CURE FOR THE WINTER BLUES
Whether you chill by the pool or hit the town, sunny Puerto Vallarta will lift your spirits
You may find this hard to believe, but there’s nothing like taking a hot holiday in the middle of a cold, harsh winter.
While many Canadians are fortunate to hit spots like Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic every winter, most of us living in the Great White North just grin and bear it when Old Man Winter throws his nastiness at us. But this year was different for me as I was able to find my way to Puerto Vallarta for a week of sun and sand (and a little tequila).
Located on the west coast of Mexico, getting to Puerto Vallarta was the easy part, a relatively quick 4 1/2-hour direct flight from Regina. The more difficult part for the newbie traveller was figuring out how to fill the seven days with something other than just sitting on the beach or by the pool.
Now don’t get me wrong — lounging by the pool on a beautiful day certainly has its merits. My hotel, the Friendly Vallarta Beachfront Resort and Spa, has three pools (a family pool, an Infinity pool and an adults only hot tub/pool combination), and there’s something to be said for sitting in a hot tub with a magnificent view of the ocean.
The all-inclusive resort made for a charming stay. An older hotel, the Friendly is in the midst of a renovation to the 310 rooms in its three buildings. In addition to the pools, the resort has a superb oceanfront beach location. It also includes five restaurants featuring buffets along with à la carte menus.
I laughed when I first heard the name of the resort, but the staff more than lives up to the name. Many of the people return to the Friendly year after year, citing the warmth and kindness of the staff for their loyalty.
But enough about the resort — there’s much more to do in Puerto Vallarta than just soaking up the sun poolside. While our calendar wasn’t packed full of activities, here’s a few of the highlights:
AMAZING VALLARTA DAY TOUR
This seven-hour tour had a little bit of everything for anyone wishing to get a feel for Puerto Vallarta. Under the direction of tour guide Gambino, the tour first stopped in the city’s main promenade. A history lesson was shared as the tour made its way from the tourist section of the city to the downtown area and the Romantic Zone (also known as Old Vallarta).
We spent 30 minutes exploring the Malecon, a one-mile boardwalk that features a number of interesting sculptures along with a wide variety of restaurants, bars and markets. Half an hour wasn’t near long enough to hit everything we wanted to, so we returned to the Malecon a couple of days later and spent 90 minutes exploring the area. There are more markets and shops than you could ever imagine lining the streets of the neighbourhood adjoining the Malecon.
There are a number of art galleries in the neighbourhood, but the boardwalk itself features 14 statues and sculptures that provide many photo opportunities.
Not to be missed is the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is located three blocks north of the Malecon. Its architecture is very unique, which is understandable given that construction on the church began in 1921, with the current structure completed in 1987. Don’t let the red brick masonry fool you — the church has a spectacular interior and it’s only fitting that its main tower has a gold crown.
It was then time to travel east to an ecological reserve located up in the rainforest. The drive up into the hills was quite interesting, to say the least, with the traffic on the winding highway operating on a set of rules different from what I’m normally used to. Our driver, Carlos, got us there safe and sound, and after a quick stop for a late lunch, it was on to Baston Del Rey, a local tequila distillery, for some taste testing, before returning to Puerto Vallarta.
SAVIA: RHYTHMS OF THE NIGHT EXCURSION
It was stressed to me by many people before I left for Puerto Vallarta that this excursion was not to be missed. Everyone raved about it, and I can say it met all of my expectations. A 45-minute boat ride across the bay leads you to Las Calestas, a secluded cove that was once the hideaway for movie director John Huston.
The evening begins with a sumptuous meal on the beach with the area lit with 5,500 candles and torches.