| | |  Travel & Outdoors | January 2009 
Puerto Vallarta: Paradise in Mexico
 Gary Sorensen - The Spectrum
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| | One spot for an exotic retreat on the west coast of Mexico is Puerto Vallarta. (PromoVision) | |
Mexico is a wonderful destination with sunshine, warm temperatures, endless beaches, stunning sunsets and amazing resorts and, best yet, it's reasonably priced.
My favorite west coast destination is Puerto Vallarta in the Mexican Riviera.
Puerto Vallarta is a typical Mexican tourist town, but it has a lot of charm. It's set on the beautiful Banderas Bay and is surrounded by hills covered with a solid green jungle.
The beaches have soft sand, and you can play in the waves or relax while watching the sun gently set on the horizon. Our boys loved boogie boarding, and Tanner loved playing soccer or volleyball on the beach each morning with Mexican vacationers even though he didn't speak a word of Spanish.
We had a lot of fun on a snorkeling day trip to some islands in the mouth of the bay. The fish were beautiful, but the real highlights of the boat ride were the amazing sightings of whales.
The ride took about an hour each way and we probably saw 30 to 40 whales, including mothers with calves. It was incredible when one whale came up right next to the boat and then submerged underneath us. It was a thrilling experience.
If you want to plan whale watching into your trip, whales winter in Banderas Bay from December through March.
We stayed in a newer area to the north of the city called Nuevo Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. The resorts are beautiful with spacious grounds.
The new RIU Palace Pacifico hotel looks like a palace set on a tropical beach. It's known for quiet luxury and decadent amenities.
Another new hotel is the Villa La Estancia, which is also beautiful and offers a kitchen to cut down on the costs of eating out. There are many other resorts in this area in nearly every price range.
When you do eat out you need to go to Pipi's Restaurant in the heart of Puerto Vallarta. The food and service were excellent, and we especially liked the fresh guacamole that they made right at our table.
Call for reservations or go early because this is the most popular restaurant in the city.
Many places to shop in the city offer souvenirs and jewelry. Take a stroll on the boardwalk that runs along the downtown shoreline and bargain with the local beach vendors.
Activities available in Puerto Vallarta include jungle tours, ATV rides and visits to outlying towns. Our family loved our week in Puerto Vallarta, and we can't wait for another opportunity to relax in paradise.
Travel Tip: When going to any Mexican destination be wary of the timeshare salespeople who will hound you as you come out of customs. They will offer great prizes for you to listen to their presentations, but keep in mind these are high pressure situations and often not worth the prize.
Travel Deals: We're receiving so many cruise offerings on a daily basis that there is not space to list them all. Cruise prices are the lowest I've ever seen. Don't miss your opportunity to experience the luxury of cruising at discount rates.
Gary Sorensen is the Travel and Insurance Manager for AAA in Washington City, Utah. |
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