Go North, Puerto Vallarta Visitor

Ask anyone who has visited Puerto Vallarta about recreational sand, and they’re certain to talk about Los Muertos. After all, it’s the city’s waterfront centerpiece. From beach clubs to al fresco cafes, it’s the main beach scene, and it’s where people go to be seen. When you’ve been in town more than a few days, however, you might find yourself longing for something a bit less “happening,” something that’s more in keeping with the quietly sophisticated ambience of your villa Puerto Vallarta.
Once you have satisfied your need to commune with huge numbers of nearly naked partiers, you can take a look at some of the other beaches that line Banderas Bay. There are plenty of good places to spread a towel along the bay north of your villa Puerto Vallarta – you simply need to take some time to determine what you want from your sandy encounters. Are you looking for surfing? It’s out there. Do you want something low-key and romantic? They’ve got it. Here are a few recommendations to get you started:
1. Playa Dorada is the rocky strip that separates the Malecón from the bay. Although most people look for a different beach when they want a spot where they can sun and splash, Playa Dorada is just fine when you’re looking for a place to take off your sandals and kick up some water.
2. Playa el Salada, at the very farthest north part of town (between the big new hotels and the water), is a large, clean chunk of sand.
3. Playa Bucerias, in the little town of Bucerias, is a delightful beach for swimming (the water is usually pretty calm here) and for sunning. A number of restaurants line up along the beach so you won’t want for something to eat or drink.
4. Destiladeras Beach, north of town, is a shallow shelf beach, really nice for swimming (it’s also a good place to take your boogie board). You won’t feel overwhelmed by the number of people, especially if you wander away from the city end of the beach. This is a nice one for taking a stroll, and you can find a bit of privacy when you want it. Catch the Punta Mita bus from the Walmart.
5. Sayulita Beach is the place to go if you want good surfing. You can get there on the Sayulita bus and stay all day – eat, drink, surf, and return to your villa Puerto Vallarta exhausted but happy.

Manners Matter in Puerto Vallarta

How many times have you earned a smack on the back of the head for doing something that was less than suave and sophisticated? Good manners matter, no matter where you are, and that’s an important fact to keep in mind as you take off for your Mexico vacation. The folks you meet, starting with the staff in most vacation rentals in Puerto Vallarta, will appreciate your efforts to handle every-day encounters with grace and courtesy.
As you make your way around town, you’ll be glad you managed to pick up bits and pieces of good manners from your parents, friends and acquaintances. You may be a bit challenged at first, however, when you discover that acceptable behaviors are not universal. It’s unusual for vacation rentals in Puerto Vallarta to provide a list of “best behavior practices,” so you’ll need to watch and learn.
A few tips up front may help. For instance, it’s wise to mind your posture – don’t slump or park your hands on your hips, and don’t force eye contact. Address the local people you meet as Señor, Señora, or Señorita (Sir, Ma’am and Miss). Be generous when leaving a tip – wages in this part of the world aren’t the best. And remember to say “please” (por favor) and “thank you” (gracias).

Puerto Vallarta Water-Worth Saving

It can be a serious intellectual challenge for some folks to catch on to the fact that water is a scarce resource in Mexico. After all, you stand in the sand on Los Muertos beach, gazing out over Banderas Bay, and it seems to spill over the horizon, and closer to home, the pool in your Puerto Vallarta villa rental beckons invitingly. Still, try to remember that water is something you should use wisely.
“What gives?” you wonder; there’s water in the bay, water in the Rio Cuale and the Mascota River. There are swimming pools and water fountains in every patio and courtyard. And perhaps that’s the point – it seems to be everywhere, but water is Mexico’s scarce resource. An adequate supply of clean water for the future is not a sure thing. So, as you enjoy the good life in your Puerto Vallarta villa rental, do some small things to help out.

1. Take a shorter shower and turn off the tap when you brush your teeth.

2. Turn the water taps off firmly – those little drips can add up to lots of water down the drain.

3. Cover the pool and hot tub at your Puerto Vallarta villa rental when you leave to prevent water loss through evaporation.

Do a Day in Puerto Vallarta

Granted, it’s a ridiculous exercise – who in their right mind plans to visit Puerto Vallarta for a single day? That’s it – one day, no more – then out. While this scenario may never happen, yet you might be tempted to “do” the city in a day, then spend the rest of your holiday knocking around in one of those posh villa rentals Mexico.
If you plan to spend the bulk of your time hanging out on your own pool patio, sipping mojitos under your own palapa (these are the things villa rentals Mexico are famous for), take one day and visit these attractions so you have pictures of something other than your own sunburn to share with those you left behind.
1. The Malecón is one of the most fashionable places in the city for taking a stroll. The open-air sculpture garden features work by international artists, well worth a visit.
2. Visit the island in the Rio Cuale. Here, you can cool your jets with the iguanas, the original kicked-back greenies, or you can shop till you drop in the stalls of the local flea market. Either way, lots of fun.
3. Walk on Los Muertos beach – the most trendy beach in town and a local gathering spot.

