Puerto Vallarta

**SLAYER** · 11-24-2008, 04:50 PM

Heading down south after Thanksgiving with the family. Yelapa, Mismaloya, and Punta Mita are on the radar.

Any other places to hit that are away from the crowds and worth the extra effort to visit?

**sawatchsplitter** · 11-25-2008, 10:17 AM

San Pancho is pretty cool and laid back. Be sure to hit the malecon in PV on Saturday night...very entertaining!

**Professor Chaos** · 11-25-2008, 01:43 PM

I loved Bucerias last time we went to Puerta Vallarta. Spent the whole time there. Its North of Puerto, near Nuevo Vallarta, and is in between Punta Mita(south of) and Mismaloya(north of) if Im not mistaken.

The people we cool and theres a neat market area. The best part was waking up in the morning and buying a beautiful fresh caught fish for $5, only to have them also perfectly cook/roast it for us and then enjoy some refreshments to go with it.

**Name Redacted** · 11-14-2015, 10:41 AM

Bumping this old ass thread. We are headed down in a few weeks and will be based in PV, but looking to get up north to check out some surf spots and beaches that way.

Any new recommendations for stuff to do? I'm not very good at beach vacations. I usually just end up drinking poolside the whole time, but would like to get out and do some more active stuff before the margs start flowing.

**Yonder_River** · 11-14-2015, 11:14 AM

Eat at the fish taco place across the bridge/walkway at the airport once you land. You will thank me afterwards.

**XXX-er** · 11-14-2015, 11:23 AM

I went to Sayulita last january which they tell me has got a lot more popular in the last 5 yrs but its still funky/ friendly , from the airport walk over the highway and hop a bus an easy 1hr bus ride north from the airport.

I noticed all the people with tensor bandages (from surfing?) I had a torn MCL so I just walked on the beach and got loaded and closed the bars at night

I booked an air BNB which was reallly cheap, buddy was a bering sea fisherman/drummer in a reggae band so it was interesting

**Name Redacted** · 11-14-2015, 11:29 AM

Yeah, we are staying at some fancy resort in PV, inherited a timeshare from the inlaws. Strangely, we have it for a week, but my wife leaves early to go back to work and I'm staying three more nights solo. That's when I might head up to Sayulita or Punta Mita. Definitely looking to do a little surfing or SUP.

The fish taco place will be our first stop Yonder!

**shroom** · 11-14-2015, 12:05 PM

also enjoyed salyulita when I was in PV last year. other notes:

-Pancho's Takos kills it
-the zoo in PV is fucking Jurassic Park
-taking a boat to Yelapa was a pretty cool way to get away

**Lev** · 11-15-2015, 02:46 PM

The lady and I are going down there in a few weeks too. Dec 3rd I believe, for 4 nights. Staying at some americana place, I forget the name. I don't surf, but we'll certainly be looking for some activities to get in to. Shoot me a PM if you're gonna be down there then.

**AKbruin** · 11-16-2015, 02:41 PM

I stayed in Sayulita for six days with my wife a few years ago. It's a fantastic, mainly sleepy little surf and fishing town. We stayed at a resort (Playa Escondita) and really didn't do much other than eat, wander, and hang out.

**Name Redacted** · 11-21-2015, 03:21 PM

Signed up for a tour the first day so we can get a lay of the land. Trying to get excited about this, but when the snow is so good at home right now, it's hard to get stoked about the beach. Where's that First world Problems thread?

**splitinbend** · 11-23-2015, 02:55 AM

There's no surf down there in the winter. All the swells coming from the north pretty much get blocked by baja.

**Name Redacted** · 11-23-2015, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by splitinbend

There's no surf down there in the winter. All the swells coming from the north pretty much get blocked by baja.

I heard the opposite but makes sense, it is a puerto. I would love to get a few days surfing in, but if it does't happen, I'll be fine with some tequila and whatever happens next.

**splitinbend** · 11-24-2015, 02:58 AM

Originally Posted by shredgnar

I heard the opposite but makes sense, it is a puerto. I would love to get a few days surfing in, but if it does't happen, I'll be fine with some tequila and whatever happens next.

