Puerto Vallarta & Bucerias

Puerto Vallarta and Bucerias were the first places I ever visited in Mexico. I was very naive the first time I went in 1988 and I thought it was all about partying. I had no understanding of the culture.

I will alway cherish the most wonderful gift my friend Martin (Suites Costa Dorada in Bucerias) gave me and about 14 others of us. He took us on a ponga to the Tres Marietas...or I believe it was. On that boat ride we saw the most incredible things. We saw whales, manta rays, dolphins, flying fish, it was just so incredible. I remember the mantra ray went under the boat and just the wing tip was showing...I was scared, I thought it was a shark, but everyone assured me it was a manta ray.

I don't think people see that anymore...that was many years ago and there are so many many tourists. Bucerias was such a small little town, Mark's Bar & Grill, Omg! If I told you stories, about hanging out there and about him coming back and cleaning and fixing it. Now it's this incredibly successful restaurant with a super expensive menu catering to all these wealthy Americans and Canadians that built these million dollar homes all along the beach.

Progress happens...what can I say or do. My friends at the Costa Dorada have been there the whole time, thru all the changes and they have been so wonderful and kind to me and to Angel.

Do we love the pool. YES!
Did we love the super comfy king size bed we got to sleep in! Did we feel like Pampered little princesses after the 16 hour bus ride! You betcha!
Was everyone one super wonderful and helpful and friendly! Totally!
Do we recommend it! Definitely!
Is it green, no, not in many ways, but in some yes! It's semi small, compared to some of those mega huge hotels in Vallarta. It's been there a long time, and to me it's family and family oriented. So it wins my praises for that.

There are other small lovely accomodations in Bucerias, but you will have to hunt...we found one, with a pool and stove and everything we needed. I used to be called the Las Vegas years ago...it doesn't really have a name.

Do I still love Bucerias, Yes and No! It's hard when things change, but nothing stays the same...and the first part of my pregnancy, after leaving Zipolite was spent here, and that was a tough but magical wonderful time full of hope and dreams.

At that time I lived across the highway in a small incredibly noisy room for just $80 a month, that my friend at the Costa Dorada help me furnish with a bed, fridge and stove. That was a humbling experience and I shall never forget it, as it impacted me for life.

The people that rented it to me were up at dawn making juice for all the workers as they left for there jobs. I lived next door to triplets, they were just babies, an incredible site...little miracles themselves.

Puerto Vallarta and Bucerias are very special and I recommend people visit to get accustomed to the culture slowly...it's a good place to visit first, before going on a grander more extensive journey. It's a good place to get your bearings. It's also more suited to elderly people I believe as your so close to medical help in Vallarta, and the airport is close, lots of reasons.