Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit – Swimming in Family Friendly Adventure by Mark Sissons

Xanna and Marina can’t resist mugging for the camera with me. Grinning, clapping, and performing aerobatic tricks on cue, they frolic six times a day in their private pool with groups of delighted tourists. Rescued as infants off the coast of Uruguay, these two fun-loving sea lions, along with over a dozen playful dolphins, are the most popular attractions at Vallarta Adventures, Riviera Nayarit’s premier adventure travel operator.

Renowned for its unbroken string of beaches, quaint seaside villages and luxury resorts ringing the stunning Bay of Bandares just a few minutes north of Puerto Vallarta’s International Airport, Riviera Nayarit is also a growing centre of family friendly outdoor adventure on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Along with getting up close and personal with some of the ocean’s most fascinating creatures, including whales, your clients can go snorkeling, kayaking, scuba diving, hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding and even zip-lining in the mountainous tropical forests that command breathtaking views of the Bay and beyond.

Outdoor adventure specialists
With a dedicated staff of guides and animal trainers from seventeen different countries, including Canada, Vallarta Adventures is one of the region’s most versatile adventure tour companies. “I don’t know anywhere else in the world where you can choose from the variety of outdoor experiences that we offer under one roof”, says PR director Gareth Price. “Our trainers try to give interaction with sea lions and dolphins more of a personal touch and make it more of an educational experience.”

Trainers like Nahako Hayashi from Nagano, Japan, who coaches Xanna and Marina’s interactive aquatic performance. “Although I’m an oceanographer and biologist by training,” she explains, “I chose to become a sea lion and dolphin trainer because it allows me to bring people and animals closer together, resulting in greater emotional contact.”

I certainly receive an enthusiastic welcome from the half dozen dolphins I swim with that afternoon in their Olympic size pool. I’ve signed up for the Signature Dolphin Swim (USD$149) – an hour of in which you can touch, feed, play, learn and swim with these remarkably intelligent sea mammals. Among my group are three generations of a family from Minnesota, and Sudbury Ontario’s Rod Ogrady, visiting PV for the first time with his wife Tracey and their teenage daughter, Halley. “Hanging onto the dolphin’s fins while it raced around the pool was my favourite part,” gushes Halley. “I had my own pet boogie board!”

Rhythms of the night
That evening, the Ogradys plan to take in Rhythms of the Night, Vallarta Adventure’s most popular attraction. For USD $89, visitors can enjoy a scenic sunset cruise across Banderas Bay to the isolated cove of Las Caletas. Only accessible by sea, this former home of legendary Hollywood director John Huston operates by day as a private beach club and spa. After sunset it transforms completely, and guests are treated to an elaborate dinner lit by over 2000 candles and torches, followed by a contemporary dance show performed in a pyramid-shaped amphitheater.

Jungle gym
The next morning, I join a dozen fellow eco-adventurers for a speedboat ride to Boca de Tomatlan, a secluded beach at the edge of the jungle on the southern shores of Banderas Bay. There, we board 4×4 Unimogs for the 2000-foot climb to base camp in the heart of the Sierra Madre Mountains.

We then ride mules higher into the sub-tropical forest, before clipping into a series of thrilling zip lines, rappelling down waterfalls and splashing through streams and natural river pools that form Vallarta Adventures’ Outdoor Adventure Circuit. With the highest and longest zip lines in Mexico, this exhilarating experience is often called a canopy tour on steroids.

Whale of a time
My final Riviera Nayarit adventures is a catamaran cruise to snorkel and kayak through the rocky caverns and archways of the Marietas Islands, a protected marine sanctuary that is home to many species of wildlife. En route, we watch giant humpback whales soar into the air, flicking their enormous tail fins as if in greeting as they plunge back to sea. Each year from mid-December to the end of March, the waters off the coast of Riviera Nayarit offer some of the most spectacular whale watching opportunities in the world.

Wild dolphins also appear, playfully racing alongside our boat, providing a rare opportunity to observe these amazing creatures in their natural habitat. I’m tempted to dive into the crystal clear waters of the Pacific and hitch a ride on one of their dorsal fins. It would certainly be a perfect way to end a memorable weekend in Mexico’s newest outdoor adventure paradise.

Getting there
Westjet offers four non-stop flights a week to Puerto Vallarta from Edmonton and Calgary. Air Canada flies daily from Vancouver and Calgary. Mexicana flies daily from Vancouver via Mexico City. And Alaska Airlines runs daily flights from Vancouver via Seattle or L.A.

Where to stay
I was a guest of Villa del Palmar Flamingos Beach Resort and Spa, an all-inclusive oceanfront five-star property located just 20 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta. For more info, visit www.villagroupresorts.com/resorts/villa-del-palmar-flamingos

Special agents rates
Travel agents registered with Vallarta Adventures will receive special rates when booking any of their tours and activities. For more info, visit www.vallarta-adventures.com or call toll free 1-888-303-2653. For more about Riviera Narayit’s attractions, visit