World Class Golf
Interesting fact: Puerto Vallarta shares the same latitude as Hawaii. Thus the average temperature of 78 degrees from December through April makes the area ideal for golfing. And now world-class courses beckon. Among the notables:
El Tigre Golf Club at Paradise Village. It’s Robert von Hagge’s 11th design in México.
There is also Vista Vallarta Golf Club with Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf courses, Marina Vallarta Golf Course, Los Flamingos Golf Club, Mayan Palace Golf Club and Punta Mita Golf Club.
Right now El Tigre is enjoying the buzz. Framed in all directions by the Sierra Madre Mountains, El Tigre is 7,239 yards, par 72. Most players come away talking about the 18th hole, a par-5, 621-yard beast with water along the left side and breezy conditions. The course features undulating, wide fairways, contoured sand bunkers, grass mounds and bunkers. If you like greens that are perched above rock walls and water all around, you’ll enjoy El Tigre. Troon Golf of Scottsdale, AZ manages El Tigre.
Vista Vallarta offers Nicklaus or Weiskopf designs that are set in the foothills. The Nicklaus course measures 7,057 yards and features long par-5 holes. Weiskopf’s layout features native jungle growth.
Many feel the most spectacular area course is the Nicklaus’ design at Punta Mita complete with a Four Seasons Resort. It’s got Pebble Beach scenery and unforgettable turquoise-colored Pacific Ocean views.
Punta Mita features one of the most spectacular golf holes in the world, a par 3 of 190 yards, that plays to a natural black, lava-rock island. Your only entry to the green comes at low tide, tip-toeing across a sandbar, unless you have an amphibious vehicle or boat. In all eight holes border the ocean. Yes, you need your clubs but you’ll always want to bring your camera. Stunning.
Not far from Paradise Village is Los Flamingos Country Club. This 18-hole course is located in the countryside with lakes, jungle and countless birds. The Marina Vallarta Golf Club, designed by Joe Finger, has birds, iguanas and crocodiles on the site. The course winds through palms, natural lagoons and has oceanfront fairways along with Banderas Bay views.
Nautical Extravaganza
February 2010 – Riviera Nayarit is hosting a series of nautical events in March that are being hailed as a “Nautical Extravaganza.” Part of the action is the new Marina Riviera Nayarit in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle. It is the biggest marina in Mexico with 341 slips that can accommodate yachts up to 400 feet in length. The marina, along with Riviera Nayarit’s pristine coastline and beaches, is expected to propel Riviera Nayarit into a renowned nautical destination.
The nautical events include the internationally renowned Regatta Copa Mexico, which will showcase the destination’s water-friendly appeal; from boat races, to dry land beach competitions, to the Latin America boat show, to the final event, the Regatta Bahia de Banderas.
Highlights of the Extravaganza include:
Regatta Copa Mexico, February 27 – March 13: The Regatta Copa Mexico is a joint effort between the Mexican Government and the Mexican Sailing Associations. It is a great international perpetual event, with multi-classes that takes place every two years, throughout the coasts and ports of Mexico. This year, the events will take place in Banderas Bay.
MEXORC Oceanic Race, February 27 – March 6: In conjunction with the Copa Mexico, the MEXORC Oceanic Race will involve seven days of racing with a lay day period including the Presidents Cup distance race, Mariettas Islands distance race, and windward-leeward races.
J24 Regatta: Featuring the one-design keelboat; ideal for family racing competitions.
Latin America Boat Show, March 11 – 15: The second Latin America Boat Show held in Mexico will be at the Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz.
Regatta Bahia de Banderas, March 16 – 20: Held in Nuevo Vallarta and hosted by the Marina Riviera Nayarit, this ibi-annual event is designed to increase tourism and develop the Sailing Culture in Mexico. The five-day event is intended for competitive coastal and offshore cruising.
Desafio 2012 (The Challenge): Tania Elias Calles will make the journey from Los Cabos to Riviera Nayarit (approximately 500 miles) without touching ground or with assistance. Beginning on February 27th, and after her 48 hours, she will be welcomed at Bahia de Banderas.
Beach Volleyball championships, March 3-7: Round robin games with national teams from Brazil, Spain, the United States and Mexico.
Riviera Nayarit
Where are the savvy travelers heading? Riviera Nayarit. It’s 192 miles of pristine Pacific coast, framed by the majestic Sierra Madre Mountains, lies just ten minutes north of Puerto Vallarta International Airport.
The region extends along the entire coast of the Pacific state of Nayarit including the resorts of Nuevo Vallarta, the historic colonial town of San Blas, exclusive Punta Mita, picturesque fishing villages, miles of serene beaches and spectacular Banderas Bay. Riviera Nayarit offers countless activities, all pleasantly affordable, such as: PGA golf courses, luxury ocean front residences at La Vida, spas, whale watching, turtle release, zip lining, surfing, record deep sea fishing, bird watching, international cuisine, and shopping for local artwork and traditional Huichol handicrafts.
