Vallarta Blog

 From the New York Times
By BONNIE TSUI

BEYOND the sunbathers, cervezas and spring break debauchery so conspicuously on display in Cancún and Cozumel, Mexico offers a lesser-known adventure experience — the kind that is found deep in the jungle or near small fishing villages and offshore reefs.

The same country that possesses one of the world’s most polluted capital cities also ranks as one of the richest in species diversity. Twenty-two biosphere reserves and nearly 50 national parks offer hiking and wildlife-watching opportunities; mountain chains and interior canyons are chockfull of biking trails; fertile warm-water upwellings attract pods of whales and glittering fish.

Adventurous tourists — particularly those focused on a specific outdoor sport or activity — have much to discover along the coast and on the country’s ruggedly varied interior terrain.

Almost by definition, some of these unexplored gems are in remote areas, so travelers will need to be vigilant about safety. That’s where knowledgeable outfitters are key — they can take you to little-touristed places where you’ll feel comfortable exploring the backcountry forests and secluded beaches that you might not visit alone. Regions like Chiapas and Oaxaca, while still extricating their reputations from recent political unrest, have become more stable. Before you book, consult the United States State Department (www.travel.state.gov) for travel advisories.

SURFING SAYULITA
Surfers have been crossing the border to ride waves along Mexico’s Pacific coast for decades, and this small coastal fishing village 30 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta has lately achieved the perfect mix of lively beachfront bars, surf camps and terra-cotta architectural charm — all, most importantly, with easy access to numerous breaks ideal for beginners and for intermediates looking to sharpen their technique. Advanced riders might head south to the body-wrecking barrels at Puerto Escondido, but the rest of us mere mortals will be content to spend a week or two skimming the waves there.

An easy right break on Sayulita’s bay, just off a curving white-sand stretch of town beach, is where longboarders spend most of their time; if those waves get too big, beginners can always move down the beach and find smaller ones. A faster left break caters to speedy shortboarders. In 2006, the Access Trips adventure travel company started a small-group surf itinerary to Sayulita and its surrounding breaks, joining the pioneering Las Olas Surf Safaris (www.surflasolas.com), which runs surf camps for women, and several others. The special flavor of the village, says Alain Chuard, co-owner of Access Trips, comes from its friendly and eclectic population (local fishermen, hippies, expatriates) and the town’s careful control over development (there are no big hotels or big chain stores here, whereas Wal-Mart has landed in Puerto Vallarta).

Most everything in Sayulita is within walking distance, from the beach to the grocery stores and cafes in the village center to the surrounding jungle. The village might not be a secret anymore, but it’s far from being overrun by tourists. Beaches are rarely crowded, a one-bedroom villa at Villa Amor, the luxury hotel in town, starts at $90 a night, and foreign travelers tend to be in their 20s and 30s.

Access Trips’ seven-day surf safaris are led by a local surfer, Javier Chavez, and a core team of instructors. The student-to-teacher ratio is capped at an intimate 4 to 1, and all trip leaders are locals. Days are spent surfing the bay and visiting other secluded surf spots north and south of Sayulita that are accessible only by boat. In the winter, humpback whales cruising by the bay are a bonus. Surfers stay in newly built bungalows with ocean views just up the hill from town, and morning yoga sessions in a private studio help ease the muscle pain left by consecutive pop-ups on the surfboard. Lunch might be grilled shrimp on the beach, and there are plenty of other outdoor activities, including guided jungle treks, mountain biking and trips to hot springs.

 Access Trips, (650) 492-4778); www.accesstrips.com; seven-day surf adventures from $1,885, including lodging, instruction, all breakfasts, a lunch and two dinners, yoga and transportation, including airport transfers; November through May.

How about a Vallarta Christmas Adventure? If you are ready for some holiday adventure in Mexico, Vallarta Adventures offers all types of activities and tours.

Located at the Pacific side of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta has everything a vacation can ask for. Whale watching tours, swim with dolphins, Canopy, Americas Cup Sailing and beautiful beaches are just the tip of the mountain when it comes to the services offered by Vallarta Adventures.

If you are interested, you can visit their site at vallarta-adventures.com and choose a tour!

 Merry Christmas from Vallarta!

The F1 Roadshow was presented in front of over 200 thousand spectators, organized by Giancarlo Fisichella and Nelson Piquet Jr. After 15 years without F1, they rolled once again on the streets of the capital city of Mexico. The event was performed this weekend 13th and 14th of October on the Reforma Street.

In only 12 minutes the Italian Giancarlo Fisichella and the Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr drove the F1 vehicles in front of more than 200 thousand spectators.

The scene was packed with people and most of them could only get a peak of what was going on. Improvising with chairs, boxes, bikes and trees, some lucky ones were able to oversee the crowds and enjoy the event.

Piquet Jr drove the first car at 1:50pm with a deafening sound coming from the machine that cruised around the Reforma Avenue of 2km length, inbetween the Statue of Diana the Hunter and the Palma Glorieta.

With his Renault helmet and suit, the southamerican drove around the street saluting the spectators that where waiting with patience for the event since 8:00 am

After Piquet Jr. it was Giancarlo Fisichella’s turn to drive his car on the capital’s main Avenue with hydraulic asphalt like the one used by Big Racings in F1. Just before the end of his drive, he burned some wheel in a great maneuver, leaving black prints in circles on the Reforma Street under the Angel of Independence which resulted in loud applause by the fanatics.

When the rounds were over, both drivers walked along the Avenue to thank and wave the applauds of the Mexican spectators that have been waiting for a date since F1 Gran Premio in 1992 in the Autodromo Hermano Rodriguez.

