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Thread: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

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    God/dess carmen_b's Avatar
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    Default Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    I'm excited ....... but clueless. I'm heading to the book store now to get a book . I leave really soon.

    Would love info on : the prettiest beach you saw there ( I prefer a tranquil but safe vibe over crowded/party vibe ). I realize the sand isn't powdery/white like the atlantic side of Mexico. That's about as far as my research has come.

    Any cool places you discovered while there ? I have a week to explore and only one day planned ( snorkeling at los arcos ) . I might go sportfishing one day too. I love snorkeling and if there are other spots anyone found that are better than los arcos, please let me know.

    I want to see awesome stuff and try to not be in tourist traps the whole time. Hotel is in the stuffed with tourist zone already, so I'll be doing excursions from there.

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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    i've never been, but i know someone who has.

    i know nothing about beaches, but there is a very neat group of natives there called the tepehuan. they do this very cool act where they swing from ropes high in the air.

    stay away from chinese food, i heard it's really gross!

    there's a really neat church where there's grass that has grown in a cross pattern for years: La Iglesia de la Cruz de Zacate (The Church of the Cross of Grass)

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    Veteran Member dreamer1980's Avatar
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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    Quote Originally Posted by carmen_b View Post
    I'm excited ....... but clueless. I'm heading to the book store now to get a book . I leave really soon.

    Would love info on : the prettiest beach you saw there ( I prefer a tranquil but safe vibe over crowded/party vibe ). I realize the sand isn't powdery/white like the atlantic side of Mexico. That's about as far as my research has come.

    Any cool places you discovered while there ? I have a week to explore and only one day planned ( snorkeling at los arcos ) . I might go sportfishing one day too. I love snorkeling and if there are other spots anyone found that are better than los arcos, please let me know.

    I want to see awesome stuff and try to not be in tourist traps the whole time. Hotel is in the stuffed with tourist zone already, so I'll be doing excursions from there.
    you DEFINITELY have to check out the tequila distilleries! and make sure you try their free samples, i guaranty you wont be disappointed ...just make sure you wait a while before eating as your mouth and throat will be numb

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    God/dess Mr Hyde's Avatar
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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    Quote Originally Posted by carmen_b View Post
    I'm excited ....... but clueless. I'm heading to the book store now to get a book . I leave really soon.

    Would love info on : the prettiest beach you saw there ( I prefer a tranquil but safe vibe over crowded/party vibe ). I realize the sand isn't powdery/white like the atlantic side of Mexico. That's about as far as my research has come.

    Any cool places you discovered while there ? I have a week to explore and only one day planned ( snorkeling at los arcos ) . I might go sportfishing one day too. I love snorkeling and if there are other spots anyone found that are better than los arcos, please let me know.

    I want to see awesome stuff and try to not be in tourist traps the whole time. Hotel is in the stuffed with tourist zone already, so I'll be doing excursions from there.
    I visited PV a few years ago...it was "ok" but not the most wonderful place I've ever been....then again, I went in July and it was hot as hell.

    I visited a tequila distillery, Dona Beatriz. That was really cool...got the tour, had some samples, and bought a few bottles of some great tequila.

    Horseback riding there is kinda neat.

    Boat trip to Los Arcos is kinda cool.

    Can't say much for the beaches...dirty and the water was not clear.

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    Member Idmonstre's Avatar
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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    hmm. i'v been there... with my parents... when i was 17. Just as with many of the many other places i had been with my parents all over the world i really wish it was saved till now and i had gone with my friends. there are a lot of young people in their 20s and a lot of partying and it would probably be a lot of fun... assuming your not the loner 17 year old who has not started partying yet visiting with your parents. as it was... it was just ok. The bird walk has neat sculptures you can sit on. and don't spend your time on any of the time share sales men. Also, corn on the cob is nice.
    -crimson

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    God/dess carmen_b's Avatar
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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    There was a secluded beach ...... and margaritas ( how cliche! ) , and great food , and more beaches, and hippie friends, and all kinds of fun. I'll post more details later.

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    Featured Member Corey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    Take a ride up to the rain forest. There is a tourist place in which Arnold (Terminator Arnold, Cali's governor) made a film. It's kinda cool over a water fall and you can swing on ropes and stuff.

    But just the ride up there is so beautiful and awesome. The beaches are Ok. Not like the Atlantic side, but i went to the ones that were fairly close to where the forest starts in the 'Old Vallarta'.
    (Formerly known as 'Korina')

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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    *waves hand* ooh, pick me!

