Where should we beach?
December 4, 2014 6:40 AM Subscribe
We've done, and LOVED Playa del Carmen, but now must find a comparable place on the Pacific side.
For the past several winters, my spouse and I have taken five-ish days to go to Mexico to recharge and get warm (there should be a subsidy provided by cold-weather states to take such necessary trips). We have taken a direct flight to Cancun and cabbed it to Playa del Carmen where we have stayed in small, bungalow/boutique hotels directly on the beach. Things we have liked about it include:
It's small and seemingly family or locally owned.
Is directly on the beach. I really, really, really want to be directly on the beach. We do nothing except read on the beach all day, maybe take a dip in the ocean, have lunch, a beer, back to the beach to read, dinner, end. WiFi, TV, all-inclusive free drinks are not that important to us.
Because we are just sitting on the beach day in and day out, shopping and going to town is not important to us.
Our small hotels have had restaurants attached with fine enough food, and sometimes great food, and it's easy (as you can tell, this is seriously just a chilling vacation), so being "in town" is not critical either.
These hotels have also been priced very fairly, especially given that a breakfast buffet and dinner buffet are included, but again, lunch is not, nor are drinks, so this only a partial, inclusive resort experience.
Question: This year for reasons outside my control, we are going to Puerto Vallarta. I have looked around Trip Advisor, but have not found anything comparable to the above, on the beach. Do these places exist in PV, or in a city within a ~45 minute drive of PV? Any thoughts on Nuevo Vallarta?
For the past several winters, my spouse and I have taken five-ish days to go to Mexico to recharge and get warm (there should be a subsidy provided by cold-weather states to take such necessary trips). We have taken a direct flight to Cancun and cabbed it to Playa del Carmen where we have stayed in small, bungalow/boutique hotels directly on the beach. Things we have liked about it include:
It's small and seemingly family or locally owned.
Is directly on the beach. I really, really, really want to be directly on the beach. We do nothing except read on the beach all day, maybe take a dip in the ocean, have lunch, a beer, back to the beach to read, dinner, end. WiFi, TV, all-inclusive free drinks are not that important to us.
Because we are just sitting on the beach day in and day out, shopping and going to town is not important to us.
Our small hotels have had restaurants attached with fine enough food, and sometimes great food, and it's easy (as you can tell, this is seriously just a chilling vacation), so being "in town" is not critical either.
These hotels have also been priced very fairly, especially given that a breakfast buffet and dinner buffet are included, but again, lunch is not, nor are drinks, so this only a partial, inclusive resort experience.
Question: This year for reasons outside my control, we are going to Puerto Vallarta. I have looked around Trip Advisor, but have not found anything comparable to the above, on the beach. Do these places exist in PV, or in a city within a ~45 minute drive of PV? Any thoughts on Nuevo Vallarta?
On here there look on South side link - that is what they are calling the old town or romantic zone. there are also links to surrounding towns, which i have never been to.
posted by domino at 6:53 AM on December 4, 2014
posted by domino at 6:53 AM on December 4, 2014
Best answer: Don't know about accommodations (we were in a house nearby), but I've been to Sayulita, and it describes most of what you're looking for. It's a beach-bum town, mostly full of surfers and such. It's pretty sleepy, with a definite tourist season when the shops are open, and lots of time when they mostly aren't. Near enough to PV for convenience, but far enough away to feel like an outpost.
posted by Gilbert at 6:54 AM on December 4, 2014
posted by Gilbert at 6:54 AM on December 4, 2014
Zihuatanejo
posted by matildaben at 7:04 AM on December 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by matildaben at 7:04 AM on December 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Sayulita is more an outpost of International Beach Culture than a part of Mexico. But it may fit your needs.
posted by Danf at 9:30 AM on December 4, 2014
posted by Danf at 9:30 AM on December 4, 2014
(Amplifying Zihuatanejo... MSP has directly flights. Playa Viva is our secret getaway.)
posted by gregglind at 1:04 PM on December 4, 2014
posted by gregglind at 1:04 PM on December 4, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks for the answers so far! My spouse has a conference in PV, so I am meeting up with him there, and flying in/out of there as well. Because it is a relatively short trip, we do not want to tack on another flight for either of us.
The room just has to be clean, and the bed comfortable enough, so not really fancy at all.
posted by wocka wocka wocka at 2:08 PM on December 4, 2014
The room just has to be clean, and the bed comfortable enough, so not really fancy at all.
posted by wocka wocka wocka at 2:08 PM on December 4, 2014
Nuevo Vallarta is, as the name implies, newer than Puerto Vallarta. It has less of a "town" feel and more resort oriented. The beaches are cleaner there too. I've been to the Dreams Villamagna and also walked over on the beach to the Grand Velas Nuevo Vallarta but didn't stay there, just went to look. Both are all inclusives right on the beach. I've been to the Grand Velas Riviera Maya and it remains for me the BEST THING EVER so the one in NV has to be good too, but it might be fancier than what you're looking for. There's one in PV nearer to the Marina that's less expensive, but you have to take a "golf cart" transport to the beach.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 5:50 PM on December 4, 2014
posted by CrazyLemonade at 5:50 PM on December 4, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks for your advice. We settled on Playa Escondida in Sayulita. We are really looking forward to it!
posted by wocka wocka wocka at 7:25 AM on December 8, 2014
posted by wocka wocka wocka at 7:25 AM on December 8, 2014
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www.vallartainfo.com
try looking here. Beaches are different there and its a bigger city. Its a great place to go though and if your hotel doesn't have food there will be some close by.
posted by domino at 6:52 AM on December 4, 2014