Getting Around

Taxis

Although most of the town is walkable, a trip to the grocery store or neighboring town will be convenient in a taxi.

  • Taxis are a convenient and cheap but negotiate your rate before you step into the vehicle.
  • Most of the drivers speak decent English.
  • There is a taxi stand at the corner of Lazaro Cardenas and Benito Juarez just a few minutes from the Casita.

Safety

Bucerias is a very safe town and friendly to tourists. Like any new place, some common sense helps to avoid any problems.

  • Put your valuables and identification papers in the safe.
  • Don’t unnecessarily flash large quantities of money.
  • Have someone watch your drink if you go to the bathroom or order another if you can’t finish it and are alone.
  • Beware of pickpockets in crowded areas.
  • Nighttime is usually safe but stay away from underpasses and other deserted areas. There is a flashlight on the coffee table that you can use to avoid tripping on the uneven cobbles and sidewalks.
  • Lock the door to the Casita and the front gate if you are going out. Remember to close your patio door.
  • Put valuables such as laptops and other electronics out of sight when you are not using them.

Cash and Credit

  • Although most of the more upscale restaurants and grocery stores allow for the use of credit cards, in Mexico, cash is still king.
  • You should go to the nearest bank in order to withdraw your pesos. The bank we typically go to is HSBC at the corner of Las Palmas and the highway.
  • Using off-brand ATMS can leave you open to skimming and identity theft not to mention the hefty fees and poor conversion rates--avoid them at all costs.

Area Towns

Bucerias

Meaning “place of divers,” Bucerias on Mexico’s Pacific Coast is a charming antidote to the hustle and bustle of nearby Puerto Vallarta. You’ll meet the friendly locals and enjoy beautiful beaches, fantastic dining, outdoor activities and art galleries. Locals congregate in the small plaza in the center of town or head for the beach for some sun and unfettered mountain and bay views. Beyond the beaches of Bucerias, you’ll find superb dining, flea markets laden with special treasures, art galleries, and pubs. Once you’ve tired of the sun, meander through the flea market off the main plaza and tour the residential side of Bucerias, complete with boutique shopping and quality restaurants like La Quinta di Francesco and Adriatico. Some of the best art galleries in town include Splurge Art Gallery, showcasing emerging local artists and designer pewter. On Thursday evenings, participate in the local art walk, and on Sundays, visit the authentic Mexican market in the Arroyo.

La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

A fishing village for generations, this town has been modernized thanks to the construction of the Riviera Nayarit Marina —the largest and most modern of the corridor—, which has created a destination that harmoniously combines the traditional life of a Mexican pueblo with the sophistication of a development such as the Marina. So, when visiting La Cruz, as the locals call it, you will have the opportunity to witness postcard worthy scenes such as the arrival of fishermen on the pier in their boats loaded with a variety of fish. You can also admire a beautiful sunset as you savor a margarita in the Sky Bar located inside the Marina. “We seek contact with authentic Mexico,” expresses Rafael Alcántar, Harbor Master of the La Cruz de Huanacaxtle Marina, the most modern on the Mexican Pacific with a capacity of 400 ships measuring between 30 and 400 feet.

Punta de Mita: Yearning for the laidback feel of a rural fishing village with white sand beaches, combined with the luxuries and mild year-round weather of the Mexican Riviera? Punta Mita has all this plus championship golf, diving, sport fishing, surfing, sailing, sea kayaking, whale watching, mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, Jeep tours, and rainforest excursions. Walk into town for beachfront restaurant dining and Pacific Ocean sunsets. Kids can safely swim at Playa El Anclote, where the rock jetties calm the shallow waters near restaurant row. Surf El Anclote’s long slow waves. Or seek out those special surfing spots along the coast, like near Punta Sayulita. Enjoy kayaking. Take the family sailing. Tee off overlooking the breezy blue waters of the Pacific Ocean at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Pacifico Course, rated among the best in Latin America. Pacifico is renowned for its optional 19th hole, the “Tail of the Whale,” a 199-yard par-three where you tee off over the Pacific Ocean onto a large island green. The Bahia, another Nicklaus-designed championship course, has six ocean holes, and is lined by beach sands and gated resort properties controlling course access. The Bahia Banderas (Bay of Banderas) and north towards Sayulita is great for fishing and diving volcanic tunnels, or just watching whales, dolphins, turtles, and ocean birds. Snorkel color-splashed shallow reefs. Spend a day on a ponga, a motorized open-bow fishing boat in search of mahi-mahi (dorado), pugnacious pargo (big cubera snapper), Pacific sailfish, fighting roosterfish, yellowfin tuna, and bonita. From Islas Marietas and El Morro to La Corbetena and El Banco, the diving opportunities are numerous.

Sayulita

A charming fishing village, Sayulita is a hidden gem with picturesque beaches, charming restaurants and great surfing. Unlike some other Mexican towns, tourists mingle with locals in a relaxed atmosphere, without the hustle and bustle of major touristy resorts. Need an uncrowded beach? Go to Playa de Los Muertos, right by the local cemetary.

PV Botanical Gardens

Not shown on the maps, in south PV, you will need a car to drive there. The Vallarta Botanical Gardens is a 20-acre (8 ha) botanical garden at 1,300 ft (400 m) above sea level in Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, Mexico (14 mi [24 km] south of Puerto Vallarta). The garden was founded in 2004 and has been open to the public since 2005. The collections showcase plants of the Tropical Dry Forest Biome, in which the gardens are located, as well as exotics from around the world. Orchid conservation and propagation is a major focus of the garden's mission. These can be found on trees throughout the grounds and in the Holstein Orchid and Vanilla House. Other notable collections include oaks, bromeliads, agaves, cactus and wild palms. The Vallarta Botanical Gardens actively participates in public environmental education through tours and classes. The Vallarta Botanical Gardens were selected in 2013 as one of the "Top 10 North American Gardens Worth Travelling For" by the North American Garden Tourism Conference's International Tourism Award Jury (a program managed by the Canadian Garden Council.)