Sightseeing, Puerto Vallarta

If you come to Vallarta between December and February and you have never gone whale watching, I would strongly recommend this kind of tour. There are already some whales in November (as they are just arriving) and a few still in March (already leaving) but there are fewer so the chances to see them are lower. I would say February is about the best time because the whales have already given birth to their babies so you can see them too.

There are many companies which provide this tour. We picked one with Banderas Bay tours & travel because our trip advisor told us it was a good company, with a good ship (the Kon Tiki), etc. I thought it was fine, nothing spectacular but the ship was ok, the guide was funny, there was open bar for like half of the trip and they give you as much alcohol as you want (more than I could drink myself LOL). The breakfast was rather poor and it's an ordeal to try to eat on board of that ship because there are no tables and the ship moves too much while sailing towards open sea. One of the foreign passengers told me that the coffee tasted like it was burnt... and yes it wasn't too good. So I advice that you have breakfast at your hotel instead and just take advantage of the open bar LOL. The price was decent and we got a 10% discount because of the travel package we had purchased, so we decided to do it with these peeps, but I think there are other very similar tours and at similar prices with other companies.

We were lucky enough to see a whale with its baby and without much effort. They didn't come out of the water a big deal, but enough to spot them. It was the only whale around (it was already March) so after a while there were 5-6 other boats surrounding her. It was my very first experience and I was very pleased to see these animals, even from far away (the ship is big so you can't approach or touch them at all). They are very calm and don't get scared or nervous because of all the attention they get, on the opposite, they seem to be quite used to it. We looked at them for a good while expecting to see some kind of jump or something, but alas, it didn't happen. On our way back we also saw a group of dolphins (but they never came out of the water, we only saw their fins). They told us it was possible to see sea turtles and stingrays too, but we didn't see any of those.

Make sure to bring something to cover yourself because most of these tours depart early in the morning and the wind can be chilly. However, after 10-11 AM the sun comes out and you will need your cap/hat and sun tan lotion too. It was a fun tour overall and at least we could see a whale -- many people aren't that lucky, even during the peak season.

You will get plenty of chances to purchase this kind of tour -- even the beach vendors will offer you this and other tours, but of course you can always book them with your hotel's concierge (which I would consider safer). You have to go to the cruise ship pier to board the boats (my tour did not provide any transportation but our hotel was only 3 blocks away so it wasn't necessary), and a $15 MXN fee (a bit more than $1 USD) must be paid to access the pier (a sort of maritime tax).

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Whether you are walking the cobblestone side streets, down the Malecon, or on the beach, all is relaxing in Puerto Vallarta. It is a relatively small area. If you dont go to el centro, you dont really see PV.

For me in Peurto Vallarta on the Flamingo Beach my number one activity was vegging out with either a Tequilla Sunrise, a Screwdriver or a Sol or one of each until 6:30 and watch the sun set, this for me was unbeleivable!!

I posted a special travelogue dedicated just to the sunrises that would happen daily. They were the greatest!

This tour was fantastic! The tour began with a guided hike through a mangrove forest that was both educational and beautiful. We then met a local fishermen who taught us how to throw fishing nets which is much harder than it looks. Then we boarded a 6 place hovercraft and soared over beach, mudflats, and up the Ameca River. We actually flew with the birds! We saw pelicans, herons, egrets, spoonbills, blacknecked stilts and more. There were iguanas, turtles,and even 3 crocodiles! It was like stepping back in time and experiencing Puerto Vallarta when it was nothing more than a fishing village. I loved the fact that the guides were passionate about conservation and leaving no (or little) footprint. We also never felt like tourists. They keep the groups small so that the experience is truely special and low impact. My 70 year old mother and teenage kids all highly recommend this tour...and that really says something!!! You can see for yourself by going to their website and clicking on the youtube link.

I was there in Sept. and I had the gumption to try an adventure tour and naturally I did some research and found that the number one tour operator in PV is Vallarta Adventures and so I set up to do a few tours with them and they were all fantastic. The hardest part is deciding which tours to do because they offer so many amazing things...from swimming with dolphins to jungle hiking to flight seeing to anything you could imagine...they do it...and professionally...I was blown away.....check out their website if you´re planning on coming here. THANK ME LATER!

www.vallarta-adventures.com

Drew

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The family of two men, six women, one girl, and one boy stood beneath the ceiling fan that whipped hot air in circles around them.

Puerto Vallarta was humid and often times, stifling during this time of year, but they insisted a trip to the tequila factory would provide a healthy, adventurous, distraction.

One of the women first noticed the butterfly near the entrance of the garden. It did not move, effortlessly paused upon the leaf.

She zoomed in for an intimate photograph and before interrupting its' peace and quiet, she framed and clicked.

The tequila, she thought, was equally wonderful.

This was a lot of fun. A group of us took an ATV tour that lasted a better part of the day. We started out from town and our to the desert . We traveled through lush river beds, dry river beds, through an old town and then to the old tequila factory where, yes, we tasted different tequilas.

Going through the small town was quite humbling. Not only is this old Mexico, but so many of these people still live without running water or electric. We stopped for a soda and to use the restroom. Outside the restroom sat a little boy taking tips for handing us paper. Tony gave the little boy $2 and the little boy was so excited. Makes you really think about how lucky you are.

At the tequila factory there is an authentic local Mexican restaruant where they cook everything in front of you on fire stoves. GET SOMETHING TO EAT. It was wonderful.

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My family travels to PV every other year or so.
We are always looking for some new experience. Last march my husband, daughters (13 & 16) & sister in law signed up for a new tour - The Canopy Tour. We took transportation from our hotel to the pick up area. An open air truck out drove us out of the city up to higher elevations. Upon arrival, we were escorted to an area so that we could be fitted for euipment. Then we proceeded to the another area to await safety instructions and learn how you are going to hang from the zip lines and travel from tree to tree.

They start you off small. Thank goodness - I'm afraid of heights. The first platform and zipline is very short. It allows you to get rid of your gitters while getting you picture taken to commemorate your experience. Each zip line gets longer. There is a guide in front of the group and in back of the group to make sure you are secure before proceeding at each point. They also are quick with a joke. I belive there are a total of 13 zip lines with to of the last lines going over a rocky ravene w/water. The experience takes approximately 2 hours but for someone who hasn't done this type of thing before, it will be well worth your time & money. You may also purchase a dvd of your experience and stay for lunch. A small gift shop is also available (hats, t-shirts).

Suggest you wear tennis shoes long shorts or capris or jeans and a t-shirt. It can be a bit chilly in the early morning, but once you start up the hill and walking you will be warm. If you like the water, there is an area for swimming right outside of the resturant and at the end of the zip lines.