Guadalajara Travel Forum

We have booked tickets to Puerta Vallarta for a mini vacation at the end of April. Our first week will be spent with family at a resort in Vallarta. We then have one week to travel on our own.

Questions:

1. Is camping a good option for some of the nights on the route from Vallarta to Colima to Guadalajara? Is security a major issue when camping? Can you leave your tent up and unattended for the day or do you need to pack it along with you wherever you go?

2. Recommendations for things to see and budget accomodations along the route? Any transportation do's and don'ts for this circuit? What are the busses like and how long does it take to travel these sections of road? Is a week long enough to enjoy this area? or should we just hang out in Vallarta for two weeks?

3. Has anyone climbed the volcanoes near Colima? Do you need a guide? Will there be snow this time of year at the peaks? Transportation to and/from an issue? Camping in the park? Special considerations for gear or time to allow for climb?

Any information on your experiences in the above areas would be greatly appreciated. Also, any tips on what to see and do in Puerto Vallarta would also be great.

Thanks in advance.

Scott

Camping is an excellent option on the route from Vallarta to Colima, along the route there are many beaches where you can stay, someones are better to swimm, others are better to snorkel, others to surf... it depends on your interests. Make a google search for "costalegre travel" there are many pages in english to get more info.

About security you must be careful but no paranoid...in general mosquitoes are a major issue than thieves ;-) anyway prefer to stay in a "camping-trailer park" when available.

To trasport you have 2 options: busses and taxis, busses are cheaper and the best option for long travel ie. guadalajara > vallarta (4 hrs), vallarta > colima (6 hrs), colima > guadalajara (4 hrs), look for executive class busses or "Primera Clase". Taxis is fine for short distances, ie. from beach to beach.

Right now the "Volcan de Fuego" is active and there is eruption risk, so climbing it's not a good option in this moment anyway the authorities don't let you get closer, but you can get to Comala which is near from Colima, there you can have a beautiful view from the volcanoes, ask for other places to camping or just stay there and enjoy the fireworks. Anyway stay in alert and ask to the authorities if there is some kind of risk.