So now that we’ve had a mellow lunch at the Casa Manana, you might decide..wow what a sweet little expedition, these icy cervezas and camarones al mojo de ajo have put me into a perfect mood for siesta. I wouldn’t blame you at all if you whipped back to Villa Estrella for a siesta in the hammock. Maybe continue the San Blas trip on another day, or……

Head out from the parking lot and turn left toward San Blas, and….right away, on your right, screech to a halt….there’s an industrial warehouse, with a gate and guardhouse. Don’t be shy, go in there, tell them you want to buy some dried mangoes. A kilo bag of dried mango fruit is one of the most delicious snacks you can find anywhere. Buy a few bags. Maybe John is there, tell him that Jackie from Villa Estrella sent you. The stuff is just delicious and so good for you.

So while we are zipping down the road munching mangoes, we pass a mishmash of beach houses in varying states of quality, disrepair and completion. The landscape gets a little flat, and not quite so charming. Anyways, after some 30 minutes, you wind through some villages, and you suddenly come across a most incongruous thing (nothing incongruous should surprise you in Mexico) There ..all of a sudden is the biggest fanciest Corona beer distribution palace on your left. Bigger and fancier than your average Costco, painted brilliant white.

Turn left and drive a mile or less. There on your left is Matanchen Bay, a beautiful sandy crescent of soft sand beach free of surf, ringed by your classic Mexican Palapa outdoor restaurants. Soooo…if you didn’t stop at Casa Manana..you could stop here..barefoot in the sand..more icy beer..hope you brought your bathing suit, because the swimming is great. Matanchen bay is sheltered from the prevailing winds, and the waters are calm. Yachtsmen use Matanchen Bay as a safe overnight Anchorage. In the late 1700s The Spanish Navy had shipyards here and warehouses. From here the Spanish Navy equipped its vessels with the goods to support the spanish missions in California, as well as to conduct explorations all the way up the coast to Alaska.

Soooo….. with the comfort of cool beer, bare foot in the sand, try the pulpo,(octopus chopped and fried with garlic) I wouldn’t blame you if your happiness was complete for the day.

Stay tuned for the next installment…banana bread and crocodiles

Day trips to San Blas from Villa Estrella are family fun. Ismael can arrange for car and driver, its about a 45 minute trip up some of the prettiest countryside and coastline in the region. The views from some of the hillsides looking down into the orchard patchwork quilted valleys are just spectacular. tapestries of mango, banana and agave blanket the country side. The background to the west is the endless blue ocean and to your right, the glorious, lush green foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains.

The road winds through the charming village of El Llano where fruit stand vendors try to sell you Jaca fruit products. Slow down at the town square and take in the charming cookie cutter facade of the old church. I recommend the Jaca fruit ice. You will also notice that the Noni fruit grows here and they will sell you those products too.

Right after El Llano the road offers two choices; Turn right and you can go all the way to Tepic, Guadaljara and even Mexico City. Future posts will detail some really interesting trips to those Cities. 20 minutes down that road you will also come to el Cora, site of a gorgeous waterfall you can hike to”..but that’s another story, today we are taking the LEFT turn and continuing toward San Blas.

Our next favorite stop on the road to San Blas is about another 10 minutes up the road as you enter the community of Las Cocos. There on the left is a clunky looking building called the Casa Mana, its a hotel. Doesn’t look like much, park your car, walk through the breezeway and Ta Daaa……

There is a lovely pool, restaurant,palm trees and beach. Pull up a chair at a table under the palm tree and have yourself some icy coronas and a plate of tasties from the menu. Food is good, atmosphere is cheerful, bright and fun. Come back on a Saturday night for “pizza night”. The pizza is great and often there is live entertainment, including sometimes Mexican Folk dancing.

In our next instalment, we will continue our trip to San Blas…with stops for Banana Bread, the longest surfing wave, and crocodiles. Have patience, eventually we will get to San Blas, a historic Spanish Naval Port from the 1775.

Puerto Vallarta is one of the most beautiful places in the world to host your wedding and reception. Planning your wedding in Puerto Vallarta is much simpler than most people imagine, particularly when you organize to hold your event at Villa Estrella. This stunning mexican villa is the perfect venue for your special day.

Planning your Puerto Vallarta wedding at Villa Estrella can be done with ease and offers one of the most magical and spectacular places for you and your guests to celebrate your special day.

Puerto Vallarta can accomodate any size of wedding you may want to plan, ranging from a small family and friends oriented ceremony to a large gala event. One of the great benefits of planning your wedding in Puerto Vallarta is the large selection of venues available. From all-inclusive family resorts to private mexico villas, you will be able to find a venue to suit any style and size of wedding.

Another great benefit of planning your wedding in Puerto Vallarta is the type of wedding ceremony you decide you would like is completely up to you and can be as religious and festive as you like. If you are not a resident of Mexico you will need to provide a valid Tourist Card/Visa and a valid passport to be legally married in Mexico. A civil ceremony must be performed at a local Civil Register Office (Oficina del Registro Civil) and this civil ceremony is separate from the official religious and/or festive ceremony that most people plan for afterwards. Also, to be legally married in Mexico, a blood test for RPR and HIV and Thorax (chest) X-rays are required and it is recommended that these tests be done in Mexico two days prior to your wedding (cost of the tests average $125 per person). If you are wanting to avoid the paperwork involved in getting legally married in Mexico then a simpler option is to be civilly married in your own country prior to your departure for Mexico.

