If one heads South from the main beach areas, to the left if one is staring at the ocean, there is a cliff trail that connects these small coves that are small, usually empty, and have all the good shells! Actually, I found alot of beach glass as well, worn smooth by the ocean. (From a beachcomber's point of view, the beaches seemed to contain alot of garbage with the canal/river area, supposedly so beautiful, looking especially polluted.)

Anyway, off we went with my boyfriend waiting patiently up the beach or on the cliff trail for me (like most men, he's not much of a shell shopper). Without saying anything, we noticed these guys walking slowly on the cliff trails, or just hanging out like they were waiting for something, like a guy in every other cove. It was strange, but my I had a "guard" with me, so I didn't feel unsafe or notice them much, barely glancing when one went over and asked my boyfriend a question, before just moving along. I happened to ask later what was said and it was then I found out what I hadn't figured out before.

Duh. It seems the cliff trails were Puerto Vallarta's version of whatever you call wherever you go to score drugs. The mexican drug guy wanted to make sure he didn't pass up a potential customer. After finding this out, I thought my boyfriend was so sweet, not only waiting patiently for me to collect shells, but doing so even if it meant having to fend off pushy drug dealers.