It is nearly impossible to find a travel review of Puerto Vallarta that doesn’t mention the gorgeous evening sky when the sun drops below the horizon. No doubt you’ve seen nature’s own spectacle from the patio of your Puerto Vallarta villa rental. The scene is nearly impossible to describe – a swath of brilliant gold and scarlet spilling across a blue velvet sky. Have you ever wondered, though, what makes that gorgeous palette?

Wow! Where did those colors come from?
First of all, be advised that it’s a bad idea to wonder aloud what makes those vivid colors when you’re in the middle of a romantic interlude. That said, if you’re 8 years old or single or if your significant other is, like you, also a bit of a nerd (in a good way, of course), then it’s time to learn something about the mechanics of sunsets.

Actually, there’s a lot more science in a sunset than you may think, and it turns out it’s not that easy to explain. Briefly, it seems that the Earth’s atmosphere causes light from the visible spectrum to scatter. For reasons best understood by physicists, red light is least susceptible to scattering, so at the end of the day, when the sun has dropped low and light is travelling far, the reds are holding it together while other colors in the spectrum are going every which way. It has to do with wavelength and electromagnetic particles. Or something like that.

Enjoy the pretty colors
Visitors and locals agree that there are a few special places in Puerto Vallarta to enjoy the setting sun’s light show:

• Barcelona Tapas is a favorite restaurant for good food and gorgeous sunsets.


• Enjoy a beverage as you listen to the waves below and watch the sun set from the palapa at Le Kliff.


• Take a sunset cruise on Banderas Bay – nothing can block your view from this vantage point!


• Take a blanket and a congenial companion to the beach and enjoy sunset the way nature intended it in this lovely place.

Of course, you don’t have to search very far to find a good place to watch the sun paint the sky; one of the best places to enjoy a beautiful Puerto Vallarta sunset is from the privacy of your Puerto Vallarta villa rental, perhaps relaxing in the hot tub or lounging on the veranda just off your bedroom. One evening is all it takes to get hooked on those colors.