Really Unsure

[sogamusicman]

Greetings.

 

We will be travelling to PV. Maz and Cabo in late April. My wife is not athletic (read she wears out easily) and I can't figure out what to do. I really like the looks of the various churches, but can't find any tours with that as the centerpiece. Any suggestions? Not sure about just wandering out there - don't speak enough Spanish to be comfortable. Thanks......

[tigervixxxen]

I'm not as they would say "athletic" myself and I found plenty to do on the cruise. In PV we did the rain forest tour. They took you on a short tour of downtown and then into the hills. Get off the bus and a short walk up to the lookout with a snack bar. Optional hike for those who wanted to, those who didn't could wait at the outdoor snack area. In Mazatlan we did the shopping and resort stay with the acrobats. There was not a lot of walking here either, just walk across the street. In Cabo we just did some shopping and my hubby did snorkeling on his own.

 

But generally there is plenty to do without a lot of walking or exertion. You could do anything involving a sail or a beach resort stay. The city tours are an easy way to relax too. I am not 100% comfortable walking around town myself but there is always some form of shopping right on the pier, so don't feel like you have to venture out far at every stop.

 

I hope this helps. I'm not sure about any of the churches since we didn't visit a lot of them I know we saw a church on the city tour in PV. There are a lot of different things to do that are more relaxing and are not like a work out or a hike.

[Brickwood]

I was recently in PV for a week's land vacation which was also my first time in Mexico. I just booked an April sailing to Mexico which is why I'm back on the boards. Anyhow, we went to the downtown/Malecon area several times. I could well be wrong, but I think that the church you see pictured in PV most often is the cathedral that is just a couple blocks up from Plaza De Armas which is just across from the Los Arcos Amphitheater. This would be an inexpensive cab ride. Once you're in that area, you could take in as much as you had the energy to do, including the church. You can walk the Malecon, shop in the numerous shops across across the street, have lunch at your choice of dozens of restaurants, including some very nice settings along the Isla Rio Cuale, another walk I'd recommend if you're up to it. Everyone in this area is used to dealing with non-Spanish speaking folks, so I'm sure you'd get along fine. We did run into a few cab drivers that didn't speak much English at all, but it is pretty easy to make yourself understood.

 

All that said, if you're uneasy about venturing out on your own, you should by all means take one of the tours offered by your cruise ship and if stamina is a question, just do one that lasts a few hours. I'm not sure about other cruise lines, but I know that Princess codes their tour information to indicate how physically demanding it may be. Contrary to what others may say, I don't think the ship tours are always exhorbitantly more expensive than what you can book on your own and I'm often perfectly happy to pay a few extra bucks for the peace of mind that comes with.

 

My best advice - keep doing your research - you'll eventually decide what's best for your situation.

[Bruin Steve]

Greetings.

 

We will be travelling to PV. Maz and Cabo in late April. My wife is not athletic (read she wears out easily) and I can't figure out what to do. I really like the looks of the various churches, but can't find any tours with that as the centerpiece. Any suggestions? Not sure about just wandering out there - don't speak enough Spanish to be comfortable. Thanks......

 

Don't worry at all...

 

First of all, you will find LOTS of people who speak English in these three ports...Especially among those you'll likely encounter--tour guides, shop owners, waiters, etc. To work at a good job in these ports means you are in the tourism industry...and the clientele is mostly English-speaking...So, you learn English...Plus, there are a lot of expatriate Americans--especially in Cabo and PV...

 

We are not all that "athletic" (though we have done some tours like Ocean Kayaking in the past--but I won't recommend those to you)...

 

What I will recommend is this:

 

Churches and Tours:

First, note that every traditional Mexican town is centered around a church...

(Cabo is the only non-traditional town here)...

 

The Cathedral in Puerto Vallarta is in all the brochure photos...If you take a standard "City Tour" they will tour you through the Cathedral...Then just wander around town and shop...

 

For Mazatlan, one of my favorite "non-athlete" excursions is the Sierra Madre tour that takes you up to the small Colonial towns of Concordia and Copala...Part of the tour of each of thse villages is a visit to the church...If you're into churches, I'll recommend this tour to you (Every cruise line offers it though they call it by different names)...It's an interesting bus tour with a lot of interesting stops...no athleticism necessary...

 

 

In Cabo, maybe try a scenic boat ride and tour...They'll take you by boat to see Los Arcos, maybe some sea lions...even a shot at some whales (though April would be the extreme end of the season)...okay, not a church, but visiting Los Arcos can be a religious experience...

 

Have fun...