On the Sound Environment of the City of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

Abstract

An exploration of the sound environment in the city of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, is presented. A series of
interviews were held with 19 residents, of which 7 were undergraduate students, related to the perception of sound in
or around places of different zones in the so-called “Viejo Vallarta” (“Old Vallarta”).
The purpose was twofold, firstly, to explore the ideas people have relating to the sounds they hear in the city -and in
general, the ideas they have relating to peace and tranquility and its possible relation with the sound environment-;
secondly, to identify some zones or places that have a particular sound environment - positive or negative. Natural
sounds emerged as an important part of the sound identity of the Vallarta region and they seem to be highly
appreciated even when the sound levels are high. Sounds related to nature emerged in all interviews: bird calls,
sound of wind rustling through trees, sound of breaking sea waves, etc. The interviewees identified places or zones
with a negative sonic identity due to disagreeable or high intensity sounds; traffic flow, and mostly the urban bus, is to
be blamed for in the main (some mentioned radios at high volume). A series of sound levels (dBA re 20 ?Pa) at three
different times of the year: February, April, and October, 2009 were measured in some locations mentioned by the
interviewees. The average sound levels found on those locations considered as having a disagreeable identity were
the highest.