Importance of a Cultural Tour
Discovering the history, language, culture, and ultimately, the people of a country can be rewarding. A cultural tour outlasts the suntan and lets you dip your toes into a country where you end up with an exotic blend of experiences that you can relate to the locals. This is even more important when staying at an all-inclusive.
Tours From Palladium Vallarta
The aquatic excursions from Palladium Vallarta are Pirate Ship Canadian Night, Ocean Mania, Yalapa & Majahuitas, Las Caletas Beach Hideaway, Whale Watching, Marietas Island Snorkeling, Luxury Sailing, and Sea Safari.
The entertainment and adventure tours include Rhythms of the Night, Extreme Adventure, Outdoor Adventure, Offroad, Pirate Land Day Tour, and Zip.
I recommend the cultural tour to San Sebastian del Oeste. The tour is run by Vallarta Adventures. In Puerto Vallarta, tour buses are not allowed to pick you up from the hotel. You have to take a taxi from the hotel to the head office of Vallarta Adventures.
The tour does include an amazing breakfast buffet and drinks. After breakfast, we head out to San Sebastian. The tour guides are amazing. They ask each person to share a little about themselves and what do they plan on getting from this trip.
Bakery
The first stop is at a panaderia (bakery). A great place to relax and have a drink.
The baked goods are some of the best I have ever tasted.
The owner and his wife have been using these recipes for decades.
Don Lalin Distillery
After the stopover at the bakery, we head out to Hacienda Don Lalin distillery making Raicilla.
Raicilla is a mezcal, which is Puerto Vallarta’s best-kept secret.
I find it sweeter and more aromatic than tequila. Raicilla comes from the Chico Aguiar variety of wild agave that is grown for about eight years, fire-roasted, fermented and then distilled.
John Huston
On our way to San Sebastian just before lunch, we stop at John Huston’s hacienda.
The hacienda was a gold and silver refinery and one can see the kilns and various equipment.
American film director John Huston single-handedly changed Puerto Vallarta from a fishing village to an international tourist destination. Huston hit a magic formula with The African Queen and The Treasure of Sierra Madre. Huston cast famous Hollywood stars in gorgeous, far-flung settings and made the locations the theme of the movie.
In 1962, Huston shot Night of the Iguana, in Mismaloya in a village south of Puerto Vallarta. Richard Burton was the lead along with Sue Lyon, Deborah Kerr and Ava Gardener. Elizabeth Taylor joined so that she could be close to Burton. Burton and Liz were in love after Cleopatra which sizzled the world. The photographers swarmed them and the Italian word for insects ‘paparazzi’ entered the English lexicon. The rest is history or ‘erotic vagrancy’ as the Vatican called it.
The press from all over the world flocked to Puerto Vallarta and when not focusing on Liz and Dick started focusing on what Puerto Vallarta had to offer. This location was pure bliss, utopia, the Promised Land with great beaches, haciendas, homes with tiles, palm trees and birds everywhere.
We stop at a restaurant for lunch.
San Sebastian
After a long drive on a scenic route along the winding road, we arrive at San Sebastian. My first impression is that it is locked away in time, surrounded by mountains carpeted in dense tropical vegetation. It is Mexico’s most well-preserved towns.
San Sebastian is ensconced deep in the heart of the Sierra Madre Mountains. It is off the beaten path and one of Mexico’s last remaining secrets. A town and a municipality that is not far from Puerto Vallarta but far from the tourist haunts. San Sebastian was founded in 1605 and consists of unique antique haciendas and homes. At its peak in 1830, its population was in excess of 20,000, working in mines, gold and silver refineries. The Mexican Revolution in 1910 brought production to a halt and the last mine shut down in 1921.
As you enter the town it reminds you of peace and tranquility. It is clean and tidy. The cobbled roads lead to a beautiful museum.
The church is beautiful from inside.
The inn has been around for a long long time.
There are lots of stores, shops and restaurants that are unique.
The organic coffee store has been run by the same family for 150 years.
A trip to San Sebastian really reminds you of how simple life was. It gets you in touch with nature, organic food and the simplicity of life. It was an amazing cultural tour that I will remember for a long time.
(Visited 1,641 times, 13 visits today)
Those pastries look amazing! Very interesting about tour buses in Puerto Vallarta not being allowed to pick people up from hotels. I wonder why that is. Safety/security concerns?
Puerto Vallarta seems like a great place to visit. Love the tour to San Sebastian del Oeste. The pictures are so captivating. Will add this to my list of places to visit.
Oh my gosh, this looks like the most fantastic spot to visit! I would love to go and take a tour here for myself — so many photo opportunities!
San Sebastian del Oeste is definitely at the top of my bucket list now. I actually had never heard of it before, but now I can’t wait to get there.
I love the whole vibe of San Sebastian del Oeste. I would love to go one day. I loved your phoitos and descriptions.
WOWWWWW!! What a beautifully written experience. I love how you highlighted that a true cultural tour lasts far longer than a suntan. San Sebastián del Oeste sounds absolutely magical, especially with its preserved history and peaceful mountain setting. The stop at the panadería and the Don Lalin distillery must have made the experience even more authentic. It’s those personal touches, like meeting local families and learning about traditions, that really make a trip unforgettable. Thank you for sharing such a rich and inspiring journey!
Trying those traditional recipes after a long drive must be a highlight of the whole day. Starting with an amazing breakfast and then hitting a local bakery is my kind of adventure. Those guides have a lovely way of making everyone feel included. It seems like a great way to meet the locals.
From the food and the coffee to the church and the handicrafts, everything looks authentic and worth visiting. Such an amazing way to know more about Puerto Vallarta!
WOWWWW, now this looks like a great place to visit, and I bet the food was amazing. San Sebastian del Oeste would be perfect for me and the family, I would explore every area I could and to be honest this is the first time I’ve ever heard of this place. I love your images and everything look so clean and tidy indeed. I bet those local bakeries were a treat!
The cultural tour to San Sebastian del Oeste sounds fantastic. it is an added bonus that it includes both breakfast and drinks too. The baked good look amazing, it sounds like their recipes are much loved and have been perfected over the years. Puerto Vallarta sounds like a great addition to my bucket list!
That list of tours you mentioned (Rhythms of the Night, Extreme/Outdoor Adventure, Offroad, even the Pirate Land day tour) really helps picture it as more than just a sleepy mountain town. Makes it sound like you could do a day trip and still cram loads in.
Oh wow, a lot of intriguing to see in the tour and liked your bit about wandering the quiet plaza early in the morning.
San Sebastian del Oeste is an idyllic setting for a long and languid tour and you captured it very well. The desserts caught my attention right away and I could taste their delicious flavors, yoo. I have added to my bucket list. What an adventure!
What a beautiful introduction to San Sebastián del Oeste. I love discovering destinations that still feel authentic and quietly preserved, and your photos really capture the charm of the town’s historic streets and mountain setting!