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Great spots in Vallarta

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Great Spots in Puerto Vallarta

 

by Fodor“s

 

Bucerķas and environs. Twelve kilometers (7 mi) north of Nuevo Vallarta is the substantial town of Bucerķas, where a loyal flock of snowbirds has encouraged the establishment of small hotels and good restaurants.

The beach here is endless: you could easily walk along its soft sands all the way to Nuevo Vallarta. The surf is gentle enough for swimming, but also has body-surfable waves.

 

Punta de Mita/El Anclote. About 40 km (25 mi) north of Puerto Vallarta is Punta de Mita, home to the posh Four Seasons and the boutique resort Casa Las Brisas, with more developments on the way. Just a few minutes beyond the Four Seasons, the popular beach at El Anclote has half a dozen simple restaurants, including El Dorado and Tino's.

This is a primo spot for viewing a sunset. Artificially calmed by several rock jetties and shallow for quite a ways out, it's also a good spot for children and average to not-strong swimmers to paddle and play. Under an improvised palm-thatch shelter, jewelry and sarape sellers play cards with fishermen as both wait patiently for customers.

 

Sayulita and San Francisco. The increasingly popular town of Sayulita is above El Anclote beach and about 45 minutes north of PV on Carretera 200. Some say it's like PV was 40 years ago, but the sound of building now rings through the sandy streets. It's growing fast, as jaded gringos and speculators snatch up available properties in town and out. In addition to hotels and restaurants, Sayulita has heavenly beaches.

Long waves make the waters here good for learning to surf. Fifteen minutes farther north is San Francisco, unofficially known as San Pancho, with modest rental bungalows and eateries, a 1½-km-long (1-mi-long) barely developed stretch of sand, and more great surfing spots.

 

Yelapa. The secluded fishing village and half-kilometer-long (¼-mi-long) beach of Yelapa is about an hour southeast of downtown. It has a town attached to it, and several seafood enramadas (the local word for palapas or thatch-roof huts) edge its fine, clean sand. Parasailors float high above it all ($35 for a 10-minute ride).

From here you can hike 20 minutes into the jungle to see the small Cascada Cola del Caballo (Horse's Tail Waterfall), though note that these falls are often dry in winter. A more ambitious expedition of several hours will bring you to less-visited Cascada del Catedral (Cathedral Falls).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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