Yippy Zippy!

One morning, on the way to the base camp of the Canopy Adventure Park, Lorena, one of our awesome guides, spotted a little puppy along side of the road. Too small to be alone on its own, we stopped to see if the mother or siblings were close by. After scouring the jungle, we could not find his mom so our new found furry friend accompanied us to the base camp, much to the delight of the all guests going on the zip line tour.

Once at the camp, we decided the puppy needed a name and within a few seconds, it was unanimously decided and he was christened with the very fitting name of “Zippy.”  Everyone around wanted to have their photos taken with this cuddly creature and even take him home.

Luckily,  Zippy was adopted by Francisco, one of our technical supervisors and now lives in a happy home and sometimes even goes to work with Francisco as the official “unofficial” mascot of the Canopy Adventure Park zip line tour in Vallarta.

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450 Children, 23 Whales and Thousands of Smiles

While most visitors to the Puerto Vallarta area have heard of Vallarta Adventures, the majority never know that one of the tour company’s main objectives besides giving back to the ambient world around them is to continually work directly with local social programs and services for the less fortunate.

On Sunday, January 31^st, Vallarta Adventures invited 450 children from Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay and Tepic, Nayarit to join them on a Humpback Whale Watching Adventure. The young guests came from various backgrounds; children’s homes, boarding schools, assisted living homes and children’s shelters, many with physical or emotional challenges.

In the morning you could feel the energy as the children from Tepic arrived on the buses that Vallarta Adventures arranged to transport them to their adventure. Many of the children had never been on a boat before let alone had the enormous pleasure of going out on the ocean to see observe the Humpback Whales, dolphins and other marine life.

The children excitedly boarded the catamarans and their voyage began with the staff presenting an educational program about the visiting whales and the importance of the protection and conservation of the inhabitants of the bay. The children participated by asking questions, intently listening and expressing amazing interest about the marine life and environment. As they toured the bay, they enjoyed lunch and juice as they were greeted by many whales and their offspring, dolphins, sea turtles and birds.

The children all expressed they had an unforgettable day and the true testament at the end of their adventure was the giant smiles that adorned their beautiful faces.

Participating Organizations:

Refugio Infantil “Santa Esperanza”

“Manos de Amor por Bahía”

“Arturo y los Hijos de Dios”

Casa Hogar “Agape”

“New Life Mexico”

“Children of the Dump”

“Pitillal busca un Amigo”

Asociación “Down”

Grupo CANICA (Centro de Atención de Niños con Cáncer)

DIF Bahía de Banderas

DIF Nayarit

Casa Infantil “Mojoneras”

Casa de Niños “Frank González”, Tepic, Nayarit

Casa “Nana”, Tepic, Nayarit

Internado “Juan Escutia”, Tepic, Nayarit

Posted in Vallarta Tours Whale Watching : activities adventure Bahia de Banderas Bay of Banderas bottlenose dolphins Dolphins eco-friendly excursions humpback whale manta ray puerto vallarta things to do in Puerto Vallarta tours vallarta adventures | 2 comments

Mother and Baby Whales Rescued Off Coast of Puerto Vallarta

What started out as a normal morning of whale watching out on the Bay of Banderas turned into a rescue mission to release two whales entangled in an illegal fishing net.

Around 11:00 AM, on January 28th, 2010, a tour boat spotted a humpback whale and her calf appearing to struggle and behave abnormally on the top of the ocean’s surface. After approaching the whales cautiously, the boat crew confirmed that the whales were indeed entangled in a giant fishing net and would need to be rescued.
Vallarta Adventures, an eco-tour provider in Puerto Vallarta, heard the radio call about the distressed whales and their team of Marine Animal Rescue staff immediately sprang into action to assist in the rescue and recovery of the trapped whales.

Enroute, the Vallarta Adventure’s team met up with the Mexican Navy, where Lieutenant Luis Vidal boarded the Vallarta Adventures’ boat to assist in liberating the pair. Once they reached the distressed whales they were able to asses that the mother was entangled from tip to tail in the illegal fishing net and that her calf was also becoming entangled as it swam closer to its mother.

With all hands and arms into the water at once, everyone began grabbing lines and cutting them and the ropes and buoys that encompassed the pair. Once the whales started to get free, they began to move about which made the effort to free them more difficult and dangerous.

With persistence and quick action, the staff and Naval officer quickly removed the offending net from the whales and within an hour, the pair was safe and free, gloriously swimming off into the Bay.

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To Scuba Dive Or Not to Scuba Dive?

