Searching for Gold and Finding it in La Cruz Pat Grubb - The Northern Light
go to original January 2, 2015

Photo by Louise Mugar and Pat Grubb

After such a great summer here in the Northwest, most of us accept the constant clouds and drip, drip, drip of winter philosophically. Still, if 89 straight days of gray winter monsoons get us down, we know what to do – head south to Mexico. Like Hernán Cortés and his murderous conquistador crew, we seek gold. Golden sunshine, that is. My wife and I find it by flying to Puerto Vallarta, where we catch a lift to La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, a small village about 20 miles north of Puerto Vallarta (PV).

Called La Cruz, for short, the town is located on the Bahía de Banderas, a large bay on the Pacific Ocean. While you are close to the excitement of PV for day or evening trips, La Cruz offers a more laid-back and relaxing environment. Not too relaxing – you’ll still find plenty to do. A recently constructed marina has boats ready to take you out for cruises, whale watching, fishing, diving or snorkeling. Nearby, there are hiking trails, eco-tours, surfing, jungle canopy tours and more, and of course the beach for when you feel like being simply lazy.

With palm trees, cobblestone streets and a village square, La Cruz retains the small-town feel of the real Mexico. You won’t find hordes of tourists, but you will discover a small army of expatriates who came upon the town and found it impossible to leave. Visitors usually mention the friendliness of the Mexican people they meet in La Cruz – it’s one of the attractions of the town.

Pretty much a must-do is a boat trip to Las Marietas, a group of uninhabited islands that were declared a national park in the late 1960s. A popular day trip, visitors are forbidden to step foot on shore with the exception of one small beach; consequently, the islands and waters surrounding them contain an amazing variety of avian and underwater life. The beach is reached by swimming and/or snorkeling through a short cave – it’s great fun. Boats leave from the marina but many of the trips are booze cruises, meaning lots of people drinking lots of free alcohol. They’re lively, but if you want a more refined option, try Red Dolphin Charters, which takes groups of 12 or fewer to the islands or on whale-watching trips on a 45-foot sailboat. 

La Cruz has numerous restaurants to choose from: Tacos in the Street offers rib-eye tacos, while Philos offers nightly live music featuring terrific local and gringo musicians playing some of the best music you’ll ever hear. On Sundays, the boardwalk is filled with vendors of all kinds for the Sunday farmers market. Oso’s Oyster Bar at the marina is good for drinks and authentic Mexican lunch and dinner.

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