When planning your wedding in Puerto Vallarta you don’t have to do it alone. There are numerous wedding service providers who will assist you in planning your wedding as well as officiating the ceremony. The service providers include florists, caterers, entertainers, videographers, photographers, wedding service staff and accomodation planners for you and your guests. If you decide to host your wedding with Villa Estrella, all of these planners are coordinated for you, which makes your wedding planning simple and stress free.

One of the nicest feature about a wedding in Puerto Vallarta is that you can hold your wedding ceremony and festivities right on the beach. Couples can also enjoy a small, intimate wedding as the sun sets along the beach. Puerto Vallarta ranks as one of the worlds most romantic and wonderful scenic locations for wedding ceremonies. A wedding on the beach can be organized such that the guests are transported to the location. The wedding ceremony is conducted after which the guests can enjoy festivities under the stars. They can then be driven back to their hotels or villas.

You may be wondering what type of venue would be the best fit for your wedding and your guests. Fortunately, Puerto Vallarta has it all. One of the best choices are villa rentals in Puerto Vallarta where couples can hold their weddings and accomodate their guests. These villas typically offer amazing venues along the beautiful beaches. They are therefore ideal for small weddings of about 150 guests.

Of the villas available for hosting a wedding, Villa Estrella is the best, both for its beauty and high-quality accomodations. Have your wedding ceremony by the grand pool as a Mariachi band fills the air with music and hundreds of fresh flowers shower your guests with a beautiful aroma. Following your ceremony, hold your reception in the grand room underneath a masterfully-designed palapa roof and treat your guests to some of the most exquisite foods and drinks that Mexico has to offer. For more information about planning your Puerto Vallarta wedding at Villa Estrella, please visit our webpage “Weddings & Honeymoons“.

A couple can also have their wedding ceremony and reception in various hotels that allow such events to take place on their property. The hotels provide basic items such as the seats for the wedding guests, white linens tables, and chairs. Hotels charge a set up fee or a ground fee. They also provide catering as well as bar services for the wedding reception.

Mexico is quite a fascinating destination due its combination of great culture and history that makes it a very desirable vacation destination. It is home to pre-Columbian civilizations and millions of people visit each year for an exploration of the archeological sites, which are quite legendary. Puerto Vallarta is regarded as the ideal luxury vacation spot in Mexico and worldwide largely due to its natural beauty and culture. The traditional culture of Mexico ultimately fuses in Puerto Vallarta and this includes bull fights, grilled marlin, stunning sunsets and excellent resort living.

Villa Estrella is a five-star, luxury mexico villa rental that offers the best value and rates of any Puerto Vallarta villas in its class.

Getting a private villa or condominium in Puerto Vallarta is quite easy and it is an ideal way of vacationing for families, groups and couples looking for a more private getaway. A vacation property, which is privately run, ensures privacy as well as comfortable relaxation. In addition to offering affordable accommodations for vacation and quality luxury, Puerto Vallarta offers numerous attractions including scuba diving, snorkeling, stunning beaches, charter boats for fishing, golfing and eco parks.

Renting a villa in Puerto Vallarta has numerous advantages in contrast to vacationing in other luxury spots in Mexico. This includes being only a short drive from many fun adventure areas including the Mexico municipality of Tequila. Puerto Vallarta has numerous large and small villas spread out all over its wide area and the real estate is both for sale and for rent. Visitors interested in luxury villa rentals only need to browse through the respective villa sites in Puerto Vallarta and compare the inventory lists available.

Despite being a repeat or new visitor to Puerto Villa, one would be amazed at the available luxury villas and this is attributed to the fact that real estate for rentals is exploding and these vacation villas have become the norm. There is a wide range of beautiful luxury villas available for rental services and they come in all sizes.

By far one of the most luxurious and private Puerto Vallarta villa rentals is Villa Estrella. This stunning, 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom villa is situated in a private gated community just north of Puerto Vallarta. Villa Estrella offers all the luxury and conveniences of a five star resort, but without the noise and commotion of many other people about. Sit back and relax by the pool and grotto, or take in the sunset from your own private cliff-side, negative edge pool that overlooks the ocean. Villa Estrella has the best in quality, service and safety that any vacation home in Puerto Vallarta can offer. Don’t miss out on an experience of a lifetime - book your next vacation with Villa Estrella today.

Another villa that is a worthwhile mention is Villa Encantada. This is a popular villa in Puerto Vallarta with a perfect location in the peaceful Amapas hills and only a few minutes drive from Puerto Vallarta. The villa is on a 5000 square foot area inclusive of 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, huge upper terraces and a comfortable living room. A lush and tropical jungle surrounds the Encantada villa and some of the amazing views that it boosts include Bay of Banderas. Fantastic sunsets can be viewed from the sitting areas and terrace while the pool is available for cooling off as drinks are served at the out-door Palapa bar.