Even the best of friends or copacetic of couples do not always agree on what they like to do for activities while on vacation.

One activity that works great for people who like a variety of activities as well as adventure is Las Caletas.
The Las Caletas tour alone offers different levels of activities from kayaking and snorkeling to learning how to prepare Paella as well as nature hikes and children’s programs to simply finding a hammock and watching palm trees sway in the breeze. But, the really cool thing about this tour is that people who love to scuba dive can enjoy their favorite water sport while their partner has a plethora of other things to do to occupy their time.

These tours can be booked together with one person choosing to take the Las Caletas by Day Tour and the person who wants to add a two tank dive to their trip to Las Caletas should select the Las Caletas Two Tank Dive Tour, making sure to select the same days and times for both tours when reserving.

The other thing to mention is that this is a great scuba value, as the Las Caletas Day tour is normally $85.00 US and a two tank dive that includes Las Caletas is only $105.00 US. In essence, only $20 US more for a two tank dive and on top of all of that, if you reserve these tours online right now, you will save !

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Romantic Puerto Vallarta

When you peruse guidebooks about Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, some of the adjectives used to describe the area and the people are beautiful, scenic, friendly, authentic and amazing …just to name a few. But one of the most used and most accurate descriptions is “romantic”.

Puerto Vallarta itself seems to have been built on romance. From the white washed Mediterranean architecture seemingly flowing down the mountains to meet the ocean to the sculpture lined boardwalk that parallels the ocean, the cerulean ocean and soft sandy beaches that beckon you to soak up the sun to the jasmine scented nights and clear star filed sky that beg you to dance beneath.

Yes, Vallarta is romantic. The music played by strolling trios, mariachi bands, even lone guitar players tugs at your heart, the sumptuous candlelit dinners implore you to share the decadent flavors from fork to tongue with someone you favor while the balmy nights with a slight chill in the whispering breezes entice you to move closer to your partner.
There are many amazing restaurants in the area that are perfect for couples and romantic dinners, from mountainside with amazing views of the city below to a linen draped table on the beach with a five star “toes-in-the-sand” menu. Inland or Oceanside, downtown or out of town, you have hundreds of choices but one of the best options for one of your nights is the Rhythms of the Night experience which features a wonderful catamaran ride down the magical southern coast of Vallarta to the exclusive cove and former home of John Huston. Las Caletas is one of those magical places that envelops all of your senses and opens the doors to imagination.

The sights of the performers lining the torch lit paths to the secluded dining areas, the tastes of the divine dinner selections, the sounds of nature and ancient rhythms, the feel of the tropical air caressing you and the smell of the night flowering blooms and ancient offerings being burned create a juxtapose of elements that set your emotions on fire.

Rhythms of the Night is a professionally choreographed show that combines acrobatics, modern dance with the ancient musical rhythms of the Pre-Hispanics in a natural amphitheater in the jungle.

There is nothing else like this in Puerto Vallarta, let alone anywhere else in Mexico, so if you are planning to visit Puerto Vallarta or Riviera Nayarit, this is one of those “must do” activities to add to your agenda, and if you are planning on proposing to the love of your life, there is no better place to get engaged. In fact, it is so perfect; you can even come back and get married here at Las Caletas.

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Hurricane Rick: Weather in Puerto Vallarta

We’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about the status of the weather here in the Puerto Vallarta area in regards to Hurricane Rick. Incidentally, Rick lost his steam this morning and is now considered a Tropical Storm and is long past us and Northeast past Mazatlan. In fact, it is bright and sunny here in Puerto Vallarta right now with little humidity and I expect tomorrow should be equally fantastic.

Lucky for us in Puerto Vallarta, Hurricanes in the Pacific Ocean tend to not only skirt by us but evade us all together. It’s all about topography, baby, and we have some of the best topography on the planet!

Puerto Vallarta is situated pretty much smack dab in the middle of the coast of the Bay of Banderas and is surrounded by the Sierra Madre Mountains. These lush tropical mountains flow all the way down to the Pacific Ocean south of Puerto Vallarta in an area known as Cabo Corrientes. This topography is what helps to cool down and push incoming storms from the south (where they come from) and push them away from the entrance of the Bay and further out to sea, which is what happened to Rick. Luckily he fizzled when he took a sharp right after heading past us and will barely affect the Baja Peninsula.

Now that it is mid-October and the rainy season is almost over, this is a great time to get out and explore some of our fabulous topography. The Sierra Madre Mountains not only protect us, keep us cool and provide a bounty of flora and fauna; they also house some of our most magnificent tours.