    I live 'south of the border' and I've been to Vallarta a bunch of times.. it depends on what part you're at.
    I myself prefered the older section of town, where everything is a little bit grungier. If you want an extreme tourist experience, go to nueva vallarta, which has all the new buildings and spas.
    I had a great time going on one of the "canopy tours" through the jungles, which is basically where you get to zipline from tree to tree.
    Senor Frog's (or something like that. Look for a giant frog) are nice bars and a lot of americans go there.
    There's an excellent gourmet resturaunt called the River Cafe, if you're looking for something fancy.

    As for specific foods, which I consider extremely important, you have to order "Marlin Ahumado" at least once, which is a type of fish that has been smoked and mixed with tomatoes and chile peppers (not too hot though).
    Also, an awesome part of the beaches here is that they come ready made with tables and umbrellas- you just sit down, and eventually a waiter from the resturaunt who owns it will come along and take your order. As long as you're drinking/ eating, you can stay there all day.

    Be forewarned, people will be on you like flies trying to sell you stuff, briad your hair, or henna tattoo you for money. They overcharge americans by a lot, so be firm in saying no, or try to bargain their prices down by at least 50%.

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    God/dess carmen_b's Avatar
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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    I'm back now and I have to agree ..... I LOVE the older and more real section of town! I didn't want the touristy stuff - I stayed away from that!

    Some of my top things :

    Toured the gorgeous church in town.

    Had tamales from Maria C. - she makes them right out of her house ! This was a REAL gem. I just asked a local where to get good tamales!

    Grabbed snorkel gear a couple other travelers and said to cabby " drop us where we can hire a water taxi " . He took as to wonderful Mismaloya beach where we had guac. and hired out own boat/captain to take us out to snorkel ( $36 for all of us for an HOUR -insane). The water isn't super clear here ..... but there were big beautiful fish and cheating ( chumming fish ) is done here so I just floated and the captain threw bread surrounding me by a hundred gorgeous fish all at once. My huge post trip regreat is that I didn't get a massage from the massage hut that was RIGHT BY THE OCEAN at Mismaloya beach. You can get a massage for $35 for an HOUR and the waves crash literally 12 -20 feet from the hut ! We should have brought a cooler and drinks too ( they have 'em there , but our laziness was costly that day ).
    http://images.google.com/images?sour...num=1&ct=title
    ^ See pics of the beach. The sand here is more powdery than the beaches near town.

    We stayed at this mid range all inclusive that I wouldn't really recommend. We did it because we were too lazy to plan. We didn't even know they layout of the city or where the hotel was at all until we got there. I WOULD NOT recommend this! The food in town is cheap and the food at out place wasn't great. But .... then again ... we did have a few days of just lounging at the resort and they were relaxing.

    Did anyone else get sick ? I felt sort of nauseated a lot and I am a TOUGH traveler. I never get sick traveling and I don't whine .... I think it might have just been the heat ( no AC at the place ) .
    Last edited by carmen_b; 04-10-2009 at 10:52 AM.

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    God/dess carmen_b's Avatar
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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    I didn't find the vendors too bad at all. A simple "no gracias" is all it takes and most will be on their way. Or just pretend to be asleep. The most horrible vendors I've encountered so are in Jamaica where they are super aggressive ( such as grabbing your arm to put the bracelet on that they are wanting to sell ). After surviving that, vendors who will take " no " for an answer and that don't scare me seem fine.

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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    Quote Originally Posted by carmen_b View Post
    I didn't find the vendors too bad at all. A simple "no gracias" is all it takes and most will be on their way.
    True, I noticed that too.

    Wow you stayed at a place with no A/C?

    Nope didn't fell ill at all. Yes maybe the heat. I especially noticed that the food must have been very fresh as not once did I have to run and find a bathroom after a meal. And my buddy noticed too.

    Usually there'll always be 1-meal that doesn't sit well with me.

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    God/dess carmen_b's Avatar
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    Default Re: Going to Puerto Vallarta, any must see's ?

    My body takes heat a lot better than cold. So much though that I think it might have been the heat making me sick. I wasn't miserably hot ..... I would have just gone someone that had AC if that were the case. We were right on the water, so it really didn't feel that hot. I was just kind of nauseated and had headaches .......... I was just trying to figure it out because I am really a TOUGH traveler. I never get sick and I was trying to figure out why I didn't feel great this time.

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