(OUT TRAVEL) Cruising in Puerto Vallarta!

By Jackson Holtz

Diana DeCoste should be the mayor of Puerto Vallarta. Or at least gay Puerto Vallarta.

Each Thursday, she loads about 50 gay men onto a trimaran for a day-long, all-you-can-drink booze cruise.

She was the captain, cruise director and life of the party. Diana was the one with the first tray of Jell-o shots: red, yellow and green, with vodka, rum and tequila, respectively.


Her cruise, now 11 years and counting, comes complete with booming music, lunch, snacks and plenty of skin.

People on passing boats weren’t quite what to make of Diana’s crew as we sailed by, a huge rainbow flag flying in the wind.

If you go to Puerto Vallarta, take Diana’s cruise – if nothing else to make friends, including Diana.

Her laugh is infectious. She may not remember your name, but she’ll remember where you’re from.

“Hey Seattle,” was how she greeted me and my boyfriend a couple days after we’d been her passengers.

She wanted to make sure we were still enjoying ourselves.

It’s easy to have a good time in Puerto Vallarta. The Mexican seaside village has become an internationally renowned beach resort with towering condos, a bustling nightlife and wonderful restaurants.

It’s also a blossoming gay resort with a busy nightlife, friendly locals and lots of boys.
Despite concerns about safety in other Mexican regions, especially in cities along the U.S. border, I never felt threatened or uneasy in this coastal city.

My partner and I decided to try Puerto Vallarta for a late winter getaway, a search for sunshine and warmth after a winter of Seattle rain and cold.

We stayed at Casa de las Flores, a villa with rental condominiums about 300 steps above the famous Blue Chairs Resort, the focal point of the gay community. Our condo had great views and was just far enough out of the action to be quiet at night.

There’s both lots to do and nothing to do in Puerto Vallarta. It’s your choice.

Zip-line canopy tours, bungee jumping, parasailing, boat rides and whale watching are among the favorites. Other than Diana’s Cruise, the only organized activity my partner and I went on was a day of late-season whale watching with Ocean Friendly Tours. Oscar Frey is a gregarious guide, deeply knowledgeable about the region and passionate about the marine life, finding lots to see on a day when the whales didn’t cooperate. (Whales most frequently are seen from Christmas through mid-March. We went in late March.)

With no agenda, it’s easy to settle into a comfortable way of life. Find Dee’s Coffee for breakfast. Stroll along the malecon, the beach boardwalk and enjoy the fabulous sculpture and the incredible sandcastles.

Then, bring a beach towel and settle in at your choice of the Blue Chairs, Club Lido or Ritmos Beach Club. We started at the Blue Chairs but moved on to Club Lido where we found a bit more space, a little more quiet and less cigarette smoke.

Along the Playa Los Muertos, the vast stretch of sand along the city’s Zona Romantica, it’s possible to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner all on the beach. The gay resorts have breakfast and lunch, but I found the food better at places more dedicated to food than suntans.

La Palapa is the place to go for a romantic dinner literally on the beach.

Wherever (and whenever) you’re at the beach, expect a shopping mall of vendors to walk past offering blankets, hats, sunglasses, necklaces, paintings, skewers of grilled seafood, candy and much more. Smile and say “nada” if you aren’t interested, or try haggling for a bargain.
Beyond the beach were great restaurants and interesting shops.

At Gil Mar, an unassuming, small Mexican restaurant, the fire-roasted tomato salsa was made tableside in a molcajete, a mortar and pestle made from volcanic stone. At Las Palomas, a waiter brought whole avocados to the table to make fresh guacamole. From our table, we overlooked the malecon, the beach boardwalk where Puerto Vallarta bustles.

Burn off some calories by climbing the hill behind Our Lady of Guadalupe, the early 20th century cathedral. Long, steep staircases pass stucco homes where flowers compete to overtake every inch of the plentiful available sunlight.

Hacienda san Angel is a stunning, luxury hotel in this neighborhood. Although hardly noticeable from the street, the building is a collection of villas that surround statue-filled courtyards. Ring the doorbell to take a peak, then dine at the rooftop restaurant that frames the sunset above old rooftops, the town and beach.

There are more than two dozen gay bars and nightclubs. We found a groove dancing at CC Slaughters. Our hosts, Jeff Jackson and Maurice Monette, recommended Garbos for a friendly after-dinner drink. Pick up a “Gay Guide” and browse the selection, or make new “amigos” and follow the crowd.

Or, take your partner’s hand, stroll to the beach and let the rhythm of the crashing waves be the only beat to follow.

Jackson Holtz is a Seattle-based writer. Portions of this story previously appeared in The Herald, of Everett.