You may get some tapering effect from a big north out past punta mita (who knows what El Nino could provide too) if you take a boat ride out to the island, but don't waste your time thinking your going to get waves in Sayulita. I've been to Sayulita a bunch and there's actually some fun snorkeling and paddle boarding zones to the south just past the Villa Amor around the rocks.

**Name Redacted** · 11-24-2015, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by splitinbend

You may get some tapering effect from a big north out past punta mita (who knows what El Nino could provide too) if you take a boat ride out to the island, but don't waste your time thinking your going to get waves in Sayulita. I've been to Sayulita a bunch and there's actually some fun snorkeling and paddle boarding zones to the south just past the Villa Amor around the rocks.

Yeah, I don't have my heart set on surf anyway. I wouldn't mind paddle boarding around some cool shoreline rock features and doing some snorkeling. Catching some small waves on a paddle board would be something different too.

**thommy21** · 11-24-2015, 09:32 AM

On your way back down from Sayulita swing by Sonora al Sur in Nuevo Vallarta. Random place kind of in an industrial-ish feeling area. Pick your cut at the butcher and they grill it right there. Add some sides, beers and it's pretty awesome and not at tourist prices. Good fish tacos at the far end of the pedestrian art/walking area past the trinket peddling market in PV. Can't remember the place. We did the sailboat tour over to Yelapa and that was a pretty good way to go. Couple people got seasick but otherwise a fun time.

**XXX-er** · 11-24-2015, 11:22 AM

I was suprised at how fast you could be on a totally deserted beach at sayulita, just walk north along the beach after the last house get up on the road which will take you in land enough to more easily get around the rocky point and on the other side is a totally deserted beach with shady trees right on the sand a good place to hang out with a bum knee a book and a left hand cigarette

nite action was the rodeo bar for some reggae followed by the don patico bar followed by a big beach party on friday nites at a beach bar

**k2skier112** · 11-24-2015, 12:07 PM

Awesome zip line!

http://www.vallarta-adventures.com/t...nopy-adventure

**el hefe** · 11-24-2015, 12:14 PM

Car rental question. I am going down with my 2 kids and wife on Sunday.

With our HSBC premier mastercard it says that we have "Car Rental Insurance2 – Rent your car with the HSBC Premier MasterCard and receive automatic Collision Damage Waiver Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance and Personal Effects Insurance"

Anyone have any past experience with this? Rental rates go from about $100 for the week up to $500ish once you add the companies insurance. Don't want to get in a accident and get raped down there because I cheaped out on insurance.

**el hefe** · 11-24-2015, 12:31 PM

Doesn't sound like its a good idea to try and save a couple hundred $$$

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Travel-g15...In.Mexico.html

**Name Redacted** · 03-24-2019, 08:51 AM

Can anyone suggest a way to get up to Bucerias and Sayulita from PV besides renting a car and driving myself? Headed down in a few weeks and want to check these areas out, maybe do some surfing, and spend a day out of the PV scene.

Last time I was there, there was a public bus but it sounded like it'd take all day to get there.

**XXX-er** · 03-24-2019, 09:43 AM

I took the bus to Sayulita and I seem to remember < 2 hrs and pretty cheap

edit: it looks like 4 years ago I wrote above that it was a easy 1hr bus ride north of the airport, after clearing immigration/customs get a couple hits of complimentary Mescal from the timeshare salesmen, take the bridge over the highway and the stop is right there .

**Foggy_Goggles** · 03-24-2019, 12:28 PM

You can take a bus, taxi or uber. Re: surfing, the rest of the coast ain't like the gringo jong scene in Sayulita with the exception of the in town Puta Mita if it is working. In other words, if you are a beginner surfer and you just want to get a day in, Sayulita will be your best bet most likely. There are other options, best to ask for some up to date info in the surf fourm. FWIW, I dislike PV and Sayulita but really enjoy Buscerias and Punta Mita.

**Diamond Joe** · 03-24-2019, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

FWIW, I dislike PV and Sayulita but really enjoy Buscerias and Punta Mita.

What do you dislike about it? I’m not a world traveler by any means but of all the places I’ve been, Puerto Vallarta is one of my favorites. I want to retire there