The Unforgettable Adventures We Had in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta Villas for Rent – The beautiful villa experience will completely change your view of what a vacation should be like.

As the weather turns chilly, car windows begin to frost, and jackets become daily attire, our thoughts naturally turn to vacations on palm tree-lined beaches. And to kick off the winter days, we (I along with my group of friends) thought to spend six days adventuring in the stunning Mexican coastal town of Puerto Vallarta.

Puerto Vallarta is one of the popular winter destinations and for good reasons.

The idea that all of our adventures, photos, and feelings we incurred while visiting Puerto Vallarta would fit into a single post is nearly impossible, but giving a try is no bad.

Many of my friends who had recently stayed at Casa Yvonneka, the best Puerto Vallarta villas for rent could not just stop raving about their trip. So we decided to try it ourselves on our next trip to Puerto Vallarta.

Day 1: Arrival, welcome cocktails and you enter through a massive iron door to enter your own private oasis.

We were a fairly large group of 9 people and booking Puerto Vallarta villas for rent was a sheer delight. The villas were spectacular and extremely spacious with the bedrooms having smart TVs and featuring beautiful ocean views. The interior of the villas was well appointed with incredible attention to details and some really cool unique artwork. All the finishes and the furniture were extremely high quality and the villas were fully equipped with wireless Internet, purified water, a tranquil library reading room, onsite gym, heated infinity pool, Jacuzzi tubs,…. leaving nothing to be desired.

After checking into this beautiful 5-star villa, rated No.1 in Trip Advisor and our well-appointed room, we started exploring the beautiful tropical garden of Casa Yvonneka. The stunning garden left my heart in a state of constant awe and I just can’t resist a good selection of tropical plants.

In the evening we headed to a welcome cocktail party thrown by the staffs working in the villa. The sunset created an amazing backdrop of red and orange sky that puts an end to our welcome party and a colorful and warm way to begin our trip.

Day 2: Historic walking tour of downtown, lounging by the pool, and dinner at Mantamar Beach Club.

The air hung heavy with humidity as the sun crested the horizon, spilling its warm morning glow on anything in its path. After a peaceful slumber last night in this luxurious villa, we all enjoyed our breakfast prepared by Chef Malena with a selection of fresh-squeezed juices, healthy selections, and other specialties including peppered pasta salad, apple sausage plait, and paneer steak (my personal favorite continental cuisine).

After done with our breakfast, we thought to go for a historic walking tour of downtown. Puerto Vallarta’s downtown area is a pleasure to explore. On our walking tour, we got to learn about the area’s rich history from its founding to modern times.

The famed Malecon features a plethora of bars, shops, restaurants, and other popular sights of attractions including the Church of the Guadalupe, Los Muertos Pier, and the Central Plaza (be sure to catch the dancing on a Sunday evening!).

We returned to our villa mid-day to cool off and relax by the pool. Much of our time was spent here as the striking oversized pool was so amusing to enjoy. It was so relaxing and the feeling was heavenly.

Afterward, we then enjoyed an other-worldly sunset dinner next to the pool at Casa Yvonneka. The beautiful decoration, exquisite food, and the colors of the sky added to the ambiance in all the right ways as The Moon chased The Sun and Venus followed behind.

Puerto Vallarta, we’re in love and we have only known you a couple of days.

Day 3: Visit to El Salado Estuary, a soothing massage, and dining in the romantic zone.

Delicious breakfast and coffee made for a terrific start to our day before heading out on more adventures.

In the heart of Puerto Vallarta, El Salado Estuary is situated. While it features 135 hectares of marsh vegetation and mangrove, the urban estuary is much larger in size. Always cautious of mosquitoes, I loaded up on repellent before taking a boat ride through the mangrove forest where we got to see animals ranging from a Yellow-Crowned Night Heron to baby crocodile.

Then we all headed for a relaxing massage at the spa center. This is what I love the most. I always love to indulge in a massage while I travel because it helps me to relax and get out of “work mode.” A 40-minute relaxation massage is a nice way to wind down before dinner. The romantic zone of Puerto Vallarta is known for its smaller cobblestone streets and good eats, and our dinner locale was in the heart of it.

Day 4: Zip lining through the forest, ATV riding, and enjoying a street taco.

The morning light seems to be so soft and forgiving as the dawn broke on. Dew covered most of the plants and our group, on the other hand, was ready for a day of adventure. We loaded ourselves into the shuttle and took a ride to Canopy River Park along the Rio Cuale.

After getting geared up with bandanas and helmets we went through a brief tutorial about how to ride the ATVs and we were off on our way. During our ATV tour, we visited El Salto waterfall and jumped off to the cliff next to it. Afterward, we then rode back up the mountain and across Jorullo Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world.

Canopy River’s Zip Line Tour was our next adventure which was 709 feet tall and 2,132 feet long. I am prone to motion sickness and also terrified of heights but still managed to have a good time by focusing on the end of the line.

In the theme of adventure, dinner did not disappoint us. Back to Villa Casa Yvonneka, Chef Malena amazed us with the culinary magic and was a great host for every one of us that evening. I never imagined that one day Lamb Barbacoa (as I never liked it) would become my favorite, but they were amazingly delicious.

Day 5: Thriller jet boat ride and poolside relaxation.

Our 5^th day agenda included a Thriller Jet Boat Tour while I did not make it to the tour (because of the motion sickness), several from our group did and enjoyed every minute. I realized that with the passage of time as I get older I am not able to handle the kind of motion that I used to.

Most of our day was then spent slowing down after the previous adventures. It was nice to be able to relax and enjoy the beautiful views of Casa Yvonneka for a day. In the evening we enjoyed complimentary drinks at the villa and then headed for our dinner.

We dined on the poolside at Villa Casa Yvonneka while the sunset and the ambiance were perfect. It was nicely decorated with some cool artworks and nice green plantations.

Day 6: Coastal sightseeing, beach club hangouts, and a gourmet farewell dinner.

On our final day of adventure, we went on a boat cruise across the Bay of Banderas with Mike’s Fishing. It was amusing to take in Puerto Vallarta’s iconic skyline from an altogether different view as well as experience some of the wildlife that calls this beautiful area home. We cruised by Los Arcos and checked in to Sapphire Ocean Club, one of the Puerto Vallarta’s best beach clubs to enjoy our lunch.

On our last day, we thought to dine at the Villa Casa Yvonneka. While it would seem so casual during the day, at night it transforms into something much more elegant. The breathtaking nearby views and decorated swimming pool adds to the ambiance and the service was impeccable at any time of the day.

Day 7: Departure

Travel often makes you learn more about yourself along with making you learn about the world surrounding you.