Destinations

Aaaahh, Puerto Vallarta, images of palm trees, beaches, tropical drinks and mountain scenes conjure up in my mind. Its Logan, “The Sea, The Town, The Mountain”, pretty much sums it up. No other popular touristy beach town in Mexico offers the backdrops that Puerto Vallarta does. The town faces Bahia de Banderas (Banderas Bay) and behind it are the beautiful Sierra Madre Mountains. For those who enjoy romance, seclusion, yet close enough to population, and places to party at night, Puerto Vallarta is one great place to visit. It’s not for nothing that Richard Burton’s, The Night of the Iguana, chose such a beautiful location to be filmed in. PV (Puerto Vallarta) still maintains that small town atmosphere with its cobblestone streets, the main plaza in the center of town and the church, Templo Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe.

Puerto Vallarta started becoming a resort town in the 1960’s and since then it has grown into a town of nearly 350,000 people. Most are locals but many are retirees and anyone who decided to visit it often enough to purchase a condominium there. This growth has prompted the development of many hotels and condominiums. The area of newer development is called Nuevo Vallarta, which is mainly a hotel zone. So if you like to be in the middle of all the action, day and night, than staying in a hotel in Nuevo Vallarta is the place for you; many touristy shops and restaurants are located here. However, there are other locations such as Zona Hotelera and Zona Marina that offer beautiful hotel accommodations as well.

In Puerto Vallarta the tourist can enjoy everything under the sun including golfing, whale watching, sport fishing and ecotourism. Surfers from all over the world have even found a place to surf in the northern town of Sayulita, about 25 miles north of PV. However, for off the beaten path beaches you may want to take a water taxi ride to the small fishing town of either Quimixto or Yelapa. To get to these towns you will need to get to the suburb called Boca de Tomatlan, reached by taking the Barra de Navidad road or carretera, traveling south of Puerto Vallarta; getting to the fishing towns could be on either taxi or public bus. Once there, you will find a few small water taxis (basically small fishing boats) that will transport you to one of the three small fishing villages. The first stop is Las Animas, next is Quimixto, and the final one is Yelapa. If agreed, the water taxi will drop you off where you wish in the morning and will come back for you at a predetermined hour in the afternoon. Quimixto is the most recommendable of the three to visit; but going early is the best bet to avoid crowds. In Quimixto you will find a hiking trail leading to a beautiful water fall; this area is wonderful for hiking.

A few hotels, especially those located in the southern parts of Vallarta such as in Conchas Chinas and Mismaloya offer their own private beach, such as Dreams Resort and Spa. However, there are many alternate hotel options, for an array of budgets, with a short distance to the beaches in that area. This area is surrounded by more tropical greenery and you will also find eco adventures such as canopy tours.

On the opposite end, the Northern side is what many refer to as the Riviera Nayarit (Nayarit is the state bordering north of Jalisco, which is the state Puerto Vallarta is in), but the official name is Punta Mita. Punta Mita is also a beautiful location, without the closeness of the mountains as found in the south, but a beautiful area with newer developments. One of these new developments is the exclusive and luxurious Four Seasons Hotel; located about 42 km from Puerto Vallarta airport.

Puerto Vallarta has everything a beach town can offer; beach, nightlife, small town ambiance, archeological site (Ixtapa) and it has been transformed into a creative and artistic Mecca. Many talented retirees and professional artists have made this town their home. This makes Puerto Vallarta a great place to view art displays as well theatrical events. It’s a good idea to always check with your hotel concierge or front desk for information on performances during your stay.   In the evenings one can enjoy anything from a loud, fun atmosphere of the restaurant bars found on the Malecon, to a quieter seafood dinner , to a possible art exhibition, whether it be performed or displayed.

Puerto Vallarta is a very unique destination in Mexico. Many tourists are repeat tourists for many reasons and the best part is that the place maintains its beauty and charm. So whether you travel alone, with your loved one or your whole family I am certain that Puerto Vallarta will not disappoint.

