Puerat Vallarta... wow

[asylumdown]

Just got back from a spontaneous 5 day trip to an all inclusive in Puerta Vallarta. It was my first time in Mexico, and since it's on the Pacific side, I wasn't expecting an awful lot from it to satisfy the reefer in me, but let me tell you, I was blown right out of the water.

We went on a day trip to an eco-themed park thing called Las Calletas, which is at the far tip of the bay and only accessible by boat, and you need to book a tour with Vallarta Adventures to get there. There is a couple hundred meter stretch of beach and rocks you can snorkel along and while the water was really unpleasantly cold and there was no coral of any kind, I have never seen so many fish in my entire life. I've been snorkelling on the great barrier reef and all over the Caribbean, and I've never seen so many fish, or so many kinds of fish, in one place at one time.

I wish I knew more about Pacific fish, but there was a healthy school of what I think were very large King angels, at least 3 other species of angels I recognized but couldn't name, tons of Moorish idols, the most incredible damsels (of all kinds) I've ever seen, two kinds of huge puffers, gobies and blennies galore, small rays, a spectacular trumpet fish, what I think were either schools of small tuna or some sort of jack, and many other, even more incredible fish (big ones too) that I couldn't even place with a common name. If anyone is ever in that area, I can't recommend it highly enough.

[Delphinus]

Never been to the Pacific side myself (for that matter have only been once in Mexico ever and that was like a billion years ago .. ok it was 2001, maybe not a BILLION but darn close). Anyhow I always heard that the Pacific side was more ho-hum but on the other hand Snappy, who is an avid diver, has posted some neat pictures of his dives there and they look pretty nice to me. He told me that it's way nicer than people give it credit for, and given that he dives a lot and I ... don't at all, pretty much (only been a couple times on "Discover Dives") .. I would tend to believe it I guess. Will have to check it out some day.

Hope you can post some pictures when you get a chance!

[unclesalty]

Definately post some pics!

[Snappy]

Coincidently I am leaving for PV on Saturday. Yes there are several areas in Vallarta with great diving & lots of corals.

[unclesalty]

I picked Cuba for my trip as I didn't have the balls to go to Mexico these days!

[hillegom]

Originally Posted by unclesalty

I picked Cuba for my trip as I didn't have the balls to go to Mexico these days!

Where in Cuba?

[unclesalty]

Originally Posted by hillegom

Where in Cuba?

We are going to Varedero next month as the beaches look beautiful with crystal clear water with lots of snorkelling and dive excursions to go on. Food is not so great in Cuba I hear but I would rather eat lousy food and feel safer. My wife actually wanted to go to PV or Cozumel but I said "no way I'm going there" so she gave in to Cuba!

[MarkoD]

Originally Posted by unclesalty

I picked Cuba for my trip as I didn't have the balls to go to Mexico these days!

Diddo. Just don't like the longer travel time to cuba

[jorjef]

You guys worry too much... that's like deciding to drive because you heard a plane crashed last week.

[Gripenfelter]

Originally Posted by unclesalty

I picked Cuba for my trip as I didn't have the balls to go to Mexico these days!

I have two clients who had horrible experiences in Mexico.

One couple was picked up by the Federalis and basically mugged. They let the husband walk back to the resort but 3 officers raped his wife before they let her go.

Another couple's daughter was kidnapped out of her hotel room and never seen again.