Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

Man, I am having some major wanderlust and spring break vacation envy. Also, i'm ignoring the fact that it's like a year since i've blogged.

Even though i've got a mega trip coming up. 18 days in Austria, Germany, and Slovenia in the summer.

And even though we went to Cabo San Lucas this past September.

These photos are from last October, from the Riviera Nayarit, which is right outside of Puerta Vallarta.

I have come to the conclusion that two nice vacations a year are necessary, and that if one is adventurous and go go go (hello, Summer 2016) that the other one should be no planning, no forethought, one carry on suitcase beach vacation.

One expects fresh food on the beach, but does one expect pastries?? A little melted, but the people next to us were takers.

Fresh pineapple and beer, now that is beach living.

Just a man, making his living selling sunglasses and hats to touristas.

We stayed at a time share in Riviera Nayarit called Villa Del Palmar Flamingos. There was top notch entertainment, you would have thought you were on a cruise ship or something.

View of the Sierra Madres from our hotel.

.

Now this is the life.

It was recommended that we go to Sayulita, about an hour away. Yes, it was green and lush, but i also found it touristy and crowded with young people. College age people, who are looking to party, and that is not me now, nor was it me in college.

Colorful streets of Sayulita.

Puerta Vallarta tour in town.

Views from in the pools at Villa Del Palmar, Flamingos.

Two tiered pool, and beyond that, the beach.

In the pool, looking up at the accomodations. Just gorgeous. 

Mariachi band one night at the resort. So good.

Isn't this a cool planter? We took a tour of Puerta Vallarta that included a tequila distillery and lunch. That's where this log turned planter was.

The view of Los Arcos from the tequila distillery. Tequila itself ain't my cup of tea, however, tequila liqueur...well, that is something different. We left with a few bottles of delicious flavors, like chocolate, peanut butter, amaretto, and coffee, and advice to mix the chocolate and peanut butter for a Reese's Cup inspired shot. Well don't mind if i do!

The tasting area.

Those gorgeous views.

The tiny little shot glass tastings at Don Tadeo distillery. Highly recommended!

Have you ever been to Puerto Vallarta? Riviera Nayarit?

How bout Austria, Germany, or Slovenia, because i need tips and suggestions.We will be in Vienna for 3 nights, the Alps for a week with many a day trip (salt mines, ice caves, Hallstatt, Eagles Nest, Neuschwanstein Castle) Salzburg for two nights. I lined up a bicycle Sound of Music tour called Fraulein Maria!!  We bike to all the locations in the film, and i will most certainly recreate any scene i can think of and provide music. I wanted to go to a marionette show, but the show for the night is The Sound of Music. I thought that might be too much for the boyfriend. In Slovenia, we are going to Lake Bled and staying in Ljubljana for 2 nights. As i have an immense interest in the Holocaust we will be visiting Mauthausen on the way to an overnight in the Austrian wine region. Reislings galore, and other sweet whites, i can't wait! I can't wait to frolic in the Alps singing "The Hills are aliiiiiive!"

 You can find me all sorts of here: Molly, Coastal Charm, BNOTP, Keeping it Simple, DIY Showoff, Elizabeth & Co. , Stories A-Z, Sugar Bee Crafts, A Stroll Thru Life, Kim Six, Stone Gable, Domestically Speaking, Shanna, Blissful Bee, Savvy Southern Style, Handy Man, Houseologie, Charm of Home, No Minimalist Here,My Romantic Home, Somewhat Simple, Mustard Seed, Just us 4, Wetherills Say i Do, Shabby Nest, My Repurposed Life, Craftberry Bush, French Country Cottage, Chic on Shoestring, LollyJane, Overflowing, House by Hoff, shaken together, Garay Treasures  Thrifty Decor Chick, wanderlust weds, five on fridays, april go linky.

Marieta Islands, Mexico

Remember how i think 35th birthdays are kind of a big deal, and remember how we went to Riviera Nayarit, Mexico for mine? Well, since it's cold and windy up in here, i thought now's a good time to show you all the pictures from our trip in October.

First, Mexico is hot and humid in October. So any time you actually spend in the water is a relief. Second, as much as this was a lolling around and relaxing vacation, i can't know this hidden beach exists and not try and see it. The Marietas are only accessible by boat, and the tide has to be low enough to enter the hidden beach. Unless you had a small watercraft that could take you all the way inside, i don't recommend that you do this on your own because the current was absolutely ridic. We chose the tour company Vallarta Adventures, and  this was the Marietas Eco Discovery Tour.

 

The tour met at their location in Nayarit, which was ideal for us as that is where we stayed. They also had an office in Puerto Vallarta, about 20 minutes away, with tours that left from there. The price included a breakfast buffet before we left, plus lunch and open bar on the boat.  We saved 15% by ordering tickets online, and hoped the weather would cooperate, as October is also the rainy season.



