Questions for BZY1

[seabreezer]

Hi BZY,

 

We're thinking of doing Rhythms of the Night and would also like to do a day boat trip but we're not sure if we want to go to Las Caletas again - how is Yelapa as an alternative? Can you suggest anything else?

 

Are there any other fun dinner shows in PV that would be okay for kids?

 

What's your favorite restaurant in PV? Bucerias? We would like to take the kids with us.

 

Thanks!

[hbunch]

Hi BZY,

 

We're thinking of doing Rhythms of the Night and would also like to do a day boat trip but we're not sure if we want to go to Las Caletas again - how is Yelapa as an alternative? Can you suggest anything else?

 

Are there any other fun dinner shows in PV that would be okay for kids?

 

What's your favorite restaurant in PV? Bucerias? We would like to take the kids with us.

 

Thanks!

Hi , I'm also wondering about Bucerias . I've read the shopping is much less expensive there . How far is it and how much to get there ? I've read about people hiring specific drivers but don't know how to go about it . Any info is greatly appreciated . thx

[vacamama]

Has anyone been to the cooking school Le Fort in Bucerias? Comments? How about Don Pedro's in Sayulita? How far a drive from Bucerias would that be?

[seabreezer]

We've ruled out Rhythms of the night since we're doing Las Caletas during the day and don't want to make the same trip twice. Are there any Mexican Fiesta type shows at any of the hotels and are they any good?

[bzy1]

The Rhythms of the Night and Vallarta Adventures sunset sail are not recommended for children. They are meant to be romantic trips for couples only and the kids would get pretty bored.

 

Bucerias is easy to get to, take an ATM bus marked Bucerias from the bus stop in front of WalMart (there are two, the one closest to WalMart/Vips is the one to be at) Get off in Bucerias, cross the HWY at the light and walk a couple of blocks down to the beach. If you are not sure where to get off, ask the bus driver mid-way- Donde esta la Plaza en Bucerias? He will (hopefully!) alert you where to get off!

 

The shopping is not that much less expensive. Someone mentioned 1/3 on a post, but in reality it is maybe 20% less. Restaurant prices seem to be the same or nearly the same as Vallarta. If you like ribs, Cafe Magana is good. Mark's is good but pricey. Tapas del Mundo is good and reasonable. Sadrina's is good as well and moderate. Dugral's Plays is on the far end of the beach and one of the better beach restaurants. Plenty to choose from in the area and easy to walk around and explore.

 

Le Forte is wonderful, but you have to have reservations in advance and you may need a minimum of people. You sit around a bar and enjoy pate and wine wiith cassis and learn how to cook the meal you are going to enjoy. Wonderful experience and the chef is great as well as his sweet wife. Well worth the experience.

 

The Krystal and the Sheraton both do nice Mexican Fiestas.

 

And one of the best things to do at night is go out to dinner on the Malecon, try Mickey's No Name Cafe or La Dolce Vida and then walk around the Malecon and see if there is some entertainment at Los Arcos.... get balloons and cotton candy, and experience the carnival like atmosphere.... check out the spray paint artists, mimes and the vendors. Later, fireworks from the Marigalante and an ice cream cone from Bing or Basken & Robbins or Hagaan Daz at sMall Vallarta Mall.

[seabreezer]

Thanks for the info - especially about Bucerias since we're staying nearby. We have a reservation at La Palapa, is that far from the Malecon? What kind of food los Dolce Vita serve? Also, what nights are the fireworks?

[bzy1]

La Palapa is on Los Muertos beach, about 8 blocks south on the new Malecon foot bridge from Los Arcos Amphitheater/Plaza.

 

Or you can take a cab from the main plaza area to la Palapa, 30 pesos.

 

Fireworks are every night!

 

Dolce Vidas is Italian0 good food, nice view, often times a line at night in high season.

 

Bucerias is a nice area, more laid back, less nightlife and things to do, but a nice area to get-away. :)

enjoy!

[David]

Hi:

 

BZ1 -- thanks for the very useful information. I have a couple other questions:

 

We will be on Vision at the end of March and are thinking about doing the Rhythm of the Night tour. I believe Royal Caribbean uses Vallarta Adventures, and if you book directly through the vendor on line rather than through RCI, there is about a $15 savings per person. However, I'm a little concerned whether we will get back to the ship in time for the boarding deadline by 10:30 (ship's time), since the Vallarta Adventures website says the excursion lasts about 5,5 hours and begins either at 6 p.m. (at the PA office) or 6:30 p.m. at the pier (is that local time or ship's time)? Also, the PA website says something about paying a 15 peso entrance fee at the marina, which would be covered by RCI in their booking charge (still -- the PA cost is much less). Does PA have a separate tour for RCI that begins and ends earlier to meet the ship's departure schedule, or is the discrpancy caused by the time difference? We don't want to miss the ship, as Vallarta is our last port and the next two days are at sea; on the other hand, if we are talking about the exact same excursion, we wouldn't mind saving the $15 per person.

