CultureJaliscoMexicoPuerto VallartaStreet Art

Socially Conscious Street Art in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

street art in puerto vallarta

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I looove to hunt down the best street art wherever I am, whether I’m in Mexico City (check out my street art post about the Mexican capital here) or Monterrey (here’s a visual guide to the barrio antiguo). You’ll also probably realise that I’ve been holidaying over in Puerto Vallarta for the last couple of weeks, lounging by pools and sweating off approximately 30% of my body weight.

(Sidenote: If you don’t follow me on Instagram, then I’ll take this opportunity to say what the fuck have you been doing with yourself?! Here’s a link – go and follow me!)

However, despite this borderline Mexican street art obsession vibe I have going on, I’ve never really taken the time to methodically hunt down the best street art in Puerto Vallarta. In fact, the penultimate time I popped over to Jalisco was for a whistle stop tour of the sights and sounds of Guadalajara, Tequila and Vallarta which included missing the wedding ceremony for which we took the trip in the first place. Ridiculous, I know.

So, this time round, I knew I had to be proactive. After I’d waved off my mum and sister at their hotel, I dragged myself away from the fan I’d been plonked in front of for almost two weeks straight and took a few hours to compile the most colourful and social conscious street art in Puerto Vallarta. Honestly? I surprised myself with how much I managed to find.


Jump ahead to the kind of Puerto Vallarta street art you’re looking for!

#RESTORECORAL MURAL PROJECT / STANDALONE PIECES / WHERE TO FIND THE BEST STREET ART IN PUERTO VALLARTA


#RESTORECORAL MURAL PROJECT, PUERTO VALLARTA

These are all the murals I could find from the #RESTORECORAL Mural Project that are currently on display in Vallarta. This Mexico-wide project actually began back in 2015, focussing its attention (understandably) on Tulum, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen at first, before making its way over to the west coast with Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and, most recently, Manzanillo in Colima. You can keep up to date with the latest murals over at their official Instagram account

Mostly works by pretty well-known Mexican street artists, the #RESTORECORAL Mural Project’s aim is to raise awareness about the destruction of the coral reefs in Mexico and worldwide. So, for all of you who think street art is just vandalism (seriously though, why are you even reading this article if that’s the case?), then this project goes a long way to prove that assertion wrong.

street art in puerto vallarta

A collaborative piece by Nick + Noise

street art in puerto vallarta

A fab piece by Eva Bracamontes on Juárez con Josefa Ortíz de Domínguez

street art in puerto vallarta

Dherzu Uzala’s contribution to the #RestoreCoral project, Puerto Vallarta

street art in puerto vallarta

Liz Rashell’s contribution, which you can find on Calle Aldama con Hidalgo

street art in puerto vallarta

street art in puerto vallarta

This showstopping whale on Calle Peru is by Tony Collantes

street art in puerto vallarta

Find this underwater mural by Serge in Parque Lázaro Cárdenas

street art in puerto vallarta

This is the work of Honghikuri

street art in puerto vallarta

STANDALONE PIECES OF PUERTO VALLARTA STREET ART

These are all the street art pieces I found that don’t seem to belong to the #RESTORECORAL Project. Where possible, I’ve noted who the artist is, so if you recognise any artworks, let me know who they’re by in the comments! I’ve divided these up based on where you can find them in Vallarta, for ease – Downtown, Río Cuale, Parque Lázaro Cárdenas, the Children’s Playground on Calle Colombia and Avenida Francisco Villa. Obviously, this is not an entirely comprehensive collection of all the street art in Vallarta, but it’s definitely rounds up a decent chunk.

Downtown Vallarta

street art in puerto vallarta

street art in puerto vallarta

You can find this on the path up to the Cerro de la Cruz

street art in puerto vallarta

Find this on Calle Peru, next to the colourful whale

street art in puerto vallarta

A piece by Misael on Calle Venezuela

street art in puerto vallarta

I believe this is by Eva Bracamontes

street art in puerto vallarta

The most elaborately decorated doorway I’ve ever seen!

street art in puerto vallarta

I have no idea who paints these birds, but there are loads of them across Mexico City too

street art in puerto vallarta street art in puerto vallarta street art in puerto vallarta street art in puerto vallarta