When in Puerto Vallarta, Start the Day the Mexican Way

Remember the good old days, when you mom went to great lengths to get you to eat breakfast, that fabled “most important meal of the day.” Well, cowboy, the facts that you’re on vacation, that you’re living in a luxurious Puerto Vallarta villa, and that you danced last night until the roosters started to crow this morning doesn’t mean you get to skip el desayuno (how the locals refer to the MIMotD).

And really, when you learn what’s on the menu, you’re not going to want to miss one delicious bite. Say, for example, that your night involved both dancing and adult beverages, and you’re feeling just a bit shaky on your hind legs. Go for a continental breakfast, complete with locally roasted coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice and some Mexican sweet bread (if you’re feeling strong, try a dash of cinnamon in that coffee).

When you wake up with a huge appetite, no doubt the chef at your Puerto Vallarta villa will offer you a breakfast to rival the best. Again, expect the OJ and coffee – they’re staples of a good Mexican breakfast. Add to that a breakfast platter heaped with tortillas, chorizo (sausage), refritos and huevos (eggs). And best of all, it’s available with a side of sunrise.

Sunset on Banderas Bay

Mother Nature seems to have done her level best to create as much natural beauty around Banderas Bay as a guy can handle in a lifetime. The resort city of Puerto Vallarta tucks into the curve of the bay, the green jungle climbs the mountains east of town, and the bay itself is the glittering centerpiece of the whole thing. And many of the loveliest villa rentals Mexico in Puerto Vallarta are designed to take full advantage of the views, which means they’re ideal spots for sunset watchers.

For many of us, sunset is a particularly romantic and magical time of day – the sun paints vivid colors on the; the water of the bay is transformed to an inky blue; and twinkling lights pop out all over the city to make up for evening’s growing darkness. Sunset fans can find a variety of ring-side seats around town, starting with those villa rentals Mexico on the hill. Here are a few others:

1. Le Kliff and El Faro Lighthouse Bar both offer an elevated vantage point, and good drinks, as well.
2. The bay itself offers a couple of options: it’s hard to get closer than a blanket on the beach, and a sunset cruise on the bay puts you front and center.

Sample Puerto Vallarta’s Adult Beverages

While ultimate relaxation is the name of the game, you certainly don’t want to spend your entire Mexican holiday “three sheets to the wind,” as they say – there are simply too many things to see and do. Still, with its sunny days and ocean breezes, it’s a made-to-order location when you want to try out new and exotic adult beverages on the beach or on the pool deck of your villa rental Puerto.

For those who are mostly strangers to the vast offerings of tropical alcoholic beverages, a sampler prepared by the chef or one of the staff at your villa rental Puerto Vallarta might be the best way to learn what you like and what you really like. Some of the most popular local concoctions include tequila (it’s local and it packs a wallop) or rum, and favorite drinks include the margarita, the mojito and iced cerveza.

Once you’ve identified your favorite, step out and see how the local bartenders do things. Visitors say that Joe Jack’s Fish Shack is the place to go for double-shot mojitos (they do two-fers, which is only a bargain if you’re enjoying these with a friend). Café Roma, at Encino 287, serves the coldest beer. And Cheeky Monkey offers $1 margaritas (go easy on those, cowboy).

Puerto Vallarta’s Mata Ortiz Galleries

Many people, when they picture Mexican pottery in their heads, imagine heavy pieces hand-painted in bright colors – in fact, many a villa Puerto Vallarta features delightful pieces that add warmth and charm to the place. Artists in the pueblo (town) of Mata Ortiz go a different way with their distinctive work. Mata Ortiz potters draw on traditions from ancient pottery styles and introduce a modern flair to create some of the loveliest pieces you can find (and lucky you if you find examples of their work in your villa Puerto Vallarta).

These artists have been working their magic in clay in a small town not far from the international boundary between Texas, USA and Chihuahua, Mexico for decades, although they showed up on the art world’s radar in the mid 1970s. Mata Ortiz potters start their pots with coils of locally-produced clay, and each piece is created by hand rather than with a potter’s wheel. You can find examples of their exquisite work for sale at two different galleries in Puerto Vallarta: the Mata Ortiz Pottery Gallery at Lazaro Cardenas 268A and the Galeria de Ollas, at Corona 176. Each unique piece has its own personality, so when you go pot hunting, discover the one that touches you most.

