Photo by Carlos Flores - Getty Images
Los Muertos Beach - Mexico
Sunset at Los Muertos Beach in Jalisco, Mexico with the pier surrounded by Water Taxis.
It’s hard to think that winter is barely underway and we’ve already had a deeper snowfall and colder temperatures than we had during the entire previous winter. Granted, it makes for beautiful holiday season, but after January 1, enough already!
It’s time to take a break, soak up some sunshine, and bathe in warm sea breezes along the Mexican Riviera. Puerto Vallarta—or PV to locals and frequent visitors—lies almost dead center amid some of the most picturesque parts of Mexico’s Pacific coastline. It’s a favorite spot for cruise ships, but there are faster and easier ways to enjoy the necessary warm-weather reprieve.
Milwaukeeans can fly directly from Mitchell International Airport (MKE) to Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) starting January 25th with nonstop flights on Sundays through March. Flights are bookable now on Apple Vacations and Funjet Vacations.
Sun, sand, and surf will dominate your days in PV and its environs. “Riviera” is Italian for “coastline,” and the Mexican Riviera, originally named by a wily Princess Cruises marketing executive, runs the length of the country from the U.S. border almost to Guatemala. Within that length there are some 20 communities of varying sizes and many different beaches. Your stay in PV will put you touch with many of the most interesting ones.
Among the most popular sites are the Los Arcos Islands, five independent small islands that provide a wide variety of activities, from a hidden beach to snorkeling to, for the very bravest, cliff diving. The unique geography and vibrant marine life can literally pack a lifetime of ocean play into just a few afternoons.
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And if that weren’t enough, Los Arcos offers terrific evening boat tours, with an ocean illuminated through bioluminescence, the emission of light produced chemically by sea creatures living beneath the waters. This naturally occurring phenomenon happens for many reasons, not the least of which is to expose visitors to one of nature’s miracles. You don’t often run into this, so be sure not to miss it.
If the time comes when you’ve had about enough sand under your swimming suit and salt water in your hair, there are ample other activities you can pursue. From your base in PV, you can take a thrilling zipline ride and tree top tour, which will add an adrenalin rush to your bird’s-eye view of the surrounding area. You have a variety of whale and dolphin tours led by a certified marine biologist from which to choose. ATV rides through the jungle and horseback rides along the beach also are popular, many accompanied by a tequila tasting at the end. And if you’re there at the right time you can even help a group or environmentalists as it frees baby sea turtles to scuttle down the beach to their new home in the Pacific Ocean. (Sorry, you can’t take one home.)
After dark, the action does not stop. In addition to previously mentioned sunset cruises, take an after-dinner stroll down the Malecon, PV’s lively ocean-front promenade and let the sea serenade you as you discover whimsical statues and magnificent sandcastles along the way. Nearby, the Mercado Municipal Rio Cuale is the place to shop for souvenirs. Or head to the Muelle de Playa Los Muertos for some stunning photo opportunities.
You will want to make the most of your time in PV, both day and night. Rest assured there will be ample opportunities to do, including food tours and mezcal tastings. The only question you have to answer is: When do I get started?
I’d suggest the sooner the better.
