Visiting Puerto Vallarta - Part 20

Now let’s move to the opposite end of the bay before we deal with the central sections.

The North Zone:

North of Nuevo Vallarta / Flamingos there are several small towns built along the coastline of Banderas Bay which include Bucerias, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Punta de Mita and Sayulita. Overall this area makes up what most locals refer to as the North Zone or Zona Norte.

BUCERIAS

Along the north shore of Banderas Bay you will find Bucerias, which translates to “place of divers”. This is a name given to the area because of the divers who once harvested oysters here. Bucerias is a charming yet lively Mexican town with an old-world feel. It is a mix of old cobblestone streets along with paved and dirt roads which cross the town. Bucerias has a beautiful church and a very picturesque town square that faces the ocean. It has a large open-air flea market with a variety of sculptural art and colourful hand-made artisan offerings and is the big draw for visitors coming to Bucerias. If you are walking and approaching the Bucerias Flea Market from the south you will cross a bridge over the river. You pass through a very quaint and unique passageway called Paseo Del Beso. This translates to “Alley of the Kiss” as it connects the centre of town with the romantic zone of Bucerias. A good thing to remember when shopping at the Bucerias Flea Market is that many of the artisan items offered are the very same ones available at the flea markets in Puerto Vallarta. However, as you may be closer to the source of the products with a little negotiation you can often get them for much better prices than in Puerto Vallarta.

This town is also home to an impressive number of gourmet restaurants, as well as many taco stands, small beachfront eateries and bars so is well worth a visit. Throughout the town, there are several places you can go for live music and live theatre performances. These include The Drunken Duck, Luna Lounge, Sonora a la Parrilla Steakhouse, and many more. The locals are very friendly and with very affordable accommodations for travellers, it is not surprising that Bucerias is a favoured spot for both tourists and expats. It is conveniently located just 25 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta, and directly adjacent to Nuevo Vallarta / Flamingos. Bucerias has all of the tourist amenities international vacationers come to expect, as well as an excellent 8 mile stretch of soft sandy beach. The specific section of Flamingos Beach running parallel to the town is often referred to as Playa Bucerias. In addition to plenty of hotels and rental condo accommodations, there is one large all-inclusive resort in Bucerias: The Royal Decameron Complex at the south end of town.

Continued in part 21