Golf Vista Vallarta

Fans of professional golf are forced to seek out other diversions (NASCAR, futbol, roller derby) during that bleak period when one Tour season ends and the next has yet to begin. Folks who like to get out there and swing their own club, on the other hand, are rarely faced with that challenge, particularly when they’re staying in a villa rental Puerto Vallarta – it’s always golf season on Banderas Bay. You’ll find plenty of excellent golf courses in and around town, mostly around the north end of the bay. They’re close enough to your villa rental Puerto Vallarta that you can enjoy 18 holes and still be home in time for dinner. The two courses at Vista Vallarta, Vista Vallarta Nicklaus and Vista Vallarta Weiskopf, are among the most popular. The courses are sit in the foothills above the city and offer commanding views of Banderas Bay. Naturally, yours isn’t a sight-seeing excursion – you’re in it for the golf, and these two courses will give you all that you can manage. Each course was designed by its golf pro namesake, and each is ranked among the Top 10 Golf Courses in Mexico. Ask the staff at your villa rental Puerto Vallarta if you’re eligible for discounted greens fees.

Small Bites of Puerto Vallarta

It’s a standard question, posed by nearly every server in every restaurant you visit (and perhaps by the chef at your villa Puerto Vallarta): “Would you like to start off with something special before you order your meal?” It is an invitation to take a hard look at the hors d’oeuvres list and select something that’s small and yummy and guaranteed to pique your appetite. In Mexico, whether you’re sitting in the kitchen at your villa Puerto Vallarta or your favorite beachfront café or one of the city’s most elegant restaurants, they’re called tapas, and you can make an entire meal of them. We’re not talking chips and salsa, here – serious tapas look a bit like lovely, tasty mini-meals. If you need further convincing, pay a visit to Barcelona Tapas, located downtown at the corner of Matamoros and de Octubre. These folks have a menu of tapas that will make your head spin. You can choose cold or hot dishes, dishes that feature cheeses and seafood and chicken – the list goes on and on. The selection is so big, in fact, that the kind folks at Barcelona Tapas have created the “Chef’s Surprise Tasting Menu,” a combination of hots, colds and sweets, to break the ice.

A Lesson in Puerto Vallarta Geography

Now that you’ve told everyone you know that you’ll soon be kicking back in a villa Puerto Vallarta, the questions are starting to roll in: how big is the villa? How many bedrooms (any extra)? How close to the beach? Where is Puerto Vallarta? You have answers ready: the villa’s huge; it has five bedrooms (all claimed); you can see the beach from the balcony; and it’s in Mexico – duh!

Here’s the thing – Mexico is big and you’ll sound smarter if you can actually identify some of the particulars about your destination. Tell your friends that you’ll be staying in a villa Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, Mexico, the sixth largest state in that nation. It’s pretty much central to Mexico in a north-south sense, and its western boundary is the Pacific Ocean - that beach you see from your balcony.

Jalisco is actually kind of a big deal. Guadalajara, the capital city, is second in size only to Mexico City. The state has the fourth largest population in the country. It is the home of Mexico’s largest natural lake, Lake Chalapa.

A bit closer to home, or at least closer to your villa Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay, the largest natural bay in Mexico, glitters all along the edge of the city. And the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range rises up behind the city.

For further information on villa rentals Mexico or Puerto Vallarta Villa please visit www.villaencantada.com

Clean Up in Puerto Vallarta

It’s a sad reality that dirty laundry happens even (or perhaps especially) when you’re enjoying a few days in the sun on Mexico’s Banderas Bay. Of course, you can remain in your Puerto Vallarta villa, discretely hidden from prying eyes, and spend your days and nights au natural, as they say. While this strategy has some merit, it will prevent you from fully enjoying your stay – in other words, no beach volleyball, no zip line tours, no karaoke at Carlos O’Brien’s.

A more realistic approach to the laundry issue might involve scheduling a brief time-out for a trip to the lavandería, or laundromat. You can find a good facility at 289 Francisco Madero. (Note: if your Puerto Vallarta villa has laundry facilities, your friendly staff can probably teach you to use the machines in short order, and they may even volunteer to do the job themselves.)

You’ll have your best results if you acknowledge from the start that this isn’t your regular stomping ground and ask someone in the know for advice. For instance, laundry detergents in Mexico tend to be somewhat less forgiving that what you may be used to, so don’t overdo it or your favorite red dress may come out in shades of pink.