Nonetheless, the drive from San Sebastian Del Oeste, up the mountain to La Bufa (one of the highest points in Mexico), in our tiny 4 cylinder rental car proved to be not only my most challenging drive, but one of our favorite adventures of all time.

Fortunately we were lucky enough to find ourselves the night before getting shamefully drunk with the owners of a local bar in San Sebastian. I say fortunately because (two of the nicest guys we’ve ever met) they also offered to show us around the town the next day and importantly, guide us on the drive up the mountain to La Bufa.

We were narrowly able to avoid the reality of me driving with the two of them, one with a daughter, and our friend Rachel crammed needlessly into the 3 seats in the rear of the vehicle; as would have been the ever common Mexican custom.

Setting out, it seemed easy enough. We edged slowly along the cobblestone paths of the town, through quiet old streets, past quaint little homes with ladies hanging their washing, clearly proud of their modest piece of terra firma, having been in the family for generations.

But soon we hit the real mountains. What we drove on from there and for the next hour and a half was… It’s hard to describe it as a road… Let’s say a windy, one lane track of loose rock, complete with ruts, ditches, minor water crossings, and of course no guard rails or safety precautions of any kind. Safe to say it was more than once during the drive that Elysia cursed our decision to do so.

For both passenger and driver the voyage is a strange emotional quagmire too; your minds being torn between the extremes of fear at the blatantly imminent danger on one end, and the joy of the increasingly beautiful scenery on the other end. For the higher you climb, the more of the mountain scape and the scenery of the towns below begins to present itself to you.

But to discuss the drive for this whole article would be a crime. Suffice it to say that after a few tire spins, a couple of minor stoppages, and some masterful maneuvering (had to say it), we made it to the summit of La Bufa. I believe too (ego aside) that anyone who wanted to make this drive could do so too.

La Bufa was named, as we learned as a result of some onomatopoeia; “Bufa” supposedly being akin to the sound of the passing wind you’ll both hear and feel as you sit atop the summit.

Reaching the summit after a short walk from the end of the road, provides you with a 360 degree view of the surrounding valley, and a good part of the entire western side of Jalisco. On a clear day you can see right out to the ocean, a true spectacle to behold.

Once at the top, it’s hard to do much more than sit in awe. You can stroll from one side of the lookout to the next, taking in the view from all angles. Alternatively, you can laze in the sun, basking on the rocks like a lizard, and take in the crisp freshness of the clean mountain air. After all, whatever you do at the La Bufa summit will be memorable.

You’ll also be able to look back down at the village of San Sebastian from whence you came, and get a sense for how small and nestled into the hills it really is.

Depending on the weather on the day you’ll either feel like you’re hovering above the clouds, floating amongst the rolling hills, or simply sitting perched like an eagle overlooking it’s territory.

Sadly, eventually you’ll have to depart La Bufa and all it’s beauty to come (quite literally) back down to earth. I’ll always remember a parting thought I had as we began to traverse: “Maybe like life, alot of the beauty of an experience like this comes from the inevitable fact that eventually it will have to end”.

La Bufa is something you should certainly take in if you’re visiting San Sebastian, and I dare say, something that’s worth making the drive out for no matter where in Vallarta you’re staying.

Surely an experience we’ll never forget.

Check out some more of our photos below

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Technorati Tags: Puerto Vallarta, San Sebastian del Oeste

Despite being located in the heart of downtown Puerto Vallarta, it can NOT be found on Google Maps. You look for this place… and it’s not there.

If you are in downtown Puerto Vallarta, starting at say the Malecon or one of the parallel streets, and continue walking South towards old town, you will find yourself nearing very close to this geogrpahical Bermuda Triangle. If you make it across to Old Town, or Viejo Vallarta, you will have had to cross a bridge, whether it be the foot bridge that winds out to the oceans edge on the shorefront, or the traffic bridge one block back from the water on Calle Morelos.

Whichever bridge it was, that expanse of water you crossed, that little inlet from the ocean that’s probably only a block wide… it’s in THAT body of water that lies the tiny, Isla Rio Cuale! If you crossed the foot bridge, trees probably obscured your view of it, but if you crossed the main bridge, you no doubt saw the stairs on either side of the road leading down to some markets and restaurants… THAT’s Isla Rio Cuale. It’s poorly signed but it IS there

Ok now that’s out of the way…

Isla Rio Cuale is, at first, just another conglomeration of tourist markets BUT if you walk it out, actually a little more than that, a place offering something a little different, and just a touch of local beauty and charm.

Starting out at the beach, you’ll get the market end of the Island. Some reviews said that these markets were better than others in Vallarta but we didn’t see any reason to think so. Unless it’s your first time, just keep walking because the best is yet to come.

