Activities
There is a ton of stuff to see and do here in PV. Right now we are only featuring the activities that we have been on or can endorse with confidence. We are adding to our list all the time and as always would love your feedback on any tours or activities you have enjoyed.
We had a chance to celebrate a friends 30th birthday aboard the amazing Fat Cat catamaran. This is the larger of the two boats that Ally Cat Sailing Adventures operates and it is a remarkable craft. For those that may not love being on the water, this is the best way to do it as the Fat Cat is huge and extremely stable. There are two large bathrooms on the main deck so you never have to go below and a ton of open deck space to walk around or find a shady spot to relax.
The birthday party was a 4-hour sunset cruise which was set up as a private party, but they operate cruises that are open to the public as well. The crew was absolutely amazing! Not only fun (and funny) but incredibly attentive. If your drink is getting low, they hustle to bring you another one. No snarky bartenders or tired servers here! The bartenders even remember how you like your drink mixed, just so - shaken not stirred. These are people who clearly love what they do and love to be around their guests.
After clearing the port we headed north toward Punta de Mita. This part of the Riviera Nayarit is not very populated and there are numerous empty beaches and coves to explore. Shortly after leaving the dock we encountered a small pod of bottlenose dolphins that were more than happy to surf under our bow wave.
Our captain found Playa los Viudas a secluded cove a few miles up the coast and we dropped anchor. The crew was already busy prepping chips and salsas, guacamole, quesadillas, and nachos as well as deploying the water toys. The sea water (incredibly salty) was a very warm 85 degrees so quite a few folks took the opportunity to dive in. Luckily, Fat Cat has a handy fresh water rinse down on the aft deck.
After an hour of splash time, we pulled up anchor and headed out farther into the bay. The obligatory Birthday-cake-face-smash, conga-line dancing and general partying ensued! The Fat Cat has an amazing sound system and the crew will play anything you like from their huge library or connect your device if you want.
Overall, we would highly recommend the Fat Cat and Ally Cat sailing adventures and we can't wait to go back for our next boating experience!
Ally Cat Sailing Adventures operates out of the marina at La Cruz de Huanaxtle, a village just north of Puerto Vallarta. The marina also has two excellent restaurants; La Peska and Frascati.
Sandra Cesca, a long time PV resident, and photographer has been operating Puerto Vallarta Walking Tours for over 10 years. Recently I had the opportunity to join her on the "Historic El Centro" tour. One thing that I noticed immediately was that there were numerous other tours happening around us and they were all groups of 20 or more. Sandra's approach is small groups with individualized attention. We went inside workshops and markets to see and meet the artisans and vendors, learned some history, visited places I would not have found on my own and I live here! There was also plenty of time for questions and conversation, something that you won't find in a large group.
Over the years Sandra has expanded her walks and now has a "menu" that includes Gringo Gulch, Southside Neighbourhoods, Rural El Tuito,Pitillal Centro and something you will not find with any other tour company; Malecon for Wheelchairs.
Two of her recent additions are on my wish-list; The Chocolate Walk and the Snorkel Hike Swim tour. The Chocolate walk takes you to three unique confectionaries two of which are also chocolatiers with their own production kitchens. There are plenty of free samples, a discussion about the history of chocolate in PV and in Mexico as well as an actual mini class in how to make chocolate. The Snorkel Hike Swim tour is her latest addition. It's a 6-hour water and land adventure that takes you to Animas beach by private boat, a swim and snorkel at Los Arcos park, an inland hike to Quimixto Waterfall and time for lunch on your own if you wish. Depending on the time of year you will see whales and dolphins as well as sea turtles.
Sandra has earned a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence in 2018, and you can learn more about Sandra's tours by going to www.puertovallartawalkingtours.com or by emailing her directly sandra.learn.vallarta@gmail.com .
The Costa Azul, is a 64-foot Mikelson Luxury Sport Motor Yacht. An awesome choice for a Puerto Vallarta Private Yacht Cruise!
Whether going on a 4-hour sunset cruise, a 6 or 8 hour day of surfing, kayaking and paddle boarding at an isolated beach, or a Puerta Vallarta fishing adventure, Costa Azul will give you the experience of a lifetime for you or your family.
Costa Azul has the capacity to accommodate 10 guests and more upon request. It is equipped with two outdoor dining areas; one on the aft deck with seating for 8 and additional seating in the fly-bridge for 6, has 3 staterooms with 3 full baths and one half-bath. In addition, the Costa Azul has a full galley including all modern appliances and an outdoor gas BBQ. It also has state-of-the-art equipment throughout, individual zone air conditioning, three music stations, a flat screen television in each of the staterooms and on in the flybridge, and 10 speakers throughout.
The Yacht comes with a kayak, 2 stand up paddle boards and snorkeling equipment for up to 8 guests. Shore transportation is facilitated by our 14-foot hard bottomed dinghy with a 50hp outboard motor.
For Puerta Vallarta Private Fishing charters, fishing enthusiasts are not left out. The yacht is fully equipped with state of the art fishing equipment, including a Pompanette fighting chair and outriggers for big game fishing. You are also provided with a professional fishing guide with expertise in fishing in the Puerta Vallarta and Punta Mita area.
Packages include a bilingual captain, two additional crew members, and can be catered upon request. They have a variety of different packages from several hours to overnight.
