La Cruz de Huanacaxtle (pronounced wanna-cox-t-lay) is a quaint fishing village located along the Riviera Nayarit coastline, approximately 15 miles north of Puerto Vallarta’s international airport. La Cruz is also the home of the new world-class Marina Riviera Nayarit.

A bit off the beaten path and away from the hustle bustle of the more renowned tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta, La Cruz offers visitors a taste of life in a charming Mexican village. You’ll find “tiendas” (grocery stores) with just about everything you would want. Part of the charm of these tiendas is that you can buy just what you need… meaning, if you ­­want 4 eggs for breakfast for the two of you tomorrow, you can buy just 4 eggs, no need to buy a dozen. Need a stalk of celery for that salad? You can buy just one stalk of celery. You’ll find “Deposito’s” for your beers and yes, you can buy just one bottle of beer if you want. You’ll find Tortillarias where you can buy fresh tortillas daily, “Carnicerias” the butcher shops, “Pescaderias” fresh fish markets, and “Lavenderias” where they’ll wash, dry and fold your clothes beautifully for you with same day service.

La Cruz has turned into a hopping little village for dining and entertainment. Our village with a population less than 3,000 people, boasts of over 20 restaurants which offer a wide variety of cuisines from American, British, European and German, to Italian, Mediterrean, Scottish, Pizzas and, of course, Mexican cuisine with fish and seafood as a specialty. There’s a couple of Tapas bars as well, one of which is also a wine bodega… a specialty wine store. You’ll also find a choice of ambiances to choose from… down on the beach under a palapa eating fish on a stick and having beers, to dining on the street in plastic tables and chairs for some incredible tacos, to more upscale dining with 5 star chefs.

In the high season, November to April, you’ll find live music entertainment at least 4-5 nights of the week. You can listen to jazz, with some dynamite sax or Spanish flamenco style, latin fusion, blues, rock’n roll, rock-a-billy, country and easy listening. Or visit the Tequila Museum and enjoy an evening being serenaded by Mariachis. And, you can choose “specialty” nights at a variety of places, Texas Poker at Brittainia, pool night at Philo’s, bingo in the afternoons, movie night at Octopus Gardens and the Marina or play Mexican Train dominoes at the Marina Yacht Club.

On Sundays, stroll over to the “mercado” in the Marina where you’ll find a farmers market featuring organic foods, and a host of Mexican artisans displaying their handcrafted goods. After the market, stop into the Yacht Club for brunch and enjoy a spectaculaur view of the sea and mountains. I was amazed with my first experience at the market… cilantro humus and flaxseed tostados in our small Mexican village??? How yummy!

Whether you’re up for lazy days or “not so” lazy days, the choice is yours and the list seems to be endless. You can spend your time at Simply Baku on the beach where you’ll find little to no traffic. Choose the favorite sport of doing nothing and just lounging on the beach, taking a dip in the pool, sipping Margaritas, hanging out in a hammock or simply soaking up the natural beauty that surrounds you. Stroll down the beach to one of the palapa styled restaurants for ice cold beers and “huachinango entero” (whole red snapper) or stroll through the village to get your favorite homemade ice cream. Stop into the Octopus Gardens for a delightful brunch with live music entertainment and browse their gallery of Huichol Indian art.

The beauty of La Cruz is that you are away from the hustle bustle of Vallarta and yet close enough to take advantage of the wealth of activities available. The whole Bay area is steeped with opportunities for snorkeling, fishing, whale watching, sailing, swimming with dolphins, parasailing, scuba diving, eco-tours, jungle adventures, canopy tours and zip lines, horseback riding, hot springs, golf and more. Go downtown to Puerto Vallarta, walk the malecon, enjoy world class dining, shopping, theater and art galleries. Or head out for day adventures and visit Punta de Mita, Sayulita, San Pancho, Rincon de Guayabitos, La Penita de Jaltemba, Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens, the Mismaloya Zoo and Yelapa.

So whatever tickles your fancy, lazy days or “not so” lazy days, La Cruz offers you the perfect vacation choice for easy access to endless tourist adventures while Simply Baku extends to you a warm and inviting hidden oasis to soothe your soul and recharge your spirit.