US Airways - February 2013 - (Page 45)

At the resort’s dining area, a terraced courtyard overlooking the Pacific, I suddenly want to work on margaritas all day long. This is, after all, the state of Jalisco, home of tequila. Unsolicited, they bring me one freshened with cucumber. Imanta is Spanish for “magnetic attraction.” The owner, whom we will call Diego (he wishes to remain anonymous), must have felt that allure when he bought this 250-acre chunk of rugged land shrouded by rain forest decades ago. For years, Diego and his wife camped in a valley off the worked here. He described it as a town with one dirt road in and out, much as Yelapa remains today. Fifteen miles south of Vallarta the road drops steeply into the narrow river-mouth cove that holds the fishing village of Boca de Tomatlán. A few mansions hanging from the cliffs indicate that some outsiders with a penchant for the wild Mexican coast have Imanta has no reception lobby. Instead, upon arrival down the winding, paved driveway, I pull up to a gazebolike palapa with a view of the Pacific Ocean. beach, beneath the strong-armed, mystical higuera blanca (white fig) trees. They eventually built the resort, and they intend to build a small-scale residential development of low-impact, high-end homes scattered throughout the forest. For now it’s just the villas, the restaurant, and a two-mile-long private beach with its Catch of the Day cafe. I eat dinner there with Diego, his wife, and his daughter, who manages the hotel. Over shrimp ceviche, I tell them that my next stop is the coastline’s original conservation resort, Costa Careyes. They insist I stop by their favorite little secret beach town on my drive down. Yelapa, they tell me, sits in a little crescent cove a half-hour boat ride from the nearest roadside town of Boca de Tomatlán. They describe it as a tiny seaside village of steep streets and a few beach palapas to shade visitors while they drink beer and eat tacos from the cantina. And, they say, it is home to witches. I have them draw me a map in the candlelight. Yelapa The drive south from Imanta to Boca de Tomatlán leads me through Old Puerto Vallarta, a charming waterfront scene of narrow streets and bustling commerce with apartments and small hotels peering down from the coastal mountains. Highway 200 then winds up the sea cliffs and past the tiny town of Mismaloya, where John Huston filmed The Night of the Iguana in 1963. Puerto Vallarta has changed drastically since Huston usairwaysmag.com february 2013 45

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of US Airways - February 2013

US Airways - February 2013
Table of Contents
CEO Letter
From the Editor
Did You Know?
Making It Happen
Hot Spots: Best Literary Pilgrimages
Wine & Dine: Top Chefs on This Year's Trends
Wine & Dine: Comfort Food
Great Escapes: Secret Mexican Hideaways
Adventure: Best Hikes in the Valley of the Sun
Gear Up: Romantic Gestures
Destination 48: Phoenix
Travel Feature: La Magnifica Costa del Pacifico
US Airways Feature: Sky-High Sips
Best of Living: Scottsdale Saddles Up
Special Section: Chateau on Central
Best of Living: The Reef Residences at Atlantis
Williamsburg: Rediscovering the Revolutionary City
Arts Spotlight: Ovation
Special Section: Kentucky
Riding Lessons: Miller School of Albemarle
The Arts of Orange County
Must Read: Pandora's Lunchbox by Melanie Warner
Great Dates
Puzzles
Readers Resource Index
Your US Airways Guide
Video Entertainment
Audio Entertainment
U.S. and Caribbean Service Map
International Service Map
Airport Terminal Maps
US Airways Fleet/Customs & Immigration
Passenger Info/Contact US Airways
US Airways MarketPlace®
Giving: US Airways' Do Crew
Window or Aisle?

US Airways - February 2013