i am kinda sick and tired of hearing all the bad press mexico is getting right now. so i decided to share my fave things to do in & around puerto vallarta, mexico. and some shit that really bugs me…
im a mexican, si?!
so as some of you may or may not know, my parents actually live in mexico for half the year now. they used to have a house in arizona but after years of spending 1-3 months at a time in mexico they decided thats the place they really wanted to be. so march 2018 they bought the condo in nuevo vallarta - just 15 minutes from the airport and 20 minutes from downtown puerto vallarta! and man oh man they couldn’t be happier! i mean it helps that all their friends are here lol! beach walks everyday, afternoon dips in the pool, starbucks in the mornings, sun sun + more sun lol what more could you ask for?!
i want to say ive been to the condo probably 5 times now… including a month over christmas and well - right now haha i am in the airport *edit I am am now on the plane lol* **second edit - i kinda forgot about this blog & am now BACK in mexico again finishing it haha** . but before that we had stayed in the area more times than i can count.
my fave thing about having the condo here is the fact that it’s just another home for us. I come down with a carryon that has my work stuff in it and that is it. I have a closet here full of clothes & everything else I could need! we also have amazing wifi & cell service here so I can fully work from here and you wouldn’t be able to tell if I was at my house here, my house in Toronto or my house in Alberta! I have been down here for a week now and have worked every single day. I even have a desk & printer haha!
the paulson’s aka us lol are not the ‘stay on the resort all inclusive’ type people - and its totally okay if you are…but the whole next part talks about things to do off the resort!
vallarta adventures… my fave shit to do!
rhythm of the nights: best tour - so worth the price
cirque de sole meets booze cruise meets best fucking food meets a good fucking time! i think somewhere i heard it was rated #1 tour in pvr by the new york times or something… haha! beyond that, i have done it probably 10 times and its fucking awesome every time!!
you get all dressed up (if you want) and head over to the meeting place. you then get on the boat for a sunset cruise out to the show. I want to say you’re on the boat for probably an hour or so?! i don’t know really because it is beautiful and its an open bar so all that matters is not falling off… i mean enjoying yourself haha!
then you get to the island where the show is in a huge amphitheatre and dinner right on the beach - buffet style! both are fan-fucking-tastic and then back on the boat you go where there is again an open bar and the best night show ever!! its a whole evening of laughing and gorgeous pictures and living your best life!!
i am kinda sad i didn’t get one in this last 3 days i was here…
la dolce vita: yummy yummy
the best italian restaurant outside of italy!! there is a few around puerto vallarta but there is one right in nuevo too! great menu, great atmosphere, and even better food! i get the gnocchi bolognese & a glass… bottle of malbec when i go haha! dad loves the fettuccine alfredo & momma loves the chicken parmesan :)
pipi’s: mariachi bands + shrimp to die for
puerto vallarta’s hidden gem! easily one of my fave restaurants in the WORLD! no joke! if you love coconut shrimp this is the place to go - oh and burritos - ahhh and really anything authentic mexican lol but beware - the prices are great & the portions are huge!!! LOL i always say next time i go i am going to share but i love it so much i really cant. with the shrimp you get 8 or so huge coconut shrimp, full serving of steamed veggies, rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, fresh fruit… and i think something else… but this is all on one huge plate!! lol the margaritas are strong too haha OH and they prepare fresh guacamole for you right at the table and it is the best i’ve ever had - just kidding momma vickis is the best but she wouldn’t make it yesterday so mom when you read this i am angry…
san pancho - sayulita - punta mita - bucerias: autentico mexicano
first of all the drive is BEAUTIFUL!! the rainforest up there is to die for!! and the little markets on the way up have the best fruit! but i guess i should start from the beginning.
what you’ll need to do is - and maybe the hotel will help - is hire a driver & car for the day! this is not a “tour” you want to do with a huge group of people you don’t know. take you and your spouse or your friends or whoever you are there with and go just yous. you’ll want to see the amazing beach @ san pancho… no joke its like a km thick and like the whitest almost-sand-dunes ever!! its quiet & calm & peaceful. if you mediate, do it here… because the rest of the trip is all noise and fun!
