South of the border, down Mexico way

I think you know by now I just love Mexico and want to continue to visit every year if I can.  The weather is all but guaranteed, the food is fabulous and the people are friendly .. what more could you want for a vacation from your working life?!!

Having been to Cabo San Lucas and Cabo San Jose, we had the opportunity to join friends further south on the West Coast in Nuevo Vallarta which is situated just north of Puerto Vallarta, a thriving tourist town due to it's climate, tropical beaches and mountains and rich cultural history.  It has a rainy season from July through September so I would not recommend you go at this time as it can be very hot and humid!

There is so much to do in this area - horse riding, whale watching, zip lining, sailing, scuba diving - the list is endless.  Or you can just relax on the beach or by the pool and watch the pelicans fly over looking for their fish dinner. 

Las Caletas

The American director John Huston filmed his 1963 film 'The Night of the Iguana' in Mismaloya, a small town just south of Puerto Vallarta.  Situated nearby is the cove of Las Caletas which is accessible only by boat.  Here you can swim, snorkel and kayak, and have a beachside buffet lunch.  At night the cove is transformed into Rhythms of the Night which features a Cirque de Soleil inspired contempory dance performance reflecting stories and folklore of civilizations past.  On our last night in Mexico we boarded a large catamaran at the Maritime terminal at Nuevo Vallarta taking a sunset sail of approximately one hour to the cove which glowed with torches and candles in the darkness as we approached.  On disembarking we could hear the sounds of drums and flutes summoning us through a jungle setting leading to an amphitheatre where the spectacular show took place.  Afterwards we made our way to the beachside candlelit dinner with the backdrop of waves lapping on the rocks and shore. Simply devine!  The food was a buffet style myriad selection of sumptuous dishes which did not disappoint and the service was second to none!  Then at around 11pm we were called back to the boat where the crew put on a show of their own keeping us entertained and plied with rum punches and margaritas!  A fantastic night and one that should not be missed if you venture to this part of Mexico.

There are no direct flights to PV from the UK so we went via Los Angeles stopping over for a couple of days either side to break up the journey.  Flight time from LA is 3 hours.  Other options could be via Mexico City, Chicago or New York and I would suggest a stopover if you can and have the time .. or your could brave it all the way which would take the best part of a day to get there.

Next stop New York and New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival .. watch this space!!!