In Puerto Vallarta, you can find some of the most unique flora and fauna in Mexico. The lush vegetation of the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains is a big reason why the unique flora and fauna are found here. Along with ex-pats who move to PV, or vacationers that love to take tropical getaways to Mexico, numerous wildlife and plant life make their home in Puerto Vallarta. The biodiverse environment assists in making Puerto Vallarta a natural place that travelers enjoy visiting. Continue to read below to learn more information about why Banderas Bay is home to biodiverse flora and fauna. 

 

Banderas Bay – Home to Biodiverse Flora and Fauna

Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay are home to biodiverse flora and fauna, and they depend on the tropical climate here that the rain provides during the rainy season in the summer. The sea, sun, rainfall, and humidity combined together create the ideal habitat for plants, marine life, and animals. The tropical climate in Puerto Vallarta supports the area’s ecology and biodiversity in Puerto Vallarta. The Sierra Madre Occidental’s thick jungle meets the ocean waters, which makes some coastal villages and small beach towns south of town only accessible by boat. There are over forty kilometers of beaches, coasts, rivers, and mountains in Banderas Bay and it is one of the most important biodiverse areas in Latin America. 

 

Vallarta Botanical Garden 

When you are vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, you need to make sure you go to the Vallarta Botanical Garden, which is only about thirty minutes from downtown Puerto Vallarta. The Vallarta Botanical Garden is open to the public and is an incredible garden and park with more than 3,000 species of plants to observe. There is also an impressive orchid nursery that has more than 100 different types of orchids that you can’t miss. The lush gardens and the river below are some of the favorite things for visitors to enjoy. You can go swimming in the river as it is perfect for a refreshing dip on a hot and humid day. You can even bring a picnic with you to enjoy down on the river. There is a Mexican restaurant on site near the visitor center if you would rather someone cook for you. The restaurant is located upstairs, and the views are lovely. If you love tropical fruit, then you will really enjoy all the tropical fruits that are found in Puerto Vallarta, which include mangoes, coconuts, guavas, avocados, guamuchiles, and yaka. You will want to make sure you try as many of the fresh tropical fruits as you can during your visit to Puerto Vallarta. 

 

Wildlife in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is home to numerous wildlife. The bird species that can be seen in Puerto Vallarta include the Yellow Chest, Mexican Cacique, Blue Fronted Alcatraz, and the Copete Magpie. You may see one of the beautiful birds if you take a hike through the jungle. In Banderas Bay, there are numerous fish species, which include the snapper, blue marlin, black marlin, sailfish, croaker, and tuna. Scuba diving and snorkeling will allow you to see the vibrant fish up close and in person. There are also numerous reptiles in Puerto Vallarta, which include crocodiles, reptiles, the enchaquetado lizard, the green iguana, the mottled Mexican lizard, the spiny-tailed iguana, and the acaltepon. Keep an eye open for the numerous snake species too. 

 

Marine Life in Puerto Vallarta

Some of the best marine life can be found in Puerto Vallarta. Vacationers always enjoy watching the dolphins play in Banderas Bay. The most common dolphins are the bottlenose, spotted, and spinner dolphins. Sea turtles that frequent the area include the green turtle, olive ridley turtle, hawksbill turtle, and the delicate leatherback turtle. The hawksbill turtles come back yearly just to lay their eggs, then they head back out in the sea. The baby sea turtle release in Puerto Vallarta is something visitors can participate in. Also, majestic humpback whales migrate south to Banderas Bay every December through April so the momma whales can give birth in the warm safe waters and raise their young before traveling north again. 

In conclusion: Banderas Bay is home to biodiverse flora and fauna. Everyone should appreciate the biodiversity here. Are you ready to see PV’s natural beauty for yourself?