OKViking

We are considering a trip to the west side of Mexico in late February or mid March-- have been to Playa del Carmen and loved it but would like to check out the other side....any recommendations as to Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, or other location-- and if so, I think we might like an all-inclusive (with a comfortable bed). I appreciate any suggestions -- thx..

cmsitaly

I have been to Ixtapa and Playa. No doubt in my mind I would return to Playa. We loved it last year and are going again this year. I enjoyed Ixtapa, but Playa was wonderful. I have not heard too many positive reviews about Vallarta but that is just people I know.

Little_Man

PV is beautiful, at least the old town and the south area of the city. I'd avoid Nuevo Vallarta, personally, I think that may be where some of the bad reviews of PV come in.
Dreams is an all inclusive in a gorgeous spot in PV, I stayed there when it was a Camino Real hotel, and it was just great. However, the beds were hard!
I think PV has a lot of character, but the beaches don't compare to Playa. Los Cabos has some beautiful upscale resorts, but most beaches are not swimmable, and the landscape is desert, not jungly.

Christina

I guess it depends on the goal of your vacation. I would try the west coast just to see something different for a change -- Playa del Carmen would get pretty old after a while. I think PV is definitely more interesting than PDC, but it's a larger city . It has better hotels for the money, also, IMO, and lots of better restaurants. I don't do AIs though, so can't comment on those values and comparison. Comfortable beds are not very easy to get in Mexico, unfortunately.

I think if you are very strongly interested in beaches and snorkeling, PDC would be the better bet than PV, but maybe not otherwise. I think there might be more interesting/easier day trips from PDC if you don't have a car than from PV (my impression, such as to Tulum, Koba, some of the ecoparks, etc).

The main negative about PV is there are tons of timeshare salespeople who literally accost you everywhere you turn, even if you are minding your own business. I really really got sick of them after a while and they are often quite nasty and insulting. They have no shame -- I had several of them accost me in stores where I was just buying Indian crafts, they were the store clerks who also sold timeshares on the side. One was an American woman who lives down there now, and even though I was in a middle to upper end arts store, she started trying to get me to come to her stupid timeshare presentation while I was buying some artwork. These people have no shame, I don't understand why she wasn't embarrassed to be behaving so poorly and aggressively. I had some of them insult me when I ignored them on the streets and call me names (they have small hole-in-the-window shops on some of the main streets and call out to people going by). One told me I had an ugly face when I wasn't interested.

Now I have read some comments somewhere about timeshare salesmen in PDC, but I never once encountered one anywhere nor did any salesperson in shops start trying to pitch me timeshares. I think maybe that happens if you stay at some of the expensive AI hotels or resorts (ie, Gran Porto Real), where they are in the lobby, but it never happened to me.

suze

I love Puerto Vallarta and return often. But it's not a place I'd recommend for staying at an all-inclusive or out in Nuevo Vallarta (where most of the high end resorts are located). It's all about being in downtown, eating at the great local places...

OKViking

Thx for all your tips... what about Acapulco as another alternative?

blondlady

If you like art galleries, (really nice galleries), flea markets, quaint cobblestone streets, open air fish market, watching the pelicans dive, watching dolphins from the beach, whale watching, fabulous private beach tour with a great lunch, zip tours over the jungly, outstanding restaurant choices, free entertainment on the malecon, walking along the ocean Malecon at night with the ocean roaring and gleaning in the moonlight-- exploring tiny quaint streets with houses nestled in the darndest holes in the hillside,watching or participating in parasailing, fabulous dinners on the beach -- shall I go on?????? Pick Puerto Vallarta Old Town (Zona Romantica) If you have a week you won't see it all. Stay in Centro or Old town though. The time share people --just trying to make a living-- and all you have to do is say no and keep walking. Just tell them you are leaving in 2 hours. It's colorful, enchanting, exciting, and so much more. Don't go AI because there are too many restaurants. Recommend Basillio Badilla and Olas Altas Streets and PiPi's restaurant on Pipila.

cch1

Hello,
I'd recommend a consideration of the Bahias de Huatulco area. We were there in November and you could HQ out of a little city called La Crucecita and take cabs to the various bays for sunning/snorkeling for about $5 US each way. We flew into Oaxaca City and took a bus to Huatulco...kind of a long trip by bus (7 hours), but it ended up being worth it. Plus, the Bahias area isn't quite as touristy as the other areas you are considering-provided a cruise ship doesn't come to port while you are there. Good luck.

suze

also people fly between oaxaca and huatulco instead of taking a bus.