I’ve always loved the idea of a relaxing tropical beach vacation. While there I would spend my days reading steamy hot romance novels while sipping icy cold drinks. Occasionally I’d look up to stare out at the crystal blue waters, and the scent of the ocean and suntan oil would permeate the air. After a while the sound of the palm trees rustling in the gentle breeze would lull me to sleep. Sounds good doesn’t it? There’s only one problem with this scenario… I can’t sit still.
I’ve never been great at relaxing in the traditional sense of the word and my previous trips have reflected that. However I’m always up for trying something new so when the opportunity to join friends in Mexico presented itself who was I to say no?
We spent the better part of four fabulous days in and around Puerto Vallarta, and while I wouldn’t say I sat still the entire time, I did my fair share of relaxing — hilarystyle. By that I mean that beyond enjoying that lounge chair, and I promise I did, we also found time for plenty of exploring including: boating, snorkeling, ocean swimming, a trip to town, and plenty of delicious dining. I even found time to read that steamy romance novel I mentioned earlier!
Jungle meets the sea at the Real Del Mar, an exclusive resort, 45 minutes from Puerto Vallarta on the Riviera Nayarit. Casa Vela, as the house was named, was perched high on the hillside overlooking the ocean.
The resort’s beach club, only a short distance from the house, included multiple oceanside pools, beach activities, and a restaurant.
Breakfast was prepared at the house each morning, and included traditional Mexican dishes like huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, and enchiladas with homemade tomatillo sauce, fresh fruit, and pancakes.
Once we’d had our fill of breakfast it was time to make the most of our days!
The Pools
Both the house and the beach club had gorgeous pools with perfect water temperature and amazing views. I found my way to the house pool each morning where I enjoyed my morning coffee ritual and again each afternoon after our day’s explorations. Staring out over the jungle to the bay was absolutely dreamy.
The pools at the beach club were equally dreamy. We dipped in and out of the pools, swam in the ocean, played ping pong, and wandered through the rocks hunting for iguana.
Puerto Vallarta
Having never visited Mexico before I was determined to tear myself away from those dreamy pools and spend some time exploring the city of Puerto Vallarta. We only had one afternoon and chose Old Town Vallarta, also known as Zona Romantica, which is the most popular area of town.
Old Town is a quaint and lovely place to walk around. The cobblestone streets are narrow and lined with shops and restaurants.
The Bougainvillea is blooming in abundance and the colorful flags hanging from above create a festive atmosphere. I loved this street with all the adorable umbrellas and ocean view.
We stopped for a coffee and a snack and then spent time browsing in the shops.
There were many wonderful treasures, but I fell in love with these papier mache Day of the Dead skeletons.
Los Muertos the beach that borders Old Town is also home to many of the city’s hotels and this is where you’ll find the heaviest concentration of tourists. We walked along the beach boardwalk, explored the markets, and admired the art installations.
Street Art
There isn’t a lot of street art in Old Town Vallarta, but there is some, and you know I did my best to hunt it down. Many of the pieces I found are part of the Restore Coral Mural Project an initiative bringing awareness to the importance of coral reefs and the preservation of marine ecosystems.
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, or Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, is located in the center of town, just one block off the water, and is a symbol of Puerto Vallarta.
Construction of the church started in 1903, but it wasn’t completed until 1952. The crown atop the tower was added in 1965, but has since been replaced twice, once due to weather erosion and again after a strong earthquake knocked it down.
Boating
A highlight of the trip was our boat ride along the coast of Mexico. We spent four hours cruising south and along the way stopped to snorkel, feed the fish, and have a light lunch.
Not all of us snorkeled. Some of us had to stay onboard and take photos!
There was a large concentration of sea foam on the water the day of our sail, so in certain places swimming to shore wasn’t all that desirable. Instead we chose to go further south and admire the many amazing houses perched on the steep hillsides.
We learned that many of them are completely inaccessible by car, and use boats for everything.
My favorite part was feeding the fish. Our Captain, Edgar, sprinkled the water with crushed tortilla chips, and within moments a school of very large angelfish appeared! There’s just nothing like seeing wildlife in it’s natural habitat!
Toes in the Sand Dining
No matter the day’s activities the 8 of us met for dinner each night. We ate with our toes in the sand every night and I highly recommend it! The combination of perfect weather, scenery, friends and food, made for experiences we won’t soon forget.
Real Del Mar Beach Club
Going directly from the pool to the dinner table we watched the sun set from this idyllic spot on the beach.
Tuna Blanca
The food, service, and ambiance at Tuna Blanca, located in nearby Punta Mta, were all perfect. The pork taco was out of this world, and we all agreed it was the best thing we ate all week.
This Caesar salad, made by Octavio, was easily the best I’ve ever had. Did you know that Caesar salad was invented in Mexico?
We had an amazing view of the water from the ladies side of the table, but our charming husbands said they had the better view.
Si Señor
With a view like this every table at Si Señor, also located in Punta Mita, was the best table. Yet another gorgeous evening toes in the sand…
A Bit of This and That…
- Puerto Vallarta is a short 2.5 hour flight from Los Angeles.
- Many resorts will provide transportation from the airport, but getting a taxi from the airport would be no trouble. In fact there were so many taxis available it was somewhat overwhelming.
- Drinking bottled water is a good idea. This includes ice.
- The Real Del Mar Resort is a 45 minute taxi ride from Puerto Vallarta and 20 minutes from Punta De Mita.