Just got home last night

[jomax24]

from 2 more glorious weeks in PV.
We did the Turtle Camp first. Our guide was Karel and he was fabulous.
The first walk down the beach looking for the Mama turtles seemed frightfully long and hot, but, that's probably cause we didn't find any.
The way they have the nests set up and nightly hatchings to see is very cool. It really gives the Baby turtles a better shot at life.
Towards the end they gave us each a couple of baby turtles to name and release and then they released about a hundred at once. Very cool trip and nice to know that about half the price of the tickets (thanks pt) goes right back into the conservation program. I rate this one 5 stars!
Next we did the Jungle Trio. First a stop in the Centro shops area, then a trip up to a small family run tequila factory (been drinking tequila for 20 years just to find out I've been drinking the worst there is to offer...lol)
Then on the bus for a long bumpy ride up the mountain to Chinos Paradise. What a place. Went cliff jumping and swimming in the river and then had an excellent lunch in the cliff side restaurant. The catch here? Nobody told us we had to buy our own lunch and drinks up there and we ended up with a lot less money than we needed to really make the most of the trip, but, I think I'll take the kids on it next time. Could have done without the time share sharks at Eden too. Getting very good at just ignoring them. Rate this one a 4 star trip.
Marigalante Sunset Cruise - most excellent! Great hosts, great food, great drinks, great contests, great party. I didn't want to get off the boat when it was over, and I hate boats! My hubby won the Sexy man contest which got us a ticket for the daytime pirate cruise the next time we go.
I rate this one 5 stars as well. Anyone who goes to PV needs to check this one out.
We stayed at the Sea Garden at the Marina. Very nice place although they were in the process of making a new front entrance, so it was pretty noisy during the day, but, we were hardly ever there during the day so it wasn't a big deal to us. There were other guests there that complained about the noise, so they quickly moved them across the street to the Sister hotel, the Mayan Palace. It was great for us. We bought our time share on a prebuild for Sea Garden Nuevo Vallarta for cheap.(sorry, they're all sold out now) The best part of that deal is that for half the price we get to use all the amenities of the Mayan Palace!
We tried to eat a new places this time (which wasn't hard, as a lot of the restaurants in the Marina are either new or closed completely - quite sad, really) I really liked the Fajita Banana, The Blue Shrimp and El Jarro Cafe.
Cheeseburger in Paradise was way overrated and overpriced. It was good food, but, too many pesos. 24 pesos for a cervesa is highway robbery as far as I'm concerned and we found most of the places in Centro to be reflecting these prices. I'm not used to having to shop around for beer prices, but, now consider myself fairly educated in the field...lol
Customs on both ends was a breeze, common sense makes a world of difference.
All in all it was a fantastic trip, got reacquainted with old friends and as always in PV, made plenty of new ones. We are already planning our next trip, hopefully in January or February.

[Sas]

Great trip report ! It's always good to hear what people's experiences were like. But what's this about beer in Centro being 24 pesos ? Really ...in most places ??? YIKES !!!!!! Please elaborate more !!!!
I know we found last year that prices seemed to have gone up. How did you find restaurant prices to be ?

[pt]

Hi Jomax! I am glad that you enjoyed the Turtles! I tried contacting you but for the life of me, could not find a phone number for Sea Garden. Information here is useless and I did not even know where the hotel was. So I am glad you went on the turtles. Well, I would've told you about the Jungle Trio but well, you never asked me and didn't book with me. ha ha I think it is a big rip-off - best to spend your money on another tour and then do the El Eden-Chicos Paradise on your own. (Gee I am a great salesperson!) And glad you liked the B. Shrimp!!!!!!!

[JRinPV]

You want 10 peso beer? not on the Malecón. Plenty of places on the south side of town.

[jomax24]

We actually just started investigating Old town, the last few days before we left, and that is true, beer is cheaper across the river!

[jomax24]

Sas (Oct 22, 2001 09:28 p.m.):
Great trip report ! It's always good to hear what people's experiences were like. But what's this about beer in Centro being 24 pesos ? Really ...in most places ??? YIKES !!!!!! Please elaborate more !!!!
I know we found last year that prices seemed to have gone up. How did you find restaurant prices to be ?

I'm sure if you look hard enough you'll probably be able to find some cheaper but not much! A cheeseburger in Centro will run you about 65 pesos. The same burger in the Marina, about 40-55 pesos, but, at El Jarro Cafe they are only 16 pesos.

[tlippy]

JO - how do you get from Mismaloya to Chico's? Is there a bus in Mis.?

[JRinPV]

Chico's is up river from Boca de Tomatlan, not Mismaloya. You can get a bus to Boca but then would have to cab it to Chico's paradise.

[jomax24]

When we stopped at La Jolla there was a sandwich board sign that had the cabbies rates on it. Don't quote me on this, but, it seems to me it was 35 pesos from Boca, 45 from LaJolla de Mismaloya, 65 pesos from the malecon in Centro, and 150 out to the Marina. You wouldn't want to go up there if it was raining, though. You can see where and how bad the roads wash out when it rains. Right now it's so green in the mountains. The Mexican say that the jungle is alive, now and they're not kidding!