Mexico - Puerto Vallarta/Yelapa/San Blas

Going to be spending 2 wks in these areas. Anyone have any suggestions on "must do/must eat, etc"? Also my 21 y/o son may be coming to surf...San Blas and south are supposed to be good for surfing he says. TIA

I personally love San Blas - it is off the tourist circuit, with lots of waterways and "jungle." There is, however, one barrier - and probably the reason San Blas is not a tourist magnet. Particularly during the rainy season, as sundown approaches, "no-see-ums" known as "jejenes" locally (heh-HEH-nays") come out in literal swarms to acquire their blood meal so necessary for successful breeding. Visitors who have not developed antibodies to the proteins injected by the jejene bites will not only develop inflamed and intensely itching bite sites, they can continue to experience severe itchiness for weeks - and if scratched, these bite sites easily become infected. Jejenes are small enough to fly through normal insect screens in formation. Yes, I have had "intensely personal experience" with these, having served these insects dinner several times.

OTOH, the beaches of Matanchén Bay and the boat trip up the river to the spring at "La Tavara" are really nice. The area is also a magnet for birders (who should use long sleeves and trousers, and bring plenty of effective insect repellent, at the least.) But, much of Matanchén Bay is protected enough it wouldn't do for surfing, I'm afraid; that would most likely be from the open beach past the trown itself, or the western end of the bay.

Much of the area around Puerto Vallarta is sheltered by bays - one of the best spots for surfing I can remember is north of Vallarta, Punta Mita. But since the days we used to camp or live out of our Volkswagen Westphalia camper, the area has come under intense development, so I can't vouch for the access at Punta Mita or the availability of budget accommodation.

San Blas would be less developed, and possibly easier on the budget, though there are many possibilities along the coast nearer to Vallarta, from hotels to B&Bs. The time of year also makes a difference - the rainy season is roughly mid-May - October; November - mid-December is the drier more economical shoulder season, and high season extends through Easter. April and May are warmer (Mexico's warmest months in much of the republic.)

Using Search with the keyword "Vallarta" would reveal a number of posts with more recent recommendations.

Definitely do a search in this forum for Vallarta.

Yelapa is serene and tranquil...after a day or two, the 21-year-old may get bored.

Surfing in PV is possible, but it is situated on a bay so the surf is not reliable. Not like the West Coast where you have winds pushing the waves directly into the beaches of CA.

San Blas is north of P.V.
It's one of my favorite places in Mexico.There is a lot more interaction with the locals,ie.eat and shop in the same places.
There is a world famous surf break in the San Blas area,sorry can't think of the name of the town,but you can get there by bus from San Blas.
The best surf season is now in the late summer hurrican season.
Two of the best surfers in Mexico live in San Blas and run a surf class.
Jejenes are not bad in town and its usually safe at the beach between 10:00am-3:00pm.
Hope this helps a little.