Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
We traveled to Puerto Vallarta and Colima Mexico for our Xmas vacation this year. I will cover Puerto Vallarta (PV) first and then Colima in a separate post.
PV has something for everyone for a beach vacation. If you stay in North PV you are in the mega all inclusive resort zone. If you stay in the zona romantica you get the urban beach bum experience, laid back, but also in the center of the action. If you stay south of PV, in the mismaloya area, you get the more secluded, tropical small/boutique resort feel. But wherever you end of staying you have to check out downtown PV for the culinary treats, nightlife, and shopping.
Eating Out in PV Veggie style:
In downtown PV you MUST check out Planeta Vegetariana, about one block uphill from the cathedral. This place has delicious Mexican food at a great value, and is completely vegetarian. They do breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the menu changes everyday. 85 pesos ($6) for dinner includes salad bar, soup, bread, three main entrees, rice, beans, drink, coffee, and dessert. Also since it is buffet style, it is all you can eat. I highly reccomend this restaurant, we came back for dinner here twice. Can we say soya carne asada! If I had an option like this in LA I would be here once a week.
Another option in downtown is El Arrayan, this is not a veggie restaurant, but they have several veggie appetizer choices, and at least one veggie main entree, and great cocktails. This is a romantic restaurant (and a bit pricey) and they have live music some evenings. It is about 5 blocks uphill from the Malecon (pedestrian beach front).
During the day make sure to get a licuado (milk with fresh fuit blended in) at the Malibu cafe just one block south of the cathedral square, just off the malecon (on Xalisco). I recommend trying the mamey or guanabana (unique to carribean and Mexico) licquado or jugo (juice). They also have a veggie torta here, if you want lunch.
At least one night try out the mexican street food stands on on the malecon. There are a few options that are veggie. There is the delicous mexican concoction of roasted corn, cheese, and chili sauce, all in a cup, for 15 pesos. It is a popular mexican treat. There is also the roasted banana with strawberries and crema, my favorite. There is also a crepe stand that does several savory crepes, I reccomend rajas (poblano pepper) con queso. Also try the champuriddo (hot corn meal based drink with chocolate) or a horchata (rice milk with spices). As as vegetarian, if you can’t try all the food, at least you can try all the drinks!
North of downtown, opposite the sheraton is 100% Natural. This is a healthy food restaurant with many veggie options. The problem with this place is that the service is horrendous and they are often out of tofu and the other vegan meat substitutes. We sat and waited 30 minutes b/f they told us that, and asked us if we wanted chiken instead, go figure. I did not like their veggie burger. So caution on this place, although their juice selection is excellent.
Other options in any restaurant are to order a quesadilla con queso y verduras (veggies) or a chile relleno con queso (poblano pepper stuffed with cheese and but note it is egg battered.
Things to do:
The malecon is a must, it stretches for about 1 mile and is fun during the day and night. Lots of stores, street performers, and partying going on here into the wee hours of the morning. When you get to the intersection with the river head up river and check out the history museum (free) and the shopping stalls along the river.
About 15 miles south of town is the PV botanical garden. The bus trip (pick up at intersection of Aguacate / V. Carranza says Tuito on the front) is only 20 pesos and takes about 30 minutes. The botantical garden has nice hiking trails and two swimming holes / lagoons, a great restaurant, shop, and plants! The return bus you can pick up on the opposite side of the road at the palapita just a little bit up the road. The nicest beach is Mismaloya, and that can be reached by the same bus, and probably others. The best place for snorkeling in Los Arcos (large rock islands), which can be seen from mismaloya, but unless you are a really good swimmer, needs to be reached by boat or kayak. The best way to get around PV is by the local buses, they are frequent, cheap, and the front window lists where they are going / stopping. You can get the bus all the way to the airport if you want to save yourself $20 US….
But PV is fun, safe, relaxing, and feels like the real mexico (in parts). You can get by with just english too…..Enjoy!
Tags: 1, Mexico
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