Isla Cuale - An Island in the River
Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
A stop on Puerto Vallarta: Malecon and Old Town, a free self-guided tour.
You are standing on a narrow island in the Rio Cuale, the river that divides the old center from the Zona Romantica. Shaded by tall trees and crossed by footbridges, including swaying suspension bridges, it feels a world away from the busy streets.
People once lived here. After Hurricane Lily flooded the river in 1971, the city moved the island's residents to higher ground and turned it into a place for markets, shops, a cultural center and riverside cafes. The craft stalls sell embroidery, silver and souvenirs; browse at your own pace.
Look for the statue of John Huston, the director whose film brought the world to Vallarta. It was unveiled in the late 1980s, about 25 years after The Night of the Iguana, and honors his place in the town's story. Huston later made his home south of town. Listen for the river, and watch for iguanas in the trees above you.
Getting here: Head down from Gringo Gulch to the river, about 150 meters, and take the stairs or a footbridge onto the island.
Did you know?: The Rio Cuale is one of three rivers that flow from the Sierra down to the Vallarta coast, along with the Pitillal and the Ameca.
Photo op: Frame the John Huston statue with the island's trees behind him, or capture a suspension bridge stretching over the river.
More on Wikipedia: Isla Cuale · Statue of John Huston · John Huston
Stops on this tour
- North End of the Malecon - Where Time Begins
- Nostalgia - The Sculpture the Town Paid For
- Rotunda of the Sea - Thrones You Can Sit On
- The Boy on the Seahorse - Vallarta's Emblem
- Los Arcos - Arches From a Hacienda
- Main Plaza and City Hall - The Heart of Old Vallarta
- Our Lady of Guadalupe - The Church With a Crown
- Gringo Gulch - Where Hollywood Came to Stay
- Isla Cuale - An Island in the River
- Zona Romantica - Old Town South of the River
- Los Muertos Beach and Pier - The Sail at Sunset