Get off the beaten path and tourist scene and explore real Mexico on the Sierra Madre Expedition, or for those that love a multi-activity adventure, check out our the #1 rated Outdoor Adventure which comes an Apex Speed Boat ride, a 4X4 Unimog ride into the mountains, a mule ride up the mountain and then some of the fastest and longest zip lines in the area. Not to mention rappelling, including next to a waterfall and the fun trip back to town with your new best friends.

The perfect tour  for someone in the middle of the two is our Canopy Adventure Park, which is not just a zip line tour but a genuine eco-friendly canopy tour that combines zip lines, suspended walkways, the Crazy Ladder, Tarzan Swing with rappelling.

And while everyone dreams of cloudless sunny days for vacations, I have to say that a little of our warm tropical rain on any of these three tours actually enhances them!  The zip lines go faster, the waterfall is more bountiful, the temperature is cooler and nothing smells better than rain mixed with the tropical lushness of Puerto Vallarta.

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Sierra Madre Expedition

I am lucky to live in Puerto Vallarta and fortunate to work for Vallarta Adventures but living and working in paradise is often the same as living and working anywhere else in the world. You get sucked into daily life and routine and often forget there is an amazing world right outside your own back yard.

Last weekend, I ditched work and played “tourist” and went on the Sierra Madre Expedition.  What a treat and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Puerto Vallarta especially anyone not familiar with the “Vallarta Outback.”

The Sierra Madre Expedition tour takes you far off the beaten path and into areas the typical visitor to Vallarta never experiences.  Or even in my case, to places that someone who lives here never manages to see, yet alone, explore.

On the tour, you’ll visit the smaller villages and farming areas, the gorgeous flora and fauna of the primary tropical forest and the Sierra Madre Mountains all the way down to a pristine breach on the Pacific Ocean.

To give you a clearer picture of what you will encounter; one of the stops is at a little farm far past the city limits. The farmhouse is simple, the kitchen is outside, there are chickens running around and there is not a television or modern convenience to be found. Yet, when you meet the family, they are smiling, laughing and joking, and while working hard to survive, they are proud and relaxed.

During the tour, we wander a bit around their land, learn about the different plants and fruit trees, try some fresh-cut papaya, plantains and guayabas from the tree and then we meet Doña Cuquis (sound like “Cookies”) who makes the most amazing handmade tortillas, beans, guacamole and salsa. We were invited to watch how she creates her prized tortillas and we were able to not only sample them hot off the comal but to make our own tacos. Two fabulous REAL tacos later, I was ready for a siesta in the hammock but we had many more adventures ahead and needed to get a move on.

I won’t go into any great detail of our next stops, which include a Nature Walk and a BBQ lunch on a pristine, beach because I want you to go and experience it for yourself.

I do have to tell you though, the nature walk, and specifically our guide, Salvador, was awesome. He is not only knowledgeable but engaging. And lunch… What can I say? Grilled carne asada, homemade tortillas, rolls, salads, fresh fruit and dessert really hit the spot, especially after a walk on the gorgeous beach and a dip in the ocean. Open bar is included at the beach, and water, soda and cold beer is available during the journey in the Unimog. I do want to point out that this is not one of those “big bus tours”, the groups are small, usually 10 people or so and it really is the best way to get out and discover the amazing areas beyond Puerto Vallarta.

The other thing to mention is after lunch at the beach, the tequila flows freely on the hour+ ride home, so while I do recommend this tour for families; keep in mind, some of your travel mates may get a little tipsy.  I personally skipped the tequila at the end of the tour as I was already drunk on the beauty of the area in which I am fortunate enough to call home.

Posted in Vallarta Tours : activities adventure Bahia de Banderas Bay of Banderas eco-friendly eco-tour excursions family tours hiking in puerto vallarta mexican food Nuevo Vallarta puerto vallarta things to do in Puerto Vallarta tour tours Unimog vallarta adventures | 1 comment

Get to Know A Guide

Featured Guide: Carlos  A.K.A-Chore
Adventure: Outdoor Adventure
How long with Vallarta Adventures: 4 Years
Where are you from: Puerto Vallarta

What is your favorite part of your job?
Rappelling over the waterfalls

Do you have any special skills that you use with your job?
High angle techniques, Boulder Outdoor Survival School, Wilderness First Aid, Botanical studies, Ecology courses, Emergency First Response skills

What is the funniest or craziest thing that you did/seen/experienced?
A guest that kept kissing the mule on the nose and mouth and my crazy moment was when I ate a scorpion.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew -up?
A doctor

What is your favorite(s) food(s)?
Fish ceviche and fish kabobs

Would you eat a grasshopper?
Yes, I have! JUICY!

