PV loves the Seahawks
Good news if your a Hawks fan or just a football fan in general. With a lot of Northwesterners traveling to the warm weather there are many sports bars in town that cater to the 12's! Chappy's, Captain Don's and Los Muertos Brewing are just a few of the local places that have large contingencies of the Seahawk faithful in their establishments each weekend!
Hiking from Boca Tomatlan
There are some great hikes to experience while here at Casa Bendita so bring your hiking shoes and walking sticks with you. We also have a set in our condo for you to use. Recommended hikes are Boca De Tomatlan (a short bus ride south on 200) to many of the small fishing villages along the south shore including Playa Las Animas, Quimixto and Yelapa. These are mid level difficulty hikes if you do the entire route so keep in mind you can take a water taxi to shorten the walk. Small villages and waterfalls abound. Another option with shorter hikes is to go to the highly rated Botanical Gardens a few miles south and there are several hikes in the area.
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Dolphins, Rays and Whales oh my!
I cannot think of another place on earth where I've been able to see so much of Gods created world than right here on our porch at Casa Bendita here on the south shore of Puerto Vallarta. In my 21 days here (Oct/Nov 2022) I've seen whales breach and spout, dolphins fish in pairs, rays fly out of the water, Bonita and other fish "boil" by the thousand on the top of the water and pelicans gorge on schools of small fish.
The hurricane that came in early on in my trip removed several feet of sand from the beach and so each day we witnessed nature repair itself little by little. Some days the waves are large enough to knock me over and other days its a stroll to wade into the warm waters. Coconut trees swaying in the breeze as is the jungle to the south and east of us. I can sit here for hours in awe of all His hands have made! So can you and we hope you will.
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Festivals and other features at the Malecon (Pier)
As you are likely aware the Mexican/Hispanic culture tends to be very festive and Puerto Vallarta is all that on steroids. When I was visiting here in October and early November they celebrated "Dia De Las Muertos" otherwise known as the "Day of the Dead", a festival where those who've lost a loved on remember those who have passed on. In the remainder of this year alone they are having wine, beer and gourmet food festivals; a major sport fishing tournament, beach volleyball tournament and so much more! Of course Christmas and New years will be celebrated in high fashion and they are even hosting the PGA's Mexico Open golf tournament this coming April which will feature some of the best professional golfers in the world right here on the Bay of Banderas! Below is a picture of the new world record (height) for what they call a Catrina.
Food.....I mean tacos ha ha
You probably already know by now but one of the most enjoyable things about a trip to this part of Mexico is the culinary delights around every corner in every barrio and seaport town. Street tacos are every where as well as many other authentic Mexican dishes. One of my favorite finds in the Spring of 2022 was the jicama shrimp tacos at Maria Baja' just off highway 200 as you head south out of town. Thinly sliced jicama taco shells filled with deep fried camarones and amazing assortments of salsa's to taste. When I went back this fall they were still closed and I fell in love with another PV specialty served all around town called "tacos Al Pastor!" Pictured below it is a mass of thinly sliced and marinated meat rotating around a hot coal fire and shaved off into a taco shell along with a slice or two of pineapple also warming by the hot coals below. Some verde and guacamole sauces added from the table and your mouth will explode with flavor as if you are celebrating Cinco De Mayo all over again!
Banderas Bay is your literal back yard
One of the many magnificent things about a week (or a month) at Casa Bendita is all that you have right out your back door. While sitting on the balcony you can watch the waves and whats in them for hours including whales, dolphins, turtles, fish, seals, rays, turtles and so much more. If that gets old (and it won't) you can head to the beach where many activities will be at your fingertips. Surfing, paddle boarding, snorkeling, fishing, boating, hiking, windsurfing, deep sea fishing, whale watching and so much more.
Golf in the Puerto Vallarta region
I thought it would be helpful to share some information about golf in the region, which I love by the way. First, the bad news. While living and staying in Mexico is most always much more affordable than US and Canada golf does not fit into this category. The average cost of a round with cart is around $100 - $300 US. That said, some of the courses offer discounts and other ways to golf on a budget. One of the ways I've been able to golf at a cost I can justify is to play certain courses during their "skins games!" I've taken to playing playing https://www.invitedclubs.com/clubs/marina-vallarta-club-de-golf on Thursdays during their skins game and https://www.invitedclubs.com/clubs/vista-vallarta-club-de-golf on Saturdays which while having to pay $5 or $10 for the skins game gets me on the course with some great people for about 1/2 price at $75 bucks a round including carts. My favorites are the two courses at Vista (Wieskopf and Nicklaus) in the hills east of Vallarta proper. I've also played a very fancy course at Vidanta, a fun course at El Tigre (lost a lot of balls), and the crocodile covered Marina course in downtown PV. I highly recommend golf as an activity while visiting after you've done lots of the things you cannot do and experience back home where you came from. Here is a link to research golf opportunities and some photos of the various golf courses I've been able to enjoy. https://www.golfdigest.com/story/golf-in-mexico-the-best-of-the-best-in-puerto-vallarta
Stuff I haven't done......yet!
As you can likely tell there is a lot to do in Mexico, specifically and especially in the Puerto Vallarta region and Banderas Bay. Therefore, there are still a lot of activities that I have not participated in but likely will on future visits. Here is a list for you to peruse and choose from and I'd very much appreciate your sending me a note about your experiences.​
