Puerto Vallarta or Guadalajara living?

March 25, 2004 7:05 AM

Anyone have any recommendations on places to stay/live in Puerto Vallarta or Guadalajara for a period ranging from two weeks to indefinite? Any other tips about these cities would also be much appreciated.
posted by rushmc to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

There is a fishing village north of P. V. called Siulita. I have heard that people go there and know someone who has a winter house there.

It is less Mexico per se and more an outpost of International Beach Culture, but having said that, it might be easier to find a place to stay there and find English spoken.

(There are a few towns down there that I will not tell people about. . .they are still relatively untouristy and sweet to visit.)
posted by Danf at 8:12 AM on March 25, 2004

I don't know about PV/Guad but I was very happy with the places the Lonely Planet Guide for Mexico recommended around Acapulco. I ended up in Pie de la Cuesta at a place owned by Americans that was total bliss (I was the only norteamericano guest, the others were from France and Germany). I'd give you names of places/phone numbers of places they recommend but my LP guide is still in Mexico (if you see it, please bring it back for me).
posted by birdherder at 8:23 AM on March 25, 2004

Went to PV for the honeymoon. Annoyingly touristy, but I guess I was a tourist so I was part of the problem.
posted by mecran01 at 1:17 PM on March 25, 2004

There is a fishing village north of P.V. called Siulita

You're probably thinking of Sayulita. As you've written it's less a fishing village than a ex-pat colony. It does have a nice little surf break. Once you get out of the general area of P.V. it's pretty easy to find places that are not jammed with tourists if that's what you want. The coast of Mexico is not even close to being as densely populated as the west coast of the United States.

Lonely planet was pretty useless for me when I was in the area. They just seemed to be to looking for completely different things than I was. The guide was useful for getting an overall feeling for what was available in a region but useless for anything else.

If you're planning to be in P.V. for a while and you have a choice, then it might be a good idea to drive down. Having a car means you can escape the spring break/tourist atmosphere of P.V. You can explore the coast and if you chose to you can live much more cheaply outside of P.V.
posted by rdr at 6:31 PM on March 25, 2004

La Cruz de Huanacastle (spelling no doubt messed up, it's been a while, and I was pretty bent when I was there) was a nice little place (to visit, or stay if you have transportation) on the north side of the Bay of Banderas, where we rode anchor for a while during a long cruise down the Pacific Coast, back in my sailing days. Lots of less-snooty cruisers used to anchor there, rather than the glitzy Marina Vallarta.

The old city in Vallarta is (was?) very cool, and apartments can be had there for good prices for a longer stay.

Near Vallarta on the south side of the bay is a town called Yalapa (again my memory is hazy). There you can buy a tequila called 'ricilla', which is made from a psychoactive cactus. Swimming naked with dolphins while ripped on that stuff is one of the greatest memories of my life.

South of Vallarta a fair way down the coast is a little town called Barra De Navidad, which I loved too. If you go, ask the sailor folk about 'Mama's Candy Shop' a pharmacy where anything you need or want can be had. That was 10 years back, though, so who knows if it's still there.

I know little about Guadalajara except that there's a hotel beside the main bus terminal on the outskirts where they'll ask you if you're in need of companionship, no matter how raggedy and poor you look. Do not take buses from there to Vancouver, unless you're as poor and slightly insane as I was back then.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:00 PM on March 25, 2004

I second Barra De Navidad. I was just there and it was lovely, as long as as you don't mind being surrounded by fifty-something canucks.
posted by timeistight at 11:33 PM on March 25, 2004

Thanks for the info, guys.
posted by rushmc at 7:32 AM on March 26, 2004