

More interesting facts about Puerto Vallarta and the newly renovated malecon:
The boardwalk has a number of intricate designs-mosaics which were drawn up by
Jalisco-born Fidencio Benítez Sánchez, a prominent Huichol (Wixarika) artist, and carefully laid out by workers
using a traditional technique with drowned river stone-pebbles in cement wash.
Fidencio Benitez has received a Mexican National Prize of Arts and Sciences.

Some of the Hucihol motifs that adorn the New Malecon and their significance include:
the snake which is the queen of the sea; scorpions, the queens of the rain and caretakers of the desert;
the shark representing the sea; and the human element is the shaman who speaks with the gods.
 

the Puerto Vallarta seahorse, one of the main downtown tourist attractions, in its new location
looking north with the Hotel Zone and then Marina Vallarta in the distance on the left
 

Seahorse statue and looking south along the Puerto Vallarta New Malecon towards Los Arcos (the Arches)
 

Looking north from in front of La Destileria restaurant
along what used to be the main downtown street Paseo Diaz Ordaz, now closed to all but pedestrian foot traffic
 

Bebotero Puerto Vallarta downtown bar and nightclub with live bands and music.
The Puerto Vallarta downtown area is of course the location of the main nightlife in town
as there must be two dozen venues or more within a 10-12 minute walk of each other
 

In Search of Reason statue along the new principal downtown Puerto Vallarta Malecon
by well-known Mexican artist Sergio Bustamante
 

a Puerto Vallarta landmark statue, In Search of Reason - En Búsqueda de la Razón (since 1999)
with Bar Oceano, Bebotero nightclub and La Destileria restaurant in the city block in the background.
The triangular-headed figures are among the most photographed in town
as people will often climb the ladder to pose with the 2 other figures.
 

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More of the Rotunda of the Sea collection by Alejandro Calunga should be in this spot as it follows
In Search of Reason and now comes before the Neptune and Nereid statue, but the area around the Rotunda sculptures
was being worked on and hence unsuitable for most of the days I was out taking pictures
 

Collection of statues on the Malecon since 1997 known as The Rotunda of the Sea by famed Guadalajara artist Alejandro Colunga.
As you can see several are high-backed bronze chairs with strange nautical figures or creatures on top, one with an octopus.
A strangely surreal and popular collection.
 

This shot of Colunga's statues The Rotunda of the Sea nicely shows in the background some of the main Puerto Vallarta nightlife
spots along the downtown Malecon boardwalk including, left to right: Mandala disco, the new Zoo club (recently remodeled),
La Vaquita, and the new Cerveceria Union seafood & Mexican restaurant (where Las Palomas used to be)
 

Three photos above from January 2013

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companeros Jamie and Nacho
 

statue of Neptune and Nereid by Carlos Espino
In Greek mythology, the Nereids are sea nymphs, the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris, sisters to Nerites.
They often accompany Poseidon (or Neptune the Roman god of water and the sea) and can be friendly and helpful to sailors
fighting perilous storms, hence their presence in a port and fishing town such as Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
 

One of the newer works of art to see along the downtown Puerto Vallarta malecon,
 the Unicorn of Good Fortune (el Unicornio de la Buena Fortuna) by Guadalajara artist Anibal Riebeling
on display since mid-January 2011
 

downtown Puerto Vallarta restaurants & bars Paradise Burger (left) and Wing's Army (right)
both upstairs, with the Huichol Collection art store on the right at street level
 

the Papantla Flyers or Indian voladores (see below), now located near the north end of the boardwalk
 

One of the newer works of art to see along the renovated New Malecon in its new spot
The Subtle Rock Eater (el Sutil Comepiedras) by artist Jonas Gutiérrez from 2006
 

I have to admit the Rock Eater is my least favorite artwork on the Puerto Vallarta, Mexico malecon
 

the famous sculpture La Nostalgia by Ramiz Barquet, one of his many original artworks in the city
and by far his most beloved
 

some downtown Puerto Vallarta shopping at the popular Fiesta Mexicana store
with their colorful Catrinas
 

Sand sculptures along the downtown beach - this one
showing the Mary the Virgin of Guadalupe and welcoming you to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
 

  Origin and Destiny statues - see more info below
 

The second to last and newest art works on the principal downtown Malecon is Origin and Destiny (three photos above)
which is actually five thematic pieces/statues in one display, by local Puerto Vallarta artist Pedro Tello.
Here's how these new Vallarta attractions are described
in part on another local site, Statues on Puerto Vallarta's Malecon:
"The sculptures represent the beginnings of man, music, time and knowledge.
The boat represents man's quest for new horizons...a chimera signifies man's unity with reptiles, birds and marine animals....
The horse sculpture, signifying the passage of time...A serpent entwined in the legs of the horse signifies knowledge.
The whale is mankind emerging into the new millennium. And the wheel signifies technology and science of mankind.....
The final sculpture is an obelisk, representing the spirituality of man....."
 

Two perspectives of one my favorite sculptures, Mathis Lidice's beautiful soaring "The Millenniums" just past
the northern end of the Puerto Vallarta malecon and along the waterfront next to well-known Hotel Rosita (since 1948).
The lower part evokes the millennium before Jesus Christ, linked to the evolution of life
that originated in the sea. Then there appear different symbols of Jesus Christ.
Charlemagne represents the 1st millennium,
Aztec king Nezahualcoyotl the 2nd millennium,
and a woman holding a dove represents our current third millennium.

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Turning around at The Milleniums sculpture and heading south now back through downtown to the South Side-Romantic Zone

From the north of end of the malecon showing the Puerto Vallarta downtown beach looking due south
 

The Papantla Flyers (Indian voladores), a Puerto Vallarta attraction, at the top of their ritual Tree of Life.
Each part of the costumes hold meaning for the Papantla Flyers, as the plume represents triumph,
the ribbons represent the colors of the rainbow, embroidery and beadwork represents the beauty of nature.
In addition, the red of their costumes represents the values that they honor during the ceremony and the white represents
the purity of human beings. Small mirrors sometimes sewn into their colorful costumes are meant to convey a reflection of Life.
On September 30, 2008 the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared
the ritual of the Papantla voladores (indian flyers), as well as the places of memory and live traditions
of the Otomí-Chichimeca people of Tolimán (Querétaro) an Immaterial Human Heritage.

Looking south along the New Malecon downtown area just past Punto V restaurant-bar-nightclub
Notice again the handcrafted designs in the sidewalk on the right
 

More pictures of downtown Puerto Vallarta with nightlife hot spots Mandala disco, the Zoo bar
and La Vaquita nightclub on the left
 

  About to leave the main Malecon boardwalk for the new Extension
 

Mission Accomplished, coming back into the South Side-Old Town from downtown Puerto Vallarta
with the Molino de Agua condos on the left, Los Muertos beach directly ahead
and the South Shores-Los Arcos rock formation in the far distance
 

Not sure if this was a commercial, part of a telenovela (soap opera), or a movie
being filmed on Los Muertos beach that day. Puerto Vallarta certainly is a popular location
for both Mexican television and American movies filmed in Puerto Vallarta.
 

The Washer Woman, a bronze sculpture by local Puerto Vallarta artist Jim Demetro (2008)
in Old Town in front of the Molino de Agua condos near the Cuale River pedestrian bridge
 

"If you're going to rest under the sun, it's best to keep walking."  - Mexican proverb

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