A real look at Puerto Vallarta

Laura Mandell

Was it time for a change? That’s what we asked ourselves as we

planned our most recent Mexican vacation. And change we did, from the

usual Mexican Riviera cruise to a combination beach and town 11-day

adventure, including on both Christmas and New Year’s holidays, that

gave us an insight into a Puerto Vallarta we had only glimpsed.

Flying from LAX to Puerto Vallarta on Alaska Airlines in less than

three hours gave us the opportunity to stay three nights for only a

small extra charge at the Kyrstal Vallarta, a beach hotel with huge

grounds, extensive pools and several restaurants, including the

well-known Bogarts. This location let us easily visit the Marina area

and Nuevo Vallarta, the location of some of the newest resorts in the

area, including Mayan Palace, Paradise Village and several golf

courses.

We made an easy move on Christmas Day to the Old Town section of

Puerto Vallarta, where we encountered the hustle and bustle of busy

streets filled with natives and tourists and small shops filled with

the usual, and some not so usual, Mexican souvenirs. We found some

good bargains in Mexican-made leather goods and sterling silver.

The Old Town area has many well-established restaurants, as well

as some new ones approaching world class, like Bianco. Our days were

filled with exploring this charming town after, which we adjourned to

the Posada Rio Quale, our small hotel where we recovered by lounging

poolside or in the restaurant. Or we would drift over to the beach

area for cocktails at places like Daiquiri Dicks. The weather was

excellent -- no rain and not too hot for walking; the streets seemed

very safe even late at night. The people were unanimously friendly

and helpful; the exchange rate made prices very moderate for all

types of goods and services. Taxis are flat rates, with three dollars

the going charge for most rides no matter how many passengers.

We celebrated New Year’s Eve with friends at the riverside Le

Bistro restaurant, enjoying an extensive and delicious gourmet

dinner, dancing to a 20-piece band and capped off with spectacular

fireworks directly across the river from our table.

On our next trip to Puerto Vallarta, we agreed to spend some time

exploring the more remote jungle and beach communities surrounding

the city, but we will always return to Old Town to enjoy the

wonderful atmosphere of the real Mexico.

* LAURA MANDELL is a Newport Coast resident.