Today’s post is 1450 words, 65 photos, 1 video, an 8 minute read. Enjoy!
Hi everyone,
This week I’ll take you on the longish, truncated drive from Puerto Vallarta to the beautiful and calm Vallarta Botanical Gardens. If you missed the previous posts in this series, click here, here, here, and here.
The Trail to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens
It was a coolish, overcast morning when we (my Traveling Partner, our friend Kathy, and I) ordered a taxi for a ride to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens. As we were waiting for the taxi to arrive, the residents of the condo complex that walked by were complaining about the lack of sun and the cooler temps. Ok, I enjoyed the sun and warm weather too but hey, it was in the teens back home and snow was in the forecast. Frankly, I wasn’t sure what they were complaining about.
The beautiful gardens are located about 21 miles (32.8 km) from central Puerto Vallarta. The drive by car is estimated to take 45 minute to an hour due to traffic both in the city and along busy Highway 200. Just as we left the Puerto Vallarta city limits, we went through a tunnel and began the climb in elevation. Then the taxi driver told us that his car was over heating. We pulled off to the side of the road in a safe spot where Antonio, the friendly driver, opened the hood for a look, see.
Earlier, Antonio told us that his wife was in Canada with his son’s family. She is helping to care for the kids while their son and his wife at at work. Antonio missed them but chose to stay in Puerto Vallarta where he has lived his whole life.
It took us about 15 minutes to flag down a taxi to the gardens. Finally, a driver saw us and turned around to give us a ride the rest of the way. We wished Antonio well and continued our journey to the gardens. This driver wasn’t very talkative but did stop at a wayside that overlooks the Mismaloya Arches, a series of granite structures in the sea. These structures, especially those with arches, are popular with kayakers. The islands were loaded with sea birds of all types. We watched for a few minutes then were back in the taxi for the rest of the ride.
Jardín Botánico Vallarta
Upon arrival, we paid the $300 pesos each (about $15 USD) entry fee and purchased a map of the grounds for another $60 (about $3 USD). As we walked toward the center of the gardens, I couldn’t help but notice the well-groomed lawn, the lush growth, and the beautiful flowers complementing the landscape.
The Vallarta Botanical Gardens is described as a world-class facility. It displays the diversity of plants from Mexico and around the world. These gardens attract a wide variety of wildlife especially birds. These gardens were founded in 2004 and continue to expand its collection by raising awareness of the importance of preserving plants and wildlife.
One of the first things we saw was a mother hen with several chicks. Garden staff informed us that the chicks were two-days old. Mom was providing shelter and warmth to the chicks who would emerge for a few minutes then find their way back under Mom. 
These guinea fowl appeared to enjoy their time perched on a bench cleaning their feathers and ignoring the people that walked by.
During our time at the gardens, we admired the many plants, flowers, the cultured landscapes, and even a bird or two. Here are a few things that we saw.
There were ponds with aquatic plants and in one case, several large gold fish.
I learned that the vanilla plant is an orchid and native to Mexico. The plant grows as a vine and can climb 30-50 feet. Left alone and under the right conditions it can grow 75 feet long. Therefore, as the plant grows on commercial farms, the growing point is folded to keep the fruit accessible. Cultivating vanilla is very labor intensive, making it one of the most expensive spices. The spice vanilla is extracted from the dried bean pods. We would stock up on pure Mexican vanilla before heading home.
We also saw cacao trees that produce cocoa beans, the important ingredient in chocolate. 
Nuestra Señora del Jardin Capilla
One of the many highlights of our visit to Vallarta Botanical Gardens was the impressive Our Lady of the Garden Chapel. The exterior can’t be missed with the bright orange paint and the mosaic stone artwork on the footbath that leads up to the chapel entrance.
The interior of the chapel is unique and considered a work of art. The wallpaper was made using photographs of hummingbirds, pollinators, plants, and flowers. The title of the work is Los Angelitos, meaning little angels that dance around while busy pollinating the plants. It is quite stunning in color and so joyful to look at.
Surrounding the chapel are gardens, some curated, some wild. Below is an area where weddings and other events are held outside. Apparently, it’s a popular place for weddings and other celebrations.
There is a human and pet cemetery outside in the chapel gardens. It’s quite a peaceful place to spend eternity.
Hacienda de Oro Restaurant and Bar
After a couple hours of viewing the plants, flowers, and landscapes, we were ready for lunch. Fortunately, the gardens has a well-regarded restaurant on site – the Hacienda de Oro. We were seated at a table on the second floor overlooking the courtyard. The menus and hibiscus tea came quickly. I ordered the Mexican pork burrito that came with the sauce in the colors of the Mexican flag, red, white, and green. It was delicious. My Traveling Partner had the shrimp tacos, they were good too. An enjoyable relaxing lunch in a nice environment.
Río los Horcones
Our after lunch constitutional was to the Horcones River in a canyon below the gardens. This river is a main contributor of fresh water into Banderas Bay to keep the salt and nutrient levels steady for healthy sea life. The descent down to the river was a combination of a dirt path and recently placed stone steps. At the bottom of the footpath there were benches for resting and enjoying the sound of the river. Visitors can also walk along the river or into the river with caution. A sign gave us fair warning.
Across the river, I admired the tenacity of this tree that seemingly is growing out of a rock.
Here’s a short video for you to hear the sounds of the flowing river.
The climb up was more challenging, we stopped to catch our breath when we reach the top.
Meet Steve and Brad
After a few minutes of rest, we continued our walk through the gardens. When the path narrowed, we met Steve and Brad. These two fellows currently live in Florida but are planning on moving to Puerto Vallarta in the near future. As we talked with them, we learned they have connections to Wisconsin and North Dakota. It was fun meeting these happy fellows ready for their next adventure.
Did you know that Mexico is home to over 2000 different varieties of butterflies? We saw several, the one in the photo below looks to be injured. We watched as it struggled to hang on to the sign. Hope it made it someplace safe.
We saw the replica of an Aztec temple that was given to artist Frida Kahlo by her husband, painter Diego Rivera. In a future post, I’ll share more about Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. An interesting love/hate story.
We looked but didn’t touch the extensive collection of cacti native to Mexico. 
There is so much to see at the gardens, it’s hard to take in everything in one visit. We’ll be back next year.
Around the grounds there were a number of interesting statues. Some appeared to be religious in nature while others harkened back to the times of the Aztecs. 
Sometime during our visit, we saw a group of birdwatchers scurrying around to find birds. Once they found them, they proceeded to shoot photos. So I joined them by taking a photo of this bird, I think a female Lucifer hummingbird. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong. I had more fun watching the bird watchers than taking the photo. They were so excited and giddy. 
A sign for the ages and so appropriate for our current times.
Marry Me!
After returning from the Vallarta Botanical Garden, we observed this scene taking place on the beach. Someone went through a lot of trouble and expense to make a proposal. Anyway, it was unique and kinda sweet.
That does it for this week. Join me next week for a look at gallery night in Puerto Vallarta and a plane ride to Mexico City.
Until then, happy travels!
Tom
PS: Click here for a link to the post about my book “Farm Boy.” Contact me if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Thanks to all have plunked down your hard earned dollars and read the book. TM