What do you like to do on your day off?
I love to go snorkeling

Would you rather be an eagle or a dolphin?
A dolphin

What do you do to help conserve or protect our planet?
I recycle and separate my garbage and I do not use bug repellant or sprays to help reduce their possible negative impact on nature.

What is your favorite Vallarta Adventures Tour?
The Outdoor Adventure, of course, but I also love the Sea Safari

If you were given 200 Pesos right now, what would you do with it?
Save it!

Any advice for future adventurers that will go on your tour?
Have fun, never stop trying and never give up!

Posted in Canopy Vallarta Tours : activities adventure Apex boat Canopy eco-friendly eco-tour excursions genuine canopy system mule trek puerto vallarta rappel rappelling things to do in Puerto Vallarta Unimog vallarta adventures waterfall Zip lines | 2 comments

Get to Know A Guide

Featured Guide: Nara Bustani
Adventure: Canopy Adventure Park
How long with Vallarta Adventures: 3 years
Where are you from: Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco , Mexico

What is your favorite part of your job?
I love to work with all the guides and to make a great tour but most of all, putting a big smile on the guest’s faces.

Do you have any special skills or schooling that you use with your job?
Yes, I studied ecotourism and extreme sports, but the part that I like is practicing high angle techniques.

What is the funniest or craziest thing that you did/seen/experienced?
The most exciting and crazy part of my job is when I have to stop somebody on the zip line that is coming in really, really fast!

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew -up?
Not sure but I always wanted to have my own place with lots of big trees. When I was a child I always played up in the trees and wanted to live in a tree house.

What is your favorite food(s)?
I love tacos and burritos

Would you eat a grasshopper?
Only mixed with  quesadillas!

What do you like to do on your day off?
I like to go to the beach with mi little Pug and listen to some music on my ipod.

Would you rather be an eagle or a dolphin?
I would be a mix of both, haha! I love animals!

What makes you happy?
Wake up every day healthy and keep having the time to be with my family and friends that I love.

What do you do to help conserve or protect our planet?
Saving water every day and recycling

What is your favorite Vallarta Adventures Tour?
Believe it or not, all of them are extremely fun

If you were given 200 Pesos right now, what would you do with it?
I will buy a lot of food!!  Well, just 200 pesos of food, I guess.

Any advice for future adventurers on your tour?
Get ready for a great time! Bring all your family;  from the kiddies to the grandparents …you are going to love this place and you are going to want to take all of the guides home with you! haha.

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Get to Know a Guide

Featured Guide: Salvador -A.K.A. Chava
Adventure Tour: Sierra Madre Expedition
How long with Vallarta Adventures: 6 1/2 Years
Where are you from: Lake Chapala, Ajijic, Mexico

What is your favorite part of your job?
Everything, but mostly I like to share my country with my guests

What is the funniest or craziest thing that you did/seen/experienced?
I’ve swam with crocodiles

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew -up?
A veterinarian

What is your favorite(s) food(s)?
All! I think eating is one of the things I love the most in the world.

Would you eat a grasshopper?
Yes. I’ve done it before and many other creatures as well …survival course

What is the last book that you read?
Los hijos del sol, it’s a book all about the culture of the Aztecs

What do you think is the most beautiful place In Vallarta?
The north side of the bay

What do you like to do on your day off?
Outdoor activities, especially surfing

Would you rather be an eagle or a dolphin?
An eagle

What do you do to help conserve or protect our planet?
Whatever I can. I never throw trash and I pick up the litter that I see. I also like educate the kids so they know what to do, like to conserve or to not waste

What is your favorite Vallarta Adventures Tour?
All of them. They are all fun and educational

If you were given 200 Pesos right now, what would you do with it?
Save it, 4 any emergency

Any advice for future adventurers that will go on your tour?
Yes, please come with me on the Sierra Madre Expedition and learn and see real Mexico. We will touch, taste, see and feel the real enchilada!

Posted in Vallarta Tours : activities adventure Bahia de Banderas Bay of Banderas excursions Jungle Nuevo Vallarta off the beaten path puerto vallarta Sierra Madre Expedition things to do in Puerto Vallarta tours Unimog vallarta adventures | leave a comment