next you’ll hit sayulita - i always say this is where the hippies came in the 70’s and never left!! its 100% a goooooood time! actually over christmas a couple of friends and i ripped up and stayed at a hostel there for a couple nights and it was rad! you’ll want to lunch here @ don pedros - best food right on the beach! overlooking a scene from some 70’s movie with bright colored umbrellas and a million surfers in the water! wander around the streets for some happy balls… haha yup they are a decoration lol and some amazing little souvenirs but also for cute clothes and authentic mexican street food! thanks ruby if you’re reading this for the awesome taco night!!
rent a golf cart in sayulita and head out to some hidden quiet beaches where you could sometimes be the only ones on them! when you’re done there you’ll head down to the gorgeous views @ punta mita where eva and I had our ‘free the nipple’ moment haha!
and lastly you can hit up some awesome places to eat in bucerias and a tequila tour at mama lucias! buy the cafe & vanilla tequila and mix them together over ice.. omg. and then you’re spent and ready for bed haha!
yo-yo-mo’s, drunken duck, chaser’s: sports bars & pubs with live musica!
between nuevo & bucerias you can find the best little pubs with the best food & the best drinks whether you want to listen to live music or watch all the games that are on that day in one pub lol. when in doubt, ask someone where to go :)
and most importantly: walk the beach, relax, get a tan, and live your best life!
now… the shit that bugs me…
i have heard alot of bad news about things in mexico over the last little bit & i just want to take a second to let you know some of MY TRUTHS about mexico. i am not saying they are right or wrong or whatever, but i have spent a ton of time here over the last 10+ years…
i drink the tap water in our condo & eat the ice where ever i go - never been sick. have a glass in front of me right now.
i eat street tacos and they are the best fucking tacos i’ve ever had
you need to drink a little extra water down here because of the heat & humidity. and if you mix too much heat with “free” alcohol and not enough water you can very easily get heat stoke… similar symptoms to food poisoning!
i have stayed in hostels here & met some amazing people from around the world
mexicans are naturally friendly & amazing people; they are NOT put here to wait on you hand and foot and they deserve respect for the hard work they do.
i get all my dental work done here - its cheaper and honestly better quality that any dentist i personally have been to in canada. just got a crown done for $400 vs the $1500 it costs in canada…
we buy tons of food from street carts & local vendors rather than chain stores to support locals & get the freshest food! we were just driving to get tattoo eyeliner done & bought two pinas (pinapples) for 25pesos from a truck on the side of the road at an intersection. so fresh that even uncut they smelled up the whole truck!
the services you can get here are fast, professional, clean & outstanding. including doctors visits, tattoos, cosmetic surgeries, tattooed makeup, facials, tours, nails, lashes etc. at a cost that is affordable for us while providing a decent salary for them
the beaches… my god!! clean, stunning, ours ever had gold flakes in the sand! you can walk for miles uninterrupted. theres also mountains here that are almost a better view than the beach sometimes :)
we drive here incase you didn’t gather that haha its different… they have different traffic lights than we do lol but otherwise its exciting!
most importantly - i have NEVER felt unsafe, uneasy or unwelcome anywhere i have gone at anytime!!
and just for shits & giggles - here are some fun facts about mexico:
The official name of Mexico is Estados Únidos Mexicanos (United Mexican States)
North America’s largest wildcat is the jaguar, which roams the jungles of Mexico.
There is no official language in Mexico, but Spanish is the de facto national language. There are also 68 recognized regional languages spoken among Mexico’s native peoples.
The Chihuahua dog originated from the Mexican state of Chihuahua.
Mexico introduced to the world many popular foods including: chocolate, avocado, tomato, vanilla, courgette (zucchini), and various beans and chillies.
Mexico has the world’s largest Spanish speaking population at 121 million. The US is second on the list with 52 million (of which 41 million are native Spanish speakers). Colombia has 48 million, and Spain has 46 million Spanish speakers.
Caesar Salad was invented in Mexico.
Mexico City is bigger than New York City.
Colour TV was invented in Mexico. In 1942, a guy named Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena created the chromoscopic adaptor for the early colour tv transmission system. The first transmission was aired in 1946.
thank you to www.brbgonesomewhereepic.com - where i totally stole these from lol
anywho - its pool time now!
p.s check out my amazing new bedding down here! I am DYING - got it in bucerias from our fave textile vendor <3
chat soon x misty-dawn
