|
Mexico: Puerto Vallarta, Lions and Whales and Turtles – Oh My!  The arid western coast of Mexico is dramatically
beautiful. The rich assortment of adventures with nature makes Puerto Vallarta a
bonus destination for families. The folks at Vallarta Adventure Center offer the
easiest way to participate in once-in a lifetime experiences. From whale
watching and sunset cruises to turtle quests and dolphin encounters, they offer
the good stuff.
Lend
a hand, and learn a lot.
Every year from July through November, visitors to Puerto Vallarta have the
opportunity to see a true wonder of nature – the yearly migration of Olive
Ridley turtles to lay their eggs, and the subsequent hatching. The Puerto
Vallarta Adventures Turtle Camp offers visitors a chance to learn about some of
the most ancient creatures in the world, the majestic sea turtle, as well as
participate in the protection and conservation of the endangered Olive Ridley
turtle.
Eco-guides lead small groups through the step-by-step sea turtle conservation
process – participants will get to see protected nests, patrol the beach looking
for female turtles laying eggs, and perhaps even get to see some hatchlings.
Each Turtle Camp experience includes roundtrip
transportation from established pick-up points to the Vallarta Adventure Center,
transportation to the turtle camp, snacks and refreshments.
Turtle camp occurs every
Monday through Saturday July-November. Need to know: Participants should
bring a camera with
flash and wear long pants, walking shoes, a light jacket and natural based
insect repellent (They provide natural repellent for those who may need it.
Children age 5 and older, accompanied by a parent, are welcome.
Make
a friend. The
Vallarta Adventures’ Dolphin Center offers the chance for both swimmers and
non-swimmers to get up-close and personal with Pacific bottlenose dolphins – a
truly once in a lifetime experience. The 45-minute Dolphin Kids program is ideal
for children ages 4-8, by providing a dolphin interaction in a specially
designed education pool, while non-swimmers can examine, stroke and even kiss a
dolphin all from a stable and secure submerged platform with the Dolphin
Encounter program. For those looking for something beyond the popular Swimming
with Dolphins program, the Trainer for a Day program is just the ticket.
Participants will spend an entire say working with the center’s dolphin trainers
and experience every aspect of a dolphin trainer’s day. Bonus points: For
experiences booked online, there is a 10% discount.
Swim
with sea lions.
Every Monday through Saturday the Vallarta Adventures center offers two
interactive sea lion programs, each with a different way of getting to know the
playful, mischievous and affectionate sea lions living at the center. The Sea
Lion Adventure gives visitors the opportunity to meet the center’s sea lion
family in a specially designed waist-deep encounter pool. The Snorkeling with
Sea Lions experience, alternatively, offers participants the chance to snorkel
with sea lions in beautiful Banderas Bay as part of the Las Caletas Day Tour.
Need to know: The minimum age for the sea lion encounters is 6 years, and
children ages 6-8 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
 Traipse through the tropics.
Less than an hour from Puerto
Vallarta, in the heart of the Sierra Madre Mountains, is Vallarta Adventure’s
private eco-reserve – a great way to explore the tropical flora and fauna of the
Sierra Madre’s tropical forest. Visitors are invited to experience this unique
ecosystem from the treetops with the Canopy Adventure. Participants will explore
the reserve from hanging bridges built into the tree tops, and even try out
their inner Tarzan on the Gorilla Swing. Zip lines leading from platform to
platform, ninety meters above the forest floor, are sure to get anyone’s
adrenaline pumping during this four and a half hour jungle exploration. The
Canopy Adventure tour includes roundtrip ground
transportation from the
Vallarta Adventure offices, bottled water, fruit and cookies Bonus points: Tickets for children younger than age 12 are $58; a regular adult
ticket is $78. Need to know: Participants are under the constant care and
supervision of highly qualified personal who have received over 200 hours of
formal training in Canopy Tour operations and safety techniques, and use only
top-quality equipment that is regularly and rigorously inspected and maintained.
Participants are asked to wear shorts or long pants, tennis shoes, and insect
repellant.
Vallarta Adventure Center in Nuevo Vallarta. Phone 52-(322) 297-1212, toll-free
1-888-303-2653 or
www.vallarta-adventures.com
Content researched
by Familytravelfiles.com copyright 7/2008.
|