Puerto Vallarta Solo Trip
It has been a month since my move from Los Angeles to Guadalajara and I am excited to share some recent adventures with you. I have never been to the beaches of Puerto Vallarta, so I decided to take a quick flight (40 minutes from GDL) and check it out. Here is what I discovered upon my arrival:
Arrival to Puerto Vallarta
I booked my flight on Tuesday morning and left at 4:30pm. I arrived at Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport at 5:20pm. The first thing that hit me upon exiting the airport was the humidity; the second thing, how shall I get to my AirBNB?
For a 10-minute drive with Uber the cost was at an average of 60$ MXN (about $3 USD). Taxi drivers were charging 250$ MXN (about $12.50).
For a convenient lift right out of the airport exit, taxis are your best bet. You can even relax for a bit and enjoy some drinks at the open-air bar right outside the airport before heading out.
I decided to take the Uber route, but had to figure out where the pick up zone was. Luckily a kind taxi driver directed me to a pedestrian bridge around the left corner from the airport exit door.
Uber drivers cannot pull up into the airport and my driver informed me to cross the bridge and meet him a few paces up from “Tacón de Marlin.”
From what my driver said this is the most common pick-up area. It was easy to get to from the airport exit. Success!
Now on to the accommodations
Because it was a solo trip with the intention of spending the majority of my time outdoors, I decided to book a room in a shared space. I found a cozy accommodation that came out to a total of $93 USD for 3 days-2 nights at Puerto De Luna Pet Friendly and Family Suites.
It was a bonus to have a secure entrance to the suites. The AirBNB host arranged to have my name listed with the security guard at the front desk prior to my arrival. Check in was easy and entering and exiting is granted by 24-hour security.
My room was similar in style and privacy to any basic hotel room, with the host staying in the attached condo next door. I had a cozy bed, television, A/C (a major bonus with that humidity), and a full bathroom. There was also a community pool right outside my room that is open from 10am-10pm.
There is a restaurant in the front part of the community, however I didn’t try it because there was a delicious Food Park directly outside and to the left of of Puerto De Luna. My host recommended it and I went there three times during my stay. It was a delicious, inexpensive option for lunch.
Overall first impressions
Overall my location was perfect. I was near an outdoor shopping center (La Isla Shopping Village), several food options, easy public access to the beach, grocery stores, and 10 minutes away from the airport.
Also nearby was the popular boardwalk known as El Malecón, where I spent the entire second day of my trip.
Stay tuned for part two of my Puerto Vallarta solo trip post: Visit to El Malecón.
¡Hasta luego!
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