To finalize the event, the Mexican driver Mario Dominguez drove a last round in a convertible carrying the Mexican Flag.

By Robert Perea

For most visitors, a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico means days on the beach, and nights club-hopping.

Not so for the Carson High School boys and girls soccer teams. For them, it was a low stress way to prepare for the demanding Sierra League season.

Both teams went 3-0 in a tournament hosted by Colegio Americano, with the boys team winning the championship and the girls losing the final match, both on penalty kicks, after a torrential downpour forced the cancellation of the championship matches.

As the Sierra League favorites, the trip gave the Senator girls team a chance to work out some kinks against good competition in a relaxed atmosphere.

“It was more of a friendly thing for us,” said coach Randy Roser. “It helped us quite a bit. We didn’t feel pressure like we would playing league games.”

Roser said the tournament format allowed the teams to work on things that needed improvement.

“When you play in tournaments, what you see you’re weak on, you can work on in the next game,” he said.

Off the field, the teams took a three-hour cruise around the port on their second night of the trip, and the third night they attended a pool party and banquet.

“It was a great experience,” said Roser. “Most of the kids learned more Spanish than in four years of school.”

International partnership

The trip was part of a partnership

between the Carson City School District and the Colegio Americano. Next year the Colegio Americano will send a team to Carson City, while Carson will return the trip again in 2009, and they will rotate after that.

“From our perspective, our hope is if you play soccer at Carson, at least once you will play internationally in Puerto Vallarta,” said Roser.

Unfortunately, the Senator girls didn’t get much down time after returning from the trip on Sept. 13. They opened Sierra League play two days later with a 3-1 loss to South Tahoe.

Carson rebounded to beat North Tahoe, Wooster and Hug, and despite the loss to the Lakers, look ready to stand up to their role as Sierra League favorites.

The Senators have won the Sierra League in three of the last four years, and feature a deep and talented, yet still young, squad.

“We’re very strong,” Roser said. “We have 20 players and we’re 20 deep. Everyone is a pretty good player. They’re very fast, and we move the ball well.”

Returning talent

The Senators return six seniors — Kristin Rush, Becca Kane, Belle Fleming, Brandy Cantley, Amanda Osborne and Kayla Sanchez — who have been on the varsity team for three years. They’re joined by four juniors and 10 sophomores, three of whom are returning varsity players.

The goalkeeper is sophomore Jennifer Johnson, who Roser said is “getting better every match.”

The juniors returning from last season are Alli Collier, Helaine Berris, Lauren Schulz and Brandi Vega, who is getting recruiting attention from everyone on the west coast, including UCLA, Washington State and San Francisco.

Johnson is one of three returning sophomores, along with Taylor Musselman and Brenda Luquin.

“These girls are strong and they know how to win, the seniors especially,” said Roser. “We’re fast everywhere, back, midfield and front, and so far, I don’t see any team that will be able to pass on us a lot.”

With that kind of speed all over the field, Roser said the key to success for the Senators will be to play patiently, since opposing teams will likely try to neutralize that speed.

“If we can just keep our game simple, with our skills on the ball we don’t have to work hard,” Roser said. “Just let the ball do the work and do what we do. Be patient, and make better decisions.”

Although they’ve won the league title three of the last four years, Roser said that’s not the Senators’ goal.

“The goal is always to make the playoffs,” he said. “The first time around the league is a lot of training — working on the basics and on certain tactics and getting them ingrained in the players.

“The second time around is to make sure we get into zone, and to make sure the technical and tactical things are peaking,” Roser added. “Winning will take care of itself if we train properly.”

Fishing trips in Puerto Vallarta? The hardest part may be deciding when to go to this tropical paradise? Different seasons mean different fish.

So, decide on the type of fish you want to land first and then make your travel arrangements.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is located on Banderas Bay on the Pacific Ocean. Population in the coastal city normally averages around 350,000, but it hosts over 3 million visitors a year, among them many deep sea fishing enthusiasts.

The tropical weather is perfect for fishing trips. Expect year-round daytime temperatures to average 80º F (27º C); nighttime gets a little cooler.

Fishing trips in Puerto Vallarta run year round, but if you are intent on landing a whopper-sized tuna, then you’ll need to visit between June and February.

Marlin (blue, black and striped) is available from later summer through November and during the spring months of March and April.

Sailfish are in season year round, but to improve your chances of landing this fish, visit during the winter months between November and April. One of Puerto Vallarta’s largest fishing events, its Sailfish tournament, is held in November.

If you can only take holidays beginning in May or June, set your sights on Dorado or Yellowfin tuna. These fish remain in season through the summer and into the late fall. Tuna, in fact, is only out of season for 3 months of the year: March, April and May.

Fishing trips and charter excursions abound in Puerto Vallarta. Trips leave every morning and cater to private intimate groups or larger groups of 4 fishermen or more.

Most fishing trips in Puerto Vallarta are complete packages, which include transportation, fishing gear, bait, ice chests, and drinks. However, be sure to check with your charter company as some expect you to bring along any food or drink you may require.

Fishing licenses, sold by the charter, will also be at your expense

Your fishing charter hosts will be expecting a 10-15% tip, so bring your Pesos. The peso is the local currency, but US dollars are readily accepted, as well.

Besides fishing trips in Puerto Vallarta, you might also want to soak up the sun on a beach. Banderas Bay is dotted with 25 miles of enticing sandy beaches. Or if it’s mountains you seek, the picturesque Sierra Madre chain is to the east.

Oh, and make sure when booking your fishing trips in Puerto Vallarta, that your charter offers purified or bottled drinking water. You don’t want a case of the trots detracting from your fishing adventure.

FishingMentor.com