Best Vacation Ever!

We will never forget the large pool at this resort...1/2 mile long and only 3-4' deep. Truly a beautiful site! We took the pirate ship cruise (Marigalante)which was the most fun trip..it included breakfast, lunch, snorkeling, banana boat ride, all the free drinks and the best entertainment and music a person could want.

The other highlight of our trip was the Mexican Fiesta at the Mayan Palace on Thursday evening from 7p.m.-10p.m. The set-up was on the beach and just beautiful. A lot of entertainment; fireworks...good food...and several momentos from the fiesta.

Quick Tips:

There is a store on site, but the cost is about 4 times the amount you would normally pay....so if you plan on a few things in your room, I would suggest going into town to purchase your bigger items.

We took the City/tropical bus tour soon after we arrived and this is a good way to see the downtown area of Purerto Vallarta and other site seeing areas.

Best Way To Get Around:

We took the bus downtown a few times, which was very cheap and we also took taxis to the marina. We did a lot of walking at the resort.

Best Things Nearby:
Marina & downtown Puerto Vallarta to the south. A small village to the north is Bucerias.

Best Things About the Resort:
This is a first-class timeshare...3 restaurants and room service. The pool area is to "die" for..1/2 mile long and plenty of chairs under the sun & palm trees. The pool area and beach is immaculate, as well as the restrooms. The activity center for adults and kids (right at the pool) had events going from 9:00a.m. until 5:00p.m. each day. My grandson (6) loved all the activities, i.e. sandcastles on the beach, beadmaking, coloring, contests, etc. The activity directors made all the activities real fun for kids and adults alike.

Resort Experience:
Located on nearly a mile of sandy, sun-drenched beach at Bahia de Banderas, Mayan Palace Nuevo Vallarta offers many opportunities to satisfy your appetite or quench your thirst at its restaurants, snack grill, lobby bar, cocktail lounge, or if you prefer, through room service. The resort's swimming pool is among the largest in Latin America. The accomodations are a ways from the pool and beach, so the resort offers free train rides and boat rides to get there a little faster and sometimes you can "hop" a golf cart. Actually, the walk was wonderful and the grounds were impeccable. There is a boutique for shopping and a cybercafe to check your e-mail back home. This resort also has a golf course on site!

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

The Marigalante is an exact replica of the Santa Maria, the ship that Christopher Columbus used to discover the American continent over 500 years ago. We watched this ship go by our resort every morning and my grandson wanted so badly to go on it..so we booked the tour in the middle of our vacation (5/22/02)and it was the best money spent on our entire vacation.

We arrived at the Marina Vallarta at 8:15a.m. and was taken by smaller boat out to the ship and were sailing by 9:00 a.m. Breakfast was ready in the galley as soon as we arrived..scrambled eggs with chilaquiles, refried beans, fresh fruit, bread and orange juice. When most everyone had finished breakfast, the entertainment and music began. The pirates got a lot of people on board involved in dancing and prizes were awarded. The music just made you want to get up and dance and party! All the drinks, alcoholic or not, were free and plentiful.

We arrived at Las Cargadas to snorkel (not the best area);or to play on the beach and ride the banana boat (and of course..drink more "gasoline." After a couple hours we left for the trip back to the marina. Lunch was served in the galley..bar-b-que chicken and ribs, garden rice, mixed salad, corn on the cob, buttered bread and open bar...soooo good!! AND THEN - we were entertained AGAIN with terrible pirates fighting with REAL swords and passengers getting involved with dancing and skits.

We were sad when we had to leave the ship at 3:30p.m., but it was such a happy time and we would highly recommend this cruise in the bay for kids and especially adults...A good time was had by all!!!