Although I've been doing a bit of traveling these past few years, I haven't yet earned my international traveler's badge. I've stopped in port in Mexico on a cruise, and there was that time that a young sixteen-year-old girl (me) and her friend hopped on a bus from San Diego to Tijuana to shop and test out their high school Spanish skills, with no thought that it might not be a good idea to, you know, leave the country without their (my) parents permission or knowledge (oh my goodness, I can't even imagine what I'd do if my kids did that!), but my recent trip to Riviera Nayarit was my first real international travel experience.
I was a little anxious about the international flight and traveling outside the country alone. All was much easier and smoother than I had anticipated. Passport? Check! Customs form and traveler's permit? The flight attendants handed them out and we passengers filled them out on the plane. Easy peasy. A quick check through customs and it was time to embark on a new cultural experience. I was super excited, but if I am going to be honest with myself, before leaving for this this trip, I was a little unsure about safety. My fears were quickly dispelled. I was sure to stay with my group, but even when I left the with two friends to visit a friend who was in the hospital with a broken leg (that's a story for another day) I felt completely comfortable and safe in Riviera Nayarit.
Where to Stay?
Reflect Krystal Grand Nuevo Vallarta
Just a short ride from the Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR), the beautiful Reflect Krystal Grand Nuevo Vallarta is situated on the Bahía de Banderas, or Bay of Banderas. Along with two double beds, our 9th floor room included a sitting area, dining table and a balcony overlooking the mountains, yes, mountains, that tower over the beach horizon. The sky blue curtains flanking the sleeping area were an nice touch and just added an extra splash of happiness to the room.
Pools? You want pools? This place was made for swimming. There's a main pool, an adult pool, an infinity pool overlooking the ocean WITH a swim up bar, plus a splash area in the Kamp Krystal Kids Club area. The property also has some "swim up" rooms-- and that's exactly what it means: you can take a dip in a semi-private pool and swim right up to your room! Still not enough pools for you? There is another pool located in the exclusive SKY Lounge on the rooftop of the resort.
The resort is all-inclusive, they call it Unlimited-Luxury®, so all food, drinks, daily activities, nightly entertainment and kids clubs (Explorer’s Club for Kids and Core Zone Teens Club) are included with your stay. I enjoyed made to order omelets at the breakfast buffet and I loved putting almost everything I ate on a tortilla. For dinner, you can grab a snack or quick meal at the bar, eat at the buffet or one of the à la carte restaurants. The resort is set to open more themed restaurants soon. Three friends and I devoured a respectable amount of sushi at AYAMI , the Asian cuisine restaurant. Our server did encourage us to order and share one of just about everything!
Reflect Krystal Grand Nuevo Vallarta is a beachfront resort, so there's natural beauty all around: from the ocean waves to the sunsets to the... iguanas. Look out, you just might find one jumping out of a tree! Early morning is a great time to take a walk on the beach and enjoy the serenity. I've always enjoyed watching beach sunsets, but a beach sunset behind mountains? It's simply amazing!
What to Do?
Vallarta Adventures: Offroad Adventure
Vallarta Adventures' Offroad Adventure is definitely something I can see myself doing with my family. We set off for the rainforest in one of Vallarta Adventures' signature yellow Mercedes trucks and combined immersion in Mexican culture with nature exploration. Make sure you wear comfortable closed-toe shoes for the 45 minute hike through the Sierra Madre Mountains. Vallarta Adventures' bilingual guides were outstanding. Juan Carlos pointed out flora & fauna and even ATE a termite as he showed us a termite mound! It was an awesome experience to go hiking... in the Sierra mountains... in Mexico... and see various plant and animal species in their natural habitat. I kept thinking about how much my kids would appreciate and enjoy this adventure.
What's next after exploring the rainforest? Our open-air truck took us by local landmarks and town squares while Juan Carlos exuberantly told us stories about the history of the area. We picked up ingredients in the shops and brought them to the beach at Bucerios, where the guides used them to make our lunch and we learned how to make tortillas. Yep, that's me grinding up corn by hand with a stone metate and making my own tortilla. I am totally going to try this at home! We had a BBQ lunch by the beautiful beach. It was pretty rocky, so be sure to bring some water shoes if you want to swim.
Vallarta Adventures: Sayulita and San Pancho
Entreamigos, a non-profit organization dedicated to children's development and the community, is the heart of San Pancho (the local nickname for the city of San Francisco) and the first stop on Vallarta Adventures' Sayulita and San Pancho tour. This really cool community run program is part rec center, part art studio and part recycling center and relies heavily on volunteers and is primarily funded by private donations. The center strives to empower local families, especially women & children. As a mom, traveling with a group of moms, it was easy to see what a great impact this program has on the local community. We also stopped at a roadside candy shop (YUM! Peanut marzipan!) and tasted samples of cocoa beans outside Mexicolate, a chocolate shop serving smoothies and chocolate confections, across the street from Entreamigos.
Next stop: Sayulita! Juan Carlos helped us make our own guacamole and we enjoyed another fantastic lunch at the beach. Spoiler Alert: there were yummy tacos to be eaten! We had fun splashing in waves, which were much larger than the calm surf of the Gulf of Mexico. After all, Sayulita is a surfer's haven. It was a difficult decision whether to enjoy the beach and jump the waves or to venture into town and check out the local shops, so we did a little of both. People played music and danced in the street as we browsed beaded art created by the Huichol, the native people to the Nayarit area of Mexico, and walked under the colorful flags of Sayulita.
Before this trip, I had never really thought of taking my family on a trip to Mexico. Now that I've experienced it myself, I see that it's not such a farfetched idea and I'm sure my kids would gain so much from a cultural experience like an international trip to Riviera Nayarit!
When Visiting Riviera Nayarit
Travel Tips
- It's HOT in Mexico! Hotter than Florida. Not every place has air-conditioning, including restaurants. You'll also likely be participating in outdoor activities in the heat. Be sure to stay hydrated and consider bringing a cooling neck wrap.
- Travel is generally less expensive in the summer months, but be prepared: it will be hot. (See tip#1)
- Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after final day of travel. Some countries will not permit you to enter if your passport expires before then.
Be Sure to Bring
- Your passport. You cant leave home without it.
- Bathing suits. You'll need at least two, so that the first one has a chance to dry out in the high humidity
- Lightweight clothes. You probably wont be able to wear anything more than once without washing.
- Sandals that are not flip flops. Some restaurants at the resorts will not allow you to enter with flip flops.
- Closed-toe shoes
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen. Reef-safe sunscreen is recommended for some excursions.
- Insect repellant
- Tote bag or backpack to take on excursions for bathings suits and a change of clothes
- Cooling neck wrap. You may not look "cool", but trust me, you'll be happy and cool
- Patience and an open mind. When you travel, everything doesn't always go smoothly; It's always an adventure!
Riviera Nayarit CVB hosted Macaroni Kid publishers for a three-day press trip. Accommodations and most meals and activities were complimentary. No other compensation was received in consideration of this article and all opinions are that of the writer.
Check out part 2 of this summer's adventure in Mexico!
