The respected travel guide, Lonely Planet has recognized the Riviera Nayarit as a fantastic place to travel. It’s no wonder that they’ve placed the spotlight on this delightful location. The Lonely Planet Take on the Riviera Nayarit In a recent Lonely Planet post on the Riviera Nayarit, the location was described as a “microcosm of…
The History of San Blas: From Naval Fort to Cathedral If you’re ready to travel back in time on your next Mexican vacation, then the history of San Blas will be fascinating to you. While you’re staying at Villa Estrella, this historical treasure is less than an hour away from your beachfront luxury rental. There’s…
San Blas: World Renowned Bird Watching Location You Won’t Want to Miss Bird watching is an activity enjoyed in virtually every culture around the world. There is something mesmerizing about these stunning creatures. Everything about them appeals to our senses. If it’s not their brilliant colors and unique shapes, it’s their fascinatingly unique calls and…
We launched the panga from the beach of Platanitos Bay at dawn. The sun barely colouring the sky above the Sierra Madre Mountains to the east. Slipping seaward on glassy waters we immediately disappeared into the thick fogbank which had settled over the Pacific Coast for the past few days. We were beginning our adventure journey to Isla Isabel National Park, a bird and underwater sanctuary located 40 miles Northeast of Punta el Custodio, in the open Pacific.
No day trip to Bucerias is complete without…you guessed it….shopping….naturally, and in no time at all, in a back street of Bucerias where I could hardly squeeze in with my lumbering Suburban, we found a store with stuff we just HAD to have; these fine hand woven tapestries from Oaxaca, hand woven by the family that ran the store.
On the fourth day of our visit to Villa Estrella, Ismael organized a wonderful excursion to the El Cora Waterfall. The driver arrived at the arranged time and was very courteous. The drive to the waterfall was a beautiful trip through the Mexican jungle, every so often spotting the ocean from a cliff-top advantage courtesy of the Sierra Madre foothills before turning inland at El Llano toward Tepic and the waterfall.
The Riviera Nayarit is truly a magic part of Mexico and this part of the Riviera is so unspoiled and undiscovered. Villa Estrella is offered for rent and potential renters should really consider what amazing value is being offered. You get a full 3 bedroom, 3 bath villa, suitable for rental by 3 couples. What a great way to share the rental cost! You are surrounded on 3 sides by ocean, are steps from an amazing 12 mile undeveloped, beautiful sandy beach, are submersed in lush, tropical gardens, and served by Rosa like royalty.
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.
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.