See you in PV and Happy Travels!

Many of us when we think of Mexico beach towns we usually think of Cancun, Los Cabos, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, maybe even Acapulco. But, just as there is much more to Mexico than beaches, there is another beach location that is mostly unexplored by the American tourist. In fact, most of the tourists found in that area are national tourists and only a small percent are international tourists, mostly Europeans, but not so many yet. So let me tell you a little more about Huatulco (pronounced, wah-toolco), on the Pacific coast, in the southern state of Oaxaca (pronounced, wah-haca).

The official name is Bahias de Huatulco (or Bays of Huatulco). The area is made up of 9 bays with about 36 beaches, from the most rustic virgin beach to the most popular swimmable beach.  The more popular bays are Bahia de Santa Cruz, Bahia Chahue and Bahia Tangolunda. Most of the bays are not resort developed yet and may not be so easily seen from the road or have easy access to get to. If renting a car, which I would recommend for at least a couple of days, you are able to explore the different beaches in the different bays at your own leisure.
Huatulco has four main parts, all within a mile or two of each other, these are, Tangolunda, Santa Cruz, La Crucecita, and Chahue.

Huatulco is a fairly new tourist destination since it only started being developed in the 1980’s. The area is protected by FONATUR, a government agency dedicated to the development of tourism in Mexico. The result is an ecologically friendly area that is protected against future development. And for those nature-concerned travelers, you will like this piece of fact, Huatulco has been awarded the Green Globe certification and it is the only resort in Mexico to have received this award. Cancun and Puerto Vallarta…eat your heart out!

So, you ask, what can I do there beside beach swimming and sunbathing? Well, my fellow travelers, despite the under developed conditions and lack of a huge international tourism crowd, Huatulco has many services to offer, such as restaurants, hotels and tourism operators. The traveler can enjoy activities such as golfing, hiking, biking, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, boat touring, motor touring, horseback riding, and coffee plantation tours. Hotels vary depending on your budget; you can get something as exclusive as Dreams Resort Huatulco or Las Brisas Huatulco, to more affordable type accommodations. I’m sure one of the expert Casto Travel leisure agents will set you up in a fantastic hotel. Oh and as far as security for tourist, it is quite safe; all its parts have a small town atmosphere.

One beach I recommend that is not too far out of the way, but it can get a bit crowded is Playa La Entrega. This beach is great for snorkeling. One way to find secluded beaches that are not very visible from the road is to do as I did. While driving around on the main road that runs parallel to the beach beware of parked vehicles on the side of the road. If you come across a few with nothing in sight of where the car owners could be, then you’ll likely find an entrance to a small trail leading to a beautiful secluded beach. Just remember to test the waters first as there are no lifeguards on duty. Some of these beaches may have quite a drop in your initial steps into the ocean.

I hope you make it to Huatulco one day, but I also hope you keep it a secret because we would not want to make this beautiful place too crowded.

The airport is 20 minutes from the resorts in Tangolunda and the major carrier is Mexicana.

Happy Travels!

Try a Holland America Cruise to Mexico!  The winter months are a great time to head down South of the Border.  What could be better than being on a wonderful cruise ship like the Holland America Oosterdam.

The ports of call were Cabo, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.  Each Port has something special to offer the Holland American guest.  In Cabo, you can swim with the Dolphins, which is a wonderful experience for old and young.  In Puerto Vallarta you can zip line or do the Jungle Tour.  I am really getting hooked on the zip line; great view!    Mazatlan is a great place to shop and the open-air cabs are a fun way to see the sites.

The winter months are the best time to see the Whales migrating off the coast of Baja.  We saw a lot of pods with babies, how cool is that!  The waters of Mexico are full of dolphins and game fish. 

The service and the food on Holland America Cruise Line is absolutely wonderful.  I was very impressed with the Lido deck buffet dinning. I cruise a lot and this was the best buffet on the seas.

Cruises are still a great value and Holland does such a wonderful job!