Jesses16

Hi,

My husband and I have been to PDC twice and we love it. The beaches are beautiful, the snorkeling is fun, people are friendly and the overall vacation can be cheap but fantastic. We want to get out of the frigid North East in February, but we are torn. Should we head back to PDC, which is a sure thing for us, or try some place new, like PV to see a little more of the world? We sure would hate to be disappointed! Please help.

Here's what we're looking for:
1. Snorkeling and/or other natural activities.
2. Good but fairly cheap food and accomodations. (We don't want anything too glitzy, but don't want mosquitos in our room either!)We paid $75/night in Feb. for our PDC hotel room.
3. A combination of activities and down time (reading on the beach).
4. Beautiful setting.

I'm just in the beginnings of my search for a vacation spot, so any other input about PV or other destination suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks for your responses!

suze

I love Puerto Vallarta and have the impression it is almost a "sister city" to Playa del Carmen. It seems most people who like one, also like the other. I can't honestly compare because my situation is opposite to yours. I've been to PV ~15 times and am thinking of trying PDC next!!

PV has what you are looking for except the snorkeling is not so great. And I'll mention beaches are nicer on the Caribbean side than the Pacific.

That said, you can easily find nice places to stay for $75 per night. Take a look at www.casa-andrea.com. There's no mosquitos in PV to worry about. The local people are incredibly friendly and welcoming. Loads of great food and drink and not expensive.

My best recommendation if you try PV, stay in Old Town/Zona Romantica down on the south side. Nuevo Vallarta is the new development out to the north of town and is more Cancun-esque.

suze

www.hoteleloisa.com is another good hotel in that price range, just off the beach.

If you check other threads here on Fodors about PV, I've posted tons... suggested activities, descriptions of things around town, etc.

suze

The setting is on the Bay of Banderas, surrounded by the mountains and jungles. It is incredibly beautiful IMO. Flying in, when I first see the area from the plane, brings tears to my eyes every trip.

Little_Man

they are very different. PV is a big city, and some of it isn't very attractive, but the old town and the landscape and the sunsets are very beautiful. You won't find the same great beaches or snorkeling, but you will find great restaurants, and it is a great "walking around" town. The hotel with the best beach is Dreams, though it'll be more than $75 per night. Casa Andrea looks nice, too, but not sure of their prices. casaandrea.com.
good luck!

Pausanias

Have you considered Belize?

San Pedro on Ambergris Caye is very laid back, with excellent snorkelling and fishing. Lots of good casual restaurants. You drive around in golf carts and you take it very easy.

You can make excursions to the mainland to visit Mayan ruins or go caving . . . or split your time between a jungle lodge and the beach.

Worked for us.

blondlady

I also love Puerto Vallarta. PDC is "cleaner" than PV. The old PDC is almost shawdowed by the new developments and the resorts. PDC boosts 5th avenue which is quite different than PV and the Malecon. But the Malecon in PV is delightful. The bronze figures, the venders, the theater where many children events are held, views of the cathedral and the views looking up the side streets with your back to the ocean are pictures themselves. I like the "old" in old town PV. The beach is fun, maybe not as pretty as the Carribean, but still its good. The swinging bridges are a kick down by the flea market on the River Cuale. Much to see and do if your are adventurous and especially if you like to walk and explore. Snorkeling is of course not as great as Cozumel and around PDC, but its still fun, you still see fish! AND dolphins. You won't be dissappointed if you've read the PV posts and know what is there. Go, Have a blast!!

mybeep1

If you love PDC, be very careful about PV. They are far from sister cities and couldn't be more opposite in many respects. You had shade trees all over the beach at PDC, not in PV. You had crystal clear water in PDC, you'll get dark water in PV. You had white sand in PDC, you'll have tan in PV.

The issue you have to weigh is how destroyed is PDC. Price wise you can find comparable stuff in both. If you want a change for change purposes, then give it a try but reset your expectations. Other options would include Aruba for comparable beach experience to PDC.

suze

In light of recent discussions here, I stand corrected about any similarity between the two places.

I don't think Puerto Vallarta is a good choice if you are looking for a 5-star resort or want a luxurious or pampered situation. It is more a honkey-tonk, funky, lively beach town with a good mix of foreign tourists and Mexican visitors.

blondlady

Puerto Vallarta has its upscale resorts, they just are not in Old Town on Los Muertos Beach. PV is beautiful in its own way, the people, the cathedral, the malecon statues, the coast line from a pongo boat ride, the sunsets, fabulous homes perched on the sides of the hills. We have fun snorkeling in PV -- the snorkeling tours are fun even if its not the same crystal clear water as the carribean, meeting the other people on the snorkeling tours is half the fun. The canopy Zip tour, ATV's through a mexican village and through the river, all fun, tour of the rich peoples homes (an excellent charity by the way) -- all fun!!!! Because of the damage to PDC its not a sure thing, this is your chance to explore.

suze

Have you thought about Ixtapa/Zijuat?