Puerto Vallarta Malecón

Running roughly 1.5 kilometers along Paseo Díaz Ordaz in downtown Puerto Vallarta, the Malecón is a wide beachfront promenade lined with more than a dozen bronze and stone sculptures by Mexican artists, including Alejandro Colunga's whimsical chairs and the well-known Rotunda of the Sea. Visitors stroll past open-air restaurants, tequila bars, art galleries, and the Los Arcos amphitheater, which hosts free evening performances and the annual sand-sculpture contest. A leisurely walk from one end to the other takes about an hour, but most visitors linger for two or more, stopping for photos at the sculptures, browsing gallery windows, or watching street performers near the amphitheater. The promenade's tiled sea wall and open ocean views make it one of the best vantage points in the city for sunset, when the sky over Banderas Bay turns orange behind the silhouettes of the sculptures. Mornings are quiet and good for a run or unobstructed photos of the sculptures, while evenings, especially Friday and Saturday, draw the largest crowds of vendors, performers, and diners.