Río Cuale

street art in puerto vallarta

street art in puerto vallarta

street art in puerto vallarta

street art in puerto vallarta

Parque Lázaro Cárdenas

street art in puerto vallarta

Children’s Playground on Calle Colombia

street art in puerto vallarta street art in puerto vallarta street art in puerto vallarta street art in puerto vallarta street art in puerto vallarta

Avenida Francisco Villa

WHERE TO FIND STREET ART IN PUERTO VALLARTA

Sure, this is no exhaustive list, but if you’re looking for guaranteed Puerto Vallarta street art hotspots then you can’t go wrong by starting in the downtown area. Go about two to three streets up from the main malecón and you’ll find yourself knee-deep in exquisite artwork, or at the very least, picturesque cobbled streets not filled with Señor Frog’s and tourists. What’s not to love?

Personally, I found that Calles Peru, Venezuela and Colombia/Juárez were great starting points and easy to navigate. Then you have to check out the Río Cuale market, which has souvenirs and street art all rolled into a handy package.

Don’t forget to stop by the Parque Lázaro Cárdenas either, as there are some mirrored murals on the nearby walls. If mosaics are your thing, you can’t miss the one found in the Marina either (I have some pictures of it in this post, it’s fab).

Outside of the centre, you’ll find smatterings of street art in various locations, including dotted down Avenida Francisco Villa and into the Pitillal neighbourhood, but I can’t give you pinpoint locations for those spots I’m afraid.

(And, as an added bonus, if you just can’t get enough socially conscious street art, check out this post over at Wandertoes about Isla Mujeres, Mexico!) 



23 comments

  1. Arielle 27 June, 2017 at 13:58 Reply

    Are there really still people who think these elaborately crafted and painted murals are just vandalism? What are they even doing with their lives?

  2. Gonzalo 21 July, 2017 at 23:44 Reply

    Hello ,

    I would love to have a local artist do a piece in our office space in Puerto Vallarta. Would you happen to have any contacts .??
    Thank you in advance.
    Gonzalo.

    • Lauren 22 July, 2017 at 00:22 Reply

      I’m afraid I don’t know of anyone myself, sorry! But if you click through the artist links in the captions of these photos you’ll find someone, I’m sure.

    • Leo 24 December, 2017 at 00:15 Reply

      Hi Gonzalo,

      I’m a mural artist/street artist from Seattle, WA. I have family in Puerto Vallarta and will be visiting in January and am looking to work on a mural. Have a look at my work and if you think it would be a good fit for your office I would love to make something happen. Thank you!

      Leo
      leoshallat.com
      instagram.com/leo.shallat

  3. An Introduction to 35 Traditional Mexican Drinks - Northern Lauren 18 August, 2017 at 19:08 Reply

    […] Arguably one of the best Mexican hot drinks, I feel like you either take immediately to café de olla, or you just never really like it. Personally, I really like it, although it can sometimes be hard to find a good one. Literally translating to ‘coffee from a saucepan’, it’s a fairly watery, cinnamon flavoured coffee that is sweetened with piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar). The best café de olla I’ve had to date was at a breakfast buffet in the mountains of Puerto Vallarta. […]

  4. yusra 30 November, 2017 at 00:06 Reply

    where in rio cuale is the beach artwork over the telephones? and the lady’s face with Dia de los Muertos painting? thanks!

    • Lauren 2 December, 2017 at 17:12 Reply

      I honestly can’t remember for the first one, but the Day of the Dead Katrina style face is on a shop in the Rio Cuale market, just across from the bridge.

  5. Caroline 10 February, 2018 at 01:05 Reply

    You found a great collection of street art in Puerto Vallarta! I love how colorful and vibrant each of these pieces are, and that they are socially conscious. I haven’t been to Puerto Vallarta, but it’s on my list and I am definitely gonna follow this list to check some of these spots out!

  6. Mayi Mac 10 February, 2018 at 01:47 Reply

    I love this! I’m always amazed how great these streets arts are. You did an amazing job showcasing the work. It’s making me want to visit Mexico to see them all!.

  7. Henry Lewis 9 March, 2018 at 17:55 Reply

    Thanks Lauren! I lived in Puerto Vallarta (Colombia now) and love the street art there. Misael Ivan Lopez is one of my local favorites. He has work in both public and private spaces in PV as well as many amazing murals in Sayulita.

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