The Marietas are their own eco system like the Galapagos Islands, and have rules about travel there. They are protected by the Mexican government and foot travel, hunting, and fishing is not permitted. 
 

While i didn't have a great camera for zooming, these are blue footed boobies, a bird species only found along California gulf coast and down into Peru.

 

Apparently this is a popular resting spot. But here you can kinda see the blue feet.
 

Ok, so hopefully this visual helps you understand that this is a lot of swimming to access the tunnel, and it is totally dependent on the tide. The day was supposed to start with the hidden beach, but the tide was too high for us to access the underwater tunnel.  In fact, the excursion stated it was for strong swimmers only-of which i am not-but with the life jacket you must wear, i thought it could be done.
 

Since we couldn't access the tunnel first, the crew switched the snorkeling/kayak/cove beach to the morning. Those orange dots are life vests, and though the snorkeling wasn't all that great in terms of fish, it was great in terms of location. It isn't often you get to snorkel amongst interesting rock formations.
 
There were lots of tiny jelly fish, so after snorkeling we boarded the little boat that took you to the cove for a relaxing swim. Not relaxing was trying to exit the boat from the sides gracefully as the current pulls the boat back and forth.

But certainly it's beautiful.

Friends, i thought, you can't be in a place this gorgeous, with kayaks at the ready, and included in the price, and not participate in them. What commenced was panic, as this girl has never kayaked in her life, and remember the whole "not a strong swimmer" thing? And the whole, trying to be graceful when getting in and out of a sea vehicle? Combine that with no upper body strength, and you have me, being ever so panicked and still as to not rock the kayak at all, while still trying to document that we.are.in.a.kayak. It goes without saying that the boyfriend did all the work, at his suggestion. Fine by me. Lemme take pictures.
 

Outdoorsy right here! Holla!!!!
 

Slightly panicked about hitting the rocks, but still trying to get a picture. And still trying to barely move.
 

There we go, we leaned back even further, and those are my toes. The only proof i could muster that it was, in fact, me in that kayak.
 

After that nail biting endeavor, we boarded the boat and made our way to our ultimate destination, the hidden beach.  I was concerned, again with the strong swimming need, but now it's after physical exertion since the order was switched and snorkel/swim/kayak came first.
 

After seeing other people getting no where with regular swimming because of the strong current, i side swam my way in there.  Arms up, pick the apple, put it in the basket, legs scissor, and gliiiiiiide.



We're talking swimming from the boat drop off, to the tunnel, then through the tunnel. It was a work out.

 

This is an excellent shot to show how you are inside something, you see how the earth wall is all around you. Neat, right?

And this is where you came from.

We didn't swim while we were in the hidden beach, it was more about getting into it, and just being amazed at what it is. You couldn't even stand in the shallow water there without being pulled back in and out.

The islands themselves were formed by volcanic activity years ago, and were used as bomb testing since they were uninhabited. Jacques Cousteau discovered these caves, and eventually the government declared it a national park.

The underside. So so dark in the tunnel, and so so low.


Then i side swam my way back out, through the low, dark tunnel, to the boat.



Truly a unique and unforgettable experience.

Has anyone ever gone to the Marietas before? Did you make it to the hidden beach? 

sharing is caring: Currently @ Dearest Love, Random Wednesday @ Because Shanna Said So, sharing is caring: , thrifty treasures @ southern hospitality, travel photo mondays @ travel photo discovery,   , Monthly projects @ Evolution of Style   inspire me mondays t @ domestically speaking,   Before and After @ Thrifty Decor Chick,    Mod Vintage Life, Motivate Me Mon @Keeping it Simple, persia lou,  home stories a-z, nifty thrifty @ Coastal Charm, be inspired @ elizabeth and co, the scoop @ stone gable,  inspire me tues, lil luna, you're gonna love it @ kimsixfix, get your craft on, sugar bee crafts. your designs this time, inspire me weds @ 733, wow us weds @ savvy southern style,  twirl and take a bow @ house on the way, work it weds @ the blissful bee, outdoor weds @ a southern daydreamer, whimsy wednesday, wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman, look what i made,  whatever goes weds @ someday crafts, think and make @ houseologie, charm of home, link party palooza @ tatertots and jello, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, open house @ no minimalist here, creativity unleashed @ shaken together,inspiration gallery @ Craftberry Bush, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, my romantic home, jennifer rizzo, Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity now,  furniture fridays @ mustard seed, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, design it fridays @ finding fabulous, best diy @ 36th ave, overflowing w/ creativity @ it's overflowing, nifty thrifty sundays, under the table and dreaming. inspire me please @ liz marie blog,sunday best @ the girl creative  shaken together,