The Local's Neighborhood: A Tour of Puerto Vallarta’s Emiliano Zapata Colonia

Emiliano Zapata Colonia is a typical Mexican neighborhood. With its eclectic collection of craft stores, food trucks, old homes, and new developments, it’s a wonderful place to get a sense of daily life in this part of Puerto Vallarta.

On this walking tour, you’ll hear about the history of Puerto Vallarta as it grew from a sleepy fishing village into the bustling tourist destination it is today.

The tour starts in front of the Vallarta Chocolate Factory Restaurant and Bar at the foot of the Insurgentes Bridge. From there, you’ll walk through Rio Cuale Island to the Emiliano Zapata Colonia District in Southside, across the river. Along the way, I’ll point out the statue of director John Houston, Gringo Gulch Bridge and Centro Cultural Cuale, which is home to the local folkloric dance group, Xuitla.

As you walk along cobblestoned streets, you’ll learn about local vendors like Yuya, ‘the chicken lady’. And once you reach Vallarta’s largest central produce and fish market, you’ll have an opportunity to meet her, and taste tortillas hot off the cooker.

The tour ends at the area’s oldest antique shop, Banderas Bay Trading Company, for a final look at Mexico’s ancient crafts and folk art, including hand-blown glass and custom picture frames.

On this Puerto Vallarta walking tour, you’ll also have a chance to:

• Walk through the largest daily outdoor produce market while you marvel at the large variety of fresh tropical fruits for sale
• Sample mouth-watering chocolates from Xocodiva Fine Artisan Chocolates
• See the eclectic Rivera del Rio historic hotel, built and owned by a woman known as Silver because of her premature silver hair
• Wander through Jardin de Frida, a public garden containing the plants loved by Frida Kahlo
• Take in the beautiful Iglesia de la Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Church)
• Watch as ceramic artists deftly paint hundreds of items for the kilns using fine squirrel tail hair brushes at Mundo de Azulejos
• Admire beautiful hand-woven tapestries in Casa Oaxaca while the friendly Zapotec staff explain how 1,400 different colors are obtained from plants and nut-based dyes
• Pop into Art with Leather, Vallarta’s oldest leather store, where you can watch the shoemaker craft custom sandals

This one-hour tour is a great introduction to daily life in this typical Mexican neighborhood. There are opportunities to stop for a snack, meal, or beverage, or to chat with the friendly local shop owners and learn more about their crafts.