What to do in Neuvo and Puerto Vallarta?

[edmund36]

We are going to the Grand Mayan Neuvo Vallarta on Jan 30 for 1 week. Any good suggestions on must see things to do? Any nearby attractions / ruins, etc.?

Thanks in advance.

Ed

 

[MuranoJo]

You should probably join TUG and get access to the Resort Reviews. Lots of good info in those! :whoopie:

There is so much you can do in those areas, I wouldn't even know where to start.

 

[pgnewarkboy]

We stayed at the Grand Mayan in Nuevo and loved it. We basically stayed at the resort and enjoyed the great facilities and activities. We took a cab into PV one day and enjoyed it - but not enough to go for another day.

 

[pittle]

Go to Bucerias for lunch some afternoon. (It is just north of NV) Any of the beachfront restaurants are good - we like the ones with the large palapas instead of just umbrellas. They have a flea market area just up from the town square where you can buy souveniers. Of course when you are sitting on the beach having lunch, vendors will come by to try to sell you various things.

There are a lot of good restaurants in PV. We like Pipi's for a more Tex-Mex style meal. They have really good fajitas there. Huge margaritas too.

 

[LuckyGirl]

Is there enough to do at the resort and in the area to stay for 2 weeks? Trying to decide if we should go to NV for 1 week and then ACA or RM for a week or just stay 2 weeks at NV...

Thanks

 

[Zib]

How about a week in Nuevo and then a week in Puerto Vallarta town. That's the way we like to do it. Peace and quiet for a week and then close to town for a week. Each place is totally different. We love both places. In fact, we'll be doing this in a few weeks. A week in Nuevo and then 2 weeks in P.V. town. Feb 8th to March 1st. Can hardly wait!!

 

[Grand Vic]

Is the lazy river up and running at GM Nuevo?

 

[pittle]

Yes - the lazy river in NV at the GM has been open since Feb. 2005. Our family went for Thanksgiving 2008 and our grandson absolutely loved the wave pool and slide. MP owners cannot use the lazy river or the wave pool and slide though. I think that is a shame, because they can eat at the GM restaurants and both resorts share the same grounds. GM owners can use the MP pool and restaurants.

We also tend to stay a week in town and a week in Nuevo.

 

[california-bighorn]

I'm not aware of any ruins in the Puerto Vallarta area. I didn't read if you will have a car. Personnally, I don't think you need one, but others like a car in PV and NV.
We like the smaller towns north of PV and NV such as Sayulita for day trips. We just catch a bus. If you like horseback riding there are a couple of very nice tours available. We did one called something like Capono Ranch.
You will be there at the right time if you want to whale watch. I'd recommend Vallarta Adventures who has an office in NV.
We will be there in 4 weeks and hope to do the items mentioned above and also get in a couple of days of scuba diving.

 

[Zib]

Marty, Can you ride a bus from Nuevo to Sayulita without first going into town to WalMart and back north again making a very long trip? We know how to take it from P.V. and we do that a couple times every time we're in P.V. We always go to "Rollie's" for breakfast. It is excellent!! He started serving dinner also now but the last bus leaves Sayulita for P.V. about 6:00pm so you can't eat dinner and make it back to the bus. Hope they will decide to run them a little later since Sayulita is growing so fast.

 

[taffy19]

Here is an old thread of things to do in the PV/NV area. We are at the Buganvilias right now for two weeks and then back to NV.

 

[california-bighorn]

Bus from NV to Sayulita

Although it is easier to catch the bus for Sayulita at the Walmart in PV because there is a defined bus stop, we did catch it from NV last time we were there. We were told to just go out to the road, and wait on the other side until the Sayulita bus came by and flag it down. And that actually worked and we made it to Sayulita.
I would ask where to wait, but it can be done.

 

[tofdel1]

Whale watching, dolphins, flea markets, surfing, jungle tour, Tequila tour, water sports, lots of tour options.

 

[easyrider]

The Grand Mayan has nice 2 bed units but the resort is just too big. I liked Villa del Palmars Flamngos much better as everything was easy to get to.

Sayulita and San Francisco are easy drives and fun places to hang out. Both places are clean.Bucerias is kind of dirty and has an oder issue in front of the town square.

 

[easyrider]

We did the extreem zip line with Vallarta Adventures. It was a blast. Fishing was dorado only, no marlin. The concierge at the GM set all of this up and we just charged it to our room.

 

[gcole]

NV restaurant

You need to go to Fajita Republic. Its a short taxi ride to it. Go at night. the lighting and the food was great. I will always remember that restaurant. I would pass on the Mexican buffet they push on you at the GM.

 

[pammex]

I highly second the Fajita Republic....................the ruins are quite far from Nuevo and not like on other side....Canopy tours, ziplining are great especially the Los Veranos tour. A day trip into PV and a night trip maybe, walking and roaming the Malecon in PV to see the activity, shop , see the Sandcastles, etc. ( Sunday nights is best for activity). You could also go to the zoo on the south side of PV.......take a day trip to Bucerias, Sayulita, San Pancho. Roam around Nuevo Vallarta, and well the Mayan property is very large with parasailing, jet skis on beach, kayaking on site, train on site, beach, pool, etc. Lots to do in a week. The Mexican Fiesta offered on site, if you have been to one before well then I would pass, if you have never been to one, then you may find it interesting. Have a great trip.