Why do you like Puerto Vallarta?
 

Soemone asked me this question over on a Caribbean forum thread. I thought I'd bring it back over to the Mexico forum so other people might toss in their dos centavos.

bostonallison on Nov 1, 10 at 12:04pm
Thanks so much Suze. I can tell how much you enjoy Puerto Vallarta from your response! How are the beaches, beautiful? Can you walk the beaches, are there little bars and cafes along the beach for relaxing? We do not like large AI hotels, we prefer smaller places but don't want to be in a hotel in the middle of nowhere either.

Here's what I said in reply.

Yes you can walk on the beaches, and yes are beautiful but nothing like those on the Caribbean side or in the Caribbean. It's the Pacific ocean, so more rough and rugged, you don't get the white sand turquoise water on the west coast. Yes there are beaches lined with cute beach bars where you can relax in a chair under a palapa right on the sand with drinks and food service available. You can lieterally have dinner with waves washing over your feet under the table.

I have never stayed at an All-Inclusive so can't really comment except to say, they really aren't much the thing in PV. You are more to find small resorts and traditional Mexican hotels around Centro/Southside area. I stay right in town which is walking distance to everywhere. The smaller places in PV are right in the thick of things not isolated at all.

I live on the west coast, so part of the appeal for me is travel time~I have to waste an entire day there and back if I want to go to Cancun!! I like the culture of PV~it is an old city, unlike parts of Cabo or Cancun.

Thanks Suze. I did a search and you really are all over the PV board! Plenty for me to read, thanks! :)

de nada. the pleasure is mine.

Vallarta is a noisy, busy, hussling, bussling kind of place. honking horns, traffic jambs, swaying palm trees, beautiful sunsets, wonderful welcoming people.

Most people who go for the first time love too. It seems the ones who don't are most often either off a cruise ship for only the day, or they were expecting a hut on a deserted beach, or a Mexican town back in time (they are dissappointed to see McDonald's or Walmart). It's a modern city, along with a beautiful beach getaway.

Just returned last week from our first trip to PV. Stayed in a B&B and a small hotel downtown.

We liked that we could walk everywhere. Lots of beach bars, lots of restaurants. Food and drink were quite inexpensive.

Enjoyed climbing all those stairs to wander the residential neighborhoods up in the hills.

It is a city, but, has the feel of a small town. A few tall condo buildings, but no true high rises downtown.

Love the Botanical Gardens - amazing place to spend a day ... we stay in a condo at Punta Negra, and we love the quiet of the beach. Easy bus ride into the hustle and bustle of town, and then a taxi ride home after dinner and drinks.

I love wandering the Hills above the city, the Island especially the upper end so peaceful compared to the hustle bustle along the Malacon although love that too. I also like getting out into the pure Mexican neighborhoods with seldom a tourist in sight. I love all the great restaurants especially The Red Cabbage, Bolero, Chez Elena's & all the taco stands.
Love the postage stamp beach at Conchas Chinos with good snorkeling & virtually no peddlers.
I detest the time share hustle, the hordes of Beach Peddlers on Playa Muertos & the Traffic.

Thanks everyone for participating on this thread!

Did anyone mention the sunsets? THE most beautiful I've ever seen, anywhere.

Sorry Suze but with much clearer air Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa beats PV badly in the sunset department

Stewbear~~ I believe you but I've never been to Zihuat. That's why I said the most beautiful **I've** ever seen.
:-)

You are correct Suze. Our traffic is probably 1/50th of what PV has so that helps a lot. Gets heavier every year though.

I'd like to get to many of the other Mexican beach resorts. I know that I would love Zihuatanejo, know that! I'm also interested in Isla Mujeres and Playa del Carmen, maybe even Cozumel over the 'other side'. And Mazatlan and Acapulco, just to see what they're all about.

Our traffic has little to do with air clarity here, the bay is huge. Sometimes it's hazy, but it has nothing to do with traffic.
The best sunsets require clouds and our mountain range on the south side of the bay, the Sierras Tuito, provide them in the late afternoon.

Carbon- Lo Siento but as one who's visited PV for 25 years I have watch the air quality get worst over that time. Not that this has happen other places including Acapulco & others.

I absolutely love Puerto Vallarta and am considering my third trip back in March 2011. I love that it's so close to Seattle. I love wandering along the Malecon and I love that the dining is sooooo good and pretty inexpensive. The weather and the people are pretty fantastic, too!

Suze, I'm really curious whether or not you've stayed in Sayulita.

hi beanweb~ No, the furthest north i've been is on a day trip to Punta Mita (the beach called El Anclote). I really love being IN downtown PV. It's the hussle and bussle and all the people I adore. I have the feeling Sayulita would be too isolated for me, especially since I'm most often solo.

I *love* Cozumel but if you really like the hustle and bustle, then you probably might feel a little isolated in Cozumel. There is a small but great "downtown" area but it's not like PV. And most of the beachside resorts aren't really near anything. Best to start with Playa del Carmen and take a daytrip to Cozumel to see if you would like it!

I really want to try Tulum but the short flight to PV makes it difficult to broaden my horizons. :)

shhh... i'll tell you a secret, i've been doing Hawaii recently. the 6 hour nonstop flight on Hawaiian Air is lovely. it's been a nice change/addition to Mexico these past few years.

Me too... in 2010 alone I've done Kauai 2 times and am heading to Maui for Thanksgiving (3rd trip to Maui in 3 years). I get ridiculed at work for going to Hawaii so often, but it's fabulous and a great deal from Seattle. I was also recently scuba certified, and the diving in Hawaii is *way* better than Mexico!

I'll probably go again in March and suffer more ridicule for my predictable vacation choices. :)