Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - On Saturday, May 30, in celebration of El Día del Niño (Children's Day), the Estero el Salado will be giving the children of Puerto Vallarta free one-hour boat tours through the estuary.

The Estero El Salado is an urban eco-reserve in the heart of the city's hotel zone comprising 169 hectares, of which approximately 135 correspond to mangrove vegetation and wetlands; the rest is made up by two medium forest remnants bordered by water and underwater vegetation, thorn forest and secondary vegetation.

Its connection to the ocean is permanent through a channel that is nearly 20 meters wide, 3 meters deep, and 2 kilometers long that leads to the port's bay. Its landscape and habitat characteristics are favorable to tropical birds, clusters of colorful crabs, amphibians and reptiles, as well as other wildlife.

Boat tours through the Estero el Salado are led by a biologist, traveling about one kilometer aboard "La Aventurera," from which visitors can observe the estuary's great diversity of wildlife, the 3 species of mangrove and their main features.

In an interview with aznoticias.mx, the director of the protected area, Jaime Alberto Torres Guerrero, explained: "for us it is very important that children learn what we have in the mangrove ecosystem and, as April 30 is a Saturday and the children are out of school, we have the opportunity to show it to them on a free boat tour."

The April 30 tours will be shorter than usual, but the quality of the information provided will remain the same. A normal tour of El Estero El Salado takes about one hour and 50 minutes, but on Children's Day tours they will only last about an hour.

With approximately 120 people expected to visit the estuary on Saturday, it is estimated that there will be around eight free boat tours in celebration of El Día del Niño.

To avoid long lines during the Children's Day celebration, you will need to make a reservation to participate in the free tours. To reserve your space, call 322-175-7539 or 322-201-7361.

"Small children must be accompanied by an adult, the reservation can be made for one or two children, provided they are accompanied by an adult at all times," said Torres Guerrero. The accompanying adults can also enjoy the boat tour free of charge.

Entrance to the El Salado urban estuary costs 100 pesos for adults and 50 pesos for children. This is a special price for Puerto Vallarta residents. Prices for tourists who want to explore this area are $300 pesos for adults and $100 pesos for children.

To learn more about the El Salado Estuary, visit esteroelsalado.org.