Los Flamingos beach

The scene is difficult to beat. An interminable beach with palm trees that reach down nearly as far as the sea, away from the crowds yet offering the best services so you can enjoy your holiday to the full; this place is like that. The warm waters of the Pacific enable you to take part in unrivalled fun and water sports in an exclusive, sheltered setting.

The three Riu hotels (ClubHotel Riu Jalisco, Hotel Riu Palace Pacifico and Hotel Riu Vallarta) are located in this privileged place where entertainment is not a synonym of queues and crowds. Here you can hire bodyboards or take long strolls along the beach with the soft sand under your feet.

Las Caletas beach

Las Caletas was the private refuge of filmmaker John Huston, who considered it to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. Accessible by sea only, its crystalline waters are isolated by dense tropical jungle. The beach is ideal for diving, swimming or simply enjoying this tropical paradise.

Riviera Nayarit

Beautiful beaches and exclusive marinas await you here, alongside restaurants and golf courses, and all in a select, sophisticated atmosphere. The three RIU hotels are set in this privileged enclave where the Pacific breezes caress you and contribute to the feeling of relaxation and tranquillity this place evokes.

Puerto Vallarta

The transformation of a quiet fishing village into a town visited by numerous tourists has by no means spoiled Puerto Vallarta. It still retains its former character, with its cobbled streets and plastered houses that converge on the Plaza de Armas and overlook the sea.

The promenade starts at the amphitheatre of Los Arcos, with beautiful sculptures that line Banderas Bay, the largest in Mexico. The promenade is dotted with restaurants, bars and shops that reflect the current dynamism of the town. Strolling along the seaside you are impregnated with the charm of this place, set between the ocean and the dense palm tree forests of the Sierra Madre.

A gentle slope will lead you to the Temple of Guadalupe, the main tower of which is topped by a huge crown, rising up over the town and the Pacific Ocean.

Freeing turtles

Since time immemorial several species of turtles have come to the beaches of Banderas Bay to lay their eggs every year. Different conservation centres organise excursions that include the observation and freeing of baby turtles into the sea. When night comes you will be able to hold the little turtles and lay them out on the sand so that they can start out on their adventure in the wild. An unforgettable experience.

Meeting dolphins

Both children and adults will be fascinated by the experience of swimming, playing and hugging these friendly animals. Making contact with the dolphins as they drive you through the lagoon is a fantastic sensation and is sure to make you love these sea mammals.

Whale observation

Between November and March these impressive cetaceans visit the waters of Banderas Bay to reproduce or look after their babies. Seeing these powerful but docile creatures from close up is a unique spectacle: a few metres from your boat an enormous humpback whale and its baby undulate their bodies through the water, showing their mouths, bodies and tails. Although they repeat the same movements over and over again, you won’t tire of seeing them. Get your camera ready.

Diving and snorkelling

If you would like to learn to dive, you can take lessons in the three RIU hotels. The different protected areas in Banderas Bay are suitable for all levels.
A short crossing will take you to the Islas Marietas, islands surrounded by reefs, cliffs, underwater caves and walls of rock. This shrine is inhabited by dolphins, turtles, huge manta rays and many other species.

Another protected ecosystem that provides refuge for numerous species is Los Arcos. The variety of fish and marine life it contains reminds one of a gigantic aquarium. Keep your eyes peeled as all the species of the region pass through this place, from colourful tropical fish such as angelfish, Panamic sergeant majors or Acapulco majors to turtles, dolphins and manta rays. Like the Islas Marietas, the waters here are suitable for divers and people who prefer snorkelling.

Horse riding

The Sierra Madre, which dominates a large part of the coast, is ideal for leaving the beach behind and entering a world of lush jungle. Here the sound of the waves is replaced by the song of tropical birds and the sun’s rays struggle to penetrate through the dense foliage of the trees. The little tracks that run through the thick forests lead to hidden waterfalls where you can swim and freshen up. Fantastic views of Banderas Bay and its towns are revealed amongst coconut palms and vegetation. The guides, who know the terrain like the back of their hand, will take you to the remotest places where you can feel isolated a very short distance from the hotel.

Bungee Jumping

Jumping takes place from a 40-m-high platform that hangs over a cliff with fabulous views of the sea… before you jump, that is. The good-humoured staff jokingly promise a second jump for free if your bungee breaks.

Golf

Golf los Flamengos: Ideal for all types of player. Being one of the oldest courses in the area (1978), the trees on it are large and the vegetation is dense. The renovation of the course carried out in 2005 has returned much of the original quality to its greens.

Four seasons Punta Mita: Its views of the ocean make some players lose concentration. The hole called “the whale’s tail” is on a natural island and to reach it you have to use an amphibious golf cart.

Specialities

As one would expect, fish and seafood abound in the area. You simply must try the delicious ‘potaje zarandeado’, ‘ostiones’ (a type of mollusc) in soup or enchiladas, and barbecued fish smoked over mangrove wood.

Don’t miss the shrimps, either, in all their versions: tecueleña-style, coated in breadcrumbs, with meatballs and seasoned.

Other delicacies come from the inland territory such as cheese and sweetcorn loaves, and ‘caldo de cuarentena’, a soup prepared using chicken, saffron and cumin.

Shopping

The picturesque cobbled streets of Puerto Vallarta village hide the very best Mexican craftsmen have to offer: silver from Taxco, copper decorations, leather sandals, wool tapestries, blown-glass creations and delicate ceramics, amongst other items. You will also be able to find luxurious American-style shopping centres with the latest fashions and the most exclusive shops.