Walking a little further, you come out the other side into what could be called, a secret botanical garden. With a few different walking paths through it, you can explore the little garden at your own pace, checking out the local fauna and stopping at one of the bars and restaurants dotted throughout when you’re ready for a rest. You’ll pass by a little square (we passed children in a game of street soccer) and likely some young romantic Mexican couples making use of the island’s privacy.

Finally you’ll reach the Rio Cuale Cultural Center, a small building dedicated to sharing local culture, that on any given day might be the home to displays of dancing, local crafts, or a set of slightly modified versions of the typical market stall.

Don’t go looking for it on your map… but if you’re in downtown Vallarta and looking for something to do in between lapping up the sunshine and knocking back cheap Corona’s, you might want to pay Isla Rio Cuale a visit.

Technorati Tags: Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta Attractions

It was this that lead me to, finally, come across El Torito Sports Bar. But whether you’re a UFC fan, or a sports fan of any kind, you might do well to give El Torito a look.

El Torito is located in Old Town Vallarta, on Ignacio L. Vallarta, just before where it intersects with Venustiano Carranza. Centrally located, any bus moving south through the down town area should take you almost right to it’s doorstep.

If you’re looking for a sports bar, you’re probably wanting a few things:

1. You want plenty of TV’s so that where ever you’re sitting you’ve got a good view of the game/fight. El Torito is a small bar and relative to it’s size, the number of TV’s is good. It’s got 2 main bigger TV’s, about 47 inch at a guess, and about 4 smaller ones located around the bar. We had a reserved seat right in front of the bigger TV (for the perfect experience, call for a reservation as the bar fills up at popular events) but it seemed for sure that anywhere you were seated would have offered a great view.

2. You want a decent, oversized, deliciously unhealthy meal. El Torito serves up a range of pub food favorites, from the apparently famous BBQ Ribs (which were actually a bit average) to the slightly more unique Jumbo Shrimp stuffed with ham and cheese and wrapped in bacon! Truth be told, while the selection was good, the food was nothing spectacular (though I regret not trying those shrimp!) but not unpleasing, and certainly hearty enough for the occasion.

3. Cheap Beer. Tick! Grab a liter jug for 40 pesos or if you fancy a cocktail, a 2 litre jug of Margherita and I’m sure you’ll be satisfied.

4. A bit of atmosphere! The whole appeal of watching an event at a public place is sharing the ups and downs of the game with a host of other drunk, screaming fans around you. When we first arrived at El Torito at 8:30pm it was a little quiet, but by the time the event got underway it was a full house – mostly tourists of all kinds loudly cheering on their fighter of choice.

While I can’t say I’ve visited another sports bar in Vallarta yet, let alone one that shows the UFC events, I can definitely say we’d go back to El Torito.

Technorati Tags: Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta Restaurants

1. Easy Access

The great part about the Bucerias Beach is that you have easy access to it almost regardless of where you’re staying or living. Most of the good stuff at Bucerias happens on the beach side of the highway passing through, so there’s never more than a 10 minute walk to the shore from where ever you are. Even from the highway itself, the beach is only 2 blocks. As you’re driving through you can even see the water from your car, that’s how close it is.

2. Quiet

Being 45 minutes from downtown Vallarta (by bus) there are far less people at Bucerias to bother you. Most times of the day you can enjoy the beach almost like its your own (besides weekends). You’ll see less merchants selling stuff from the sand, less rowdy tourists, and less chaos in general. Furthermore, alot of the land back from the sand at Bucerias is timeshare properties rather than hotels, meaning when you walk past, you’re passing 6 people in a house, not hundreds on their balconies at a hotel… makes things quieter and a little more private.

3. Clean, Quality Beach

Less touched by tourists, the beach at Bucerias is cleaner and nicer than elsewhere in Vallarta. There’s a good width of sand meaning there’s plenty of room to find a spot to sunbake or sit and read. The sea can be less rough here too as there’s less big rocks out in the water, influencing the waves. Speaking of waves, the beach at Bucerias isn’t a surf beach either, meaning no surfers, just those enjoying the ocean in more relaxing ways.

4. Plenty of Activity

Whether you want a good meal or a cocktail in the sun, there’s a strip of bars and restaurants along part of the beach that’ll see you more than satisfied. You can sit under a bungalow on the sand, or elevated up higher on a balcony to enjoy the rolling waves and the sunset. On the weekends you can check out the markets right near the shore, or the festivities at the Bucerias town square.

If you’re coming to Bucerias for the beach, congratulate yourself on a decision well made. And if you remember, come back here and let us know how you found it!

Technorati Tags: Bucerias, Puerto Vallarta