The region attracts and satisfies vacationers of all tastes and budgets with its wide range of accommodations including chic luxury resorts, eco-tourism boutique hotels and quaint B&B inns.
Unique Jungle Restaurants
One of the most interesting attractions in Puerto Vallarta are “jungle restaurants,” which are found mostly south of town toward Mismaloya. These charming eateries are open-air dining venues located in a tropical setting – either by the sea or beside a mountain river. These restaurants are sometimes quite a distance from the main highway. Taxis are preferred.
High on anyone’s list of jungle restaurants is the El Nogalito, a so-called “ecologically sensitive” establishment located beside a clear jungle stream. Billed as an exceptionally clean, beautifully landscaped ranch, El Nogalito serves lunch in the shade on a relaxing terrace. Several hiking routes depart from the the restaurant’s grounds. You can hire a guide who will introduce you to an array of colorful native plants, birds, and wildlife. It’s much closer to town than the other jungle restaurants: To find it, travel to Punta Negra, south of downtown Puerto Vallarta. A well-marked sign points up Calzada del Cedro, a dirt road, to the ranch. Open daily from noon to 5:30pm. Take note, no credit cards are accepted.
Another choice option is Chico’s Paradise which features stunning views of massive rocks — some marked with petroglyphs — and the surrounding jungle and mountains. There are natural pools and waterfalls where you can take a dip. There is also a small market. Chico’s is known for its seafood and authentic Mexican dishes. The quality is good and the portions generous. Open daily from 10am to 6pm. No credit cards are accepted.
Exciting nightlife
One thing to know about Puerto Vallarta – it’s safe and easy for an English speaker. When night falls over Puerto Vallarta the party begins. You will quickly note that Puerto Vallarta is actually part ocean front resort and part old colonial town. In previous years there was an active live music scene. Not so much anymore. Now it has shifted to DJ clubs that produce an array of eclectic music. The greatest concentration of nightspots can be found along Calle Ignacio L. Vallarta, the main southbound road after it crosses the Río Cuale. Here in one three-block area you’ll find everything from a blues club, sports bar, and live mariachi music to a gay dance club. Walk from place to place and take it all in. It’s a pageant.
Or, shift your focus to malecón. Once lined with restaurants, it is now home to hip dance clubs with fabulous ocean views. Try this: Stroll the walkway by the water’s edge and check out the action at the various clubs. It’s always entertaining.
Huichol art in Mexico
Here’s some fascinating history. Descendants of the Aztec, the Huichol, are one of the last remaining indigenous cultures in the world that has remained true to its ancient traditions, customs, language, and habitat. The Huichol live in adobe structures in the high Sierras north and east of Puerto Vallarta. They depend on the sale of their artwork for sustenance.
Huichol art has always been cloaked in mystery — probably one of the reasons serious collectors seek out this form of artesanía. Colorful, symbolic yarn “paintings,” inspired by visions experienced during spiritual ceremonies, characterize Huichol art. In the ceremonies, artists ingest peyote, a hallucinogenic cactus, which induces brightly colored visions; these are considered messages from their ancestors. The visions’ symbolic and mythological imagery influences the art, which encompasses not only yarn paintings but also fascinating masks and bowls decorated with tiny colored beads.
The Huichol might be geographically isolated, but they are learning the importance of good business and have adapted their art to meet consumer demand. You will likely see Huichol Indians on the streets of Puerto Vallarta dressed in white clothing embroidered with colorful designs. A number of fine Huichol galleries are in downtown Puerto Vallarta. One place to learn more about the Huichol is Huichol Collection across from the sea-horse statue on the malecón. Not only does this shop offer an extensive selection of Huichol art in all price ranges, but it also has a replica of a Huichol adobe hut, informational displays explaining more about their fascinating way of life and beliefs, and usually a Huichol artist at work.
It’s Whale Watching Season
Each year from December through April, a growing number of travelers head to Puerto Vallarta just to watch the whales frolic in scenic Banderas Bay. That’s because this is one of the finest whale watching areas on the planet.
During this period, the rare migrating Humpback whales can be seen traversing Banderas Bay. From December through April, these gentle giants put on a show as they breach out of the water as parents and instruct their baby calves on how to thrive in their watery world. Local eco-tour operators, licensed by the National Environmental Agency of Mexico, offer exciting excursions to see these magnificent mammals – at a respectful distance so as not to disrupt their habits. One tour company even sports its own spotter plane which radios sightings to their boat captains to ensure your watching excursion is successful and rewarding.
A Word On Humpbacks
Fascinating creatures that have long captured the popular imagination, Humpback whales are the noisiest and most imaginative whales when it comes to songs. They have long, varied, complex, eerie, and beautiful songs that include recognizable sequences of squeaks, grunts, and other sounds. The songs have the largest range of frequencies used by whales, ranging from 20-9,000 Hertz. Only males have been recorded singing. They sing the complex songs only in warm waters, perhaps used for mating purposes. In cold waters, they make rougher sounds, scrapes and groans, perhaps used for locating large masses of krill (the tiny crustaceans they eat).