 

Also, several of us are considering the Los Veranos zipline, or another daytime excursion that takes 5-6 hours. The ship docks at 8 a.m. ship's time, and those of us who are planning to do a daytime excursion and the Rhythm of the Night evening excursion also want to have some time for shopping/wandering around the Malecon. Do you think it is possible to do all three and, if not, what would you suggest giving up? There are so many really attractive things to do in Puerto Vallarta that, even with a full day and evening there, it seems impossible to squeeze that much in.

 

Finally, as we will be sailing the Mexican Riviera the last week of March, how likely is it that we will see whales if we take a whale watching tour?

 

Thanks for the information.

 

David

[JohnQ]

For Rythmns, VA is the only one who offers this under this name I believe. If you are booking with the ship, which is the only way they will book ship passengers per their contract, they (the ship)will guarantee that you get back on time. I would not try something on your own if you are cutting the time short on getting back to ship. These guides are some of the same we had for the all day safari adventure and it was great.

[bzy1]

Vallarta Adventures OWNS Rhythm's of the Night- so however, wherever you book, from cruise ship passenger, hotel or local person living in Vallarta, you all get on the same boats and go to the same place.

 

Vallarta Adventures is not a tour booking company, they are the tour provider from Swim with the Dolphins, Sierra Madre Expedition, Sunset Sail, Rhythm's, Las Caletas, Huichol trip, and about 15 more tours. They are the biggest tour provider in all of Vallarta, and while they have agents and ships book their tours, these are all boats/trucks/dolphins/etc. owned by Vallarta Adventures.

 

The reason they are more expensive from a cruise ship is VA is the official tour provider to many cruise ships and VA will only accept reservations from cruise ship passengers through the cruise ship. They have a contract that benefits both, but if you go on the tours they will have all tourists, not just cruise passengers. Most tours/companies set their times to coincide with most ships so they do not lose clients.

[bzy1]

I do not know of any tour or tour company that 100% is only for cruisers, and since all boats have different arrival and departure times, most tours are made to coincide with the majority of the ships itineraries.

 

I suggest you pick only one tour as tours can be exhausting, and you may be pushing it. The Canopy and the Rhythm's tour are both excellent and I would be hard pressed to say which is better. One is adventure the other is romance.

 

You could do the adventure, then shop and have a romantic dinner and an evening stoll on the Malecon (fireworks around 9:30 PM)

 

Or you could do the day shopping, some beach/pool time at the Krystal and then catch the Rhythm's at the Marina Pier.

 

To do all three may be way too much. Even thinking about it is making me sleepy:)

[David]

Thanks JohnQ and Bzy1 for all the information. I will pass your suggestions on to the folks in my group. Frankly, based on my own research and calculations, it seemed unrealistic to be able to do more than a short morning tour, see the and/or Malecon or get beach and shopping time in -- and then do the Rhythm tour. I will certainly suggest that people who

 

However, it would seem to me that if people really want to do the zipline or another partial day tour AND the Rhythm evening tour, and are willing to forego spending time in town, they can probably do that. In other words, I think with our full day and evening in Puerto Vallarta, we can probably handle two chunks of time, but not three -- is that correct?

 

BZY1 -- your suggestion of doing the zipline and spending the evening in the city sounds like a great alternative for people who's top choice for Puerto Vallarta is not the Rhythms tour. So people will probably have to decide between a truly exciting daytime adventure or a really romantic evening excursion.

 

Thanks again for the useful information.

 

David

[CHOCBANAWAD12]

We will be on Norwegian Star 3/1 in PV 9-5. We hate organized tours, like walking and are not heavy duty shoppers. or beach people. What would you recommend for us? What can be walked to from the pier(besides Walmart)?

 

Many thanks,

Sam

[bzy1]

Actually, take a bus down to the Malecon. Any bus marked centro will take you down. Get off when the bus turns left right after the park and there you are.

 

Bus is 4 pesos but will be going up to 5 pesos soon.

 

Here is an article I wrote a while ago for a self-guided Vallarta tour,

and best yet, free:)

 

http://www.vallartaonline.com/information/SpotLight/ExploringCentroVallarta/

[CHOCBANAWAD12]

Great article. Will take your advice!

Sam

[CoolCanadian]

bzy1,

 

Thank you for all the great information you are posting. After the Los Veranos Canopy Tour I would like to walk from the canopy office down to the Malecon. Which bus can I take, that will bring us back to the cruise ship pier and where is the bus stop? How often do these buses came around and how long will it take to get back? Also, it's going to cost 50 cents US, I can pay $2.00 US$ bills to the bus driver for four people instead of pesos?

[gordyde]

Do you know anything about the Sierra Madre tour offered by the ships. It says it lasts 8 hours. We love to sight see, but with so many things to do, I wonder if it is worth spending that much time. Has anyone done this excursion.