Birding San Sebastian Near Puerto Vallarta
Great Birding and Colonial Charm 40 Miles from Mexican Resort
Jan 19, 2009
Mexico is a birder's paradise, especially during the winter when most of North America stuggles with snow and freezing temperatures. Warm, sunny tourist destinations with excellent birding are found throughout Mexico, including San Carlos, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.
One of the better birding sites close to the resort destination of Puerto Vallarta, in the state of Jalisco, is San Sebastian del Oeste.
San Sebastian del Oeste
Rarely mentioned in tour books, San Sebastian del Oeste is a sleepy, picturesque colonial village 4,500 feet above sea level in the mountains east of Puerto Vallarta. The town was built some two hundred years ago as a commercial and processing center to serve silver mining in the surrounding mountains. Less than a thousand people live in the town today, and they are friendly and happy to be far from the frenetic pace of Puerto Vallarta.
The narrow cobblestone streets are lined with beautiful tall trees, and the two hundred year old adobe buildings are a photographer's delight. Once you have reached the town, you should park your car and spend most of your visit on foot. The stone streets are rough and hilly, but walking is by far the best way to see the town. As usual, walking is also the best way to bird the area.
There are many excellent restaurants and accommodations in San Sebastian, with modest hotels, bed and breakfasts and private cabins ranging in price from less than fifty to nearly two hundred dollars. Many of these can be found on the Internet.
Birding San Sebastian
A lovely stream winds its way through the town, and a walking trail parallels much of the stream all the way to Hacienda Jalisco, nearly two miles from the plaza. There are many large and dense trees along the stream, with more open areas and small grassy fields back away from the water. Both areas are rich with birds, and birders will be rewarded with stops almost anywhere along this route.
From the central plaza, walk down and north of the plaza to a bridge over the stream. Before the bridge, an obvious path turns left, taking you back toward the main entrance to town. It's about a mile from here to a wonderful restaurant at the town's entrance, El Arriero, and walking this stretch either early in the morning or late in the day will almost certainly be productive for birders. Some of the many great birds found along here in the winter include Grey-crowned woodpecker, Slate-throated redstart, Flame-colored, Hepatic and Red-headed tanager, Berylline hummingbird, Red-faced warbler, Tufted flycatcher and Blue mockingbird.
Birding the areas just outside the town is also productive. The small airport and the road into Hacienda Jalisco, a Bed and Breakfast, are less than a mile outside of town (on the road into San Sebastian). This mixed field and treed area is good for Acorn woodpecker, Lesser roadrunner, Bullock's oriole and Collared forest falcon. The Hacienda Jalisco is pricey, but the surrounding area open to guests is excellent birding.
Getting to San Sebastian del Oeste
From the primary coastal route, highway 200, and just north of the Puerto Vallarta airport, turn east at the well-marked intersection toward Ixtapa and the University. Follow this road south through Ixtapa and on toward Las Palmas and La Estancia. Stay on the highway to the right of Las Palmas, and at the far end of La Estancia, turn left at the sign toward San Sebastian, which is less than a half hour further.
The first few miles out of Puerto Vallarta are slow-going, due to congestion and many topes (speed bumps), but the road is newly improved through the mountains. The forty miles can now be driven in approximately an hour from the intersection at highway 200.
San Sebastian is yet another example of excellent birding within an easy drive from a major Mexican resort destination.
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