A rising wave of interest—surfing in Mexico's Puerto Vallarta area - Puerto Vallarta

Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino, August-Sept, 2003 by Keith A. Fitzpatrick

Over the last decade, the allure of surfing has helped transform the sport from a cottage industry into a multi-billion-dollar lifestyle market, with more people falling under its spell and taking to the water each year.

And the Puerto de Vallarta bay area has become a favorite vacation spot for wealthy and middle-class Latinos, who are rapidly buying up real estate along its glorious coastline.

Of course, they are taking up this Hawaiian tradition--the "sport of kings" in increasing numbers.

People of almost any age can practice the sport, as long as they can swim and are reasonably healthy. In fact, surfing is gaining popularity among the X-generation's wealthy elite, who are taking the fast track to surfing "nirvana" by starting out with surf instructors or hiring surf coaches to hone their acquired skills--often in the Puerto Vallarta/Banderas Bay area. The growing number of surf professionals there usually have novices up and riding during their first lesson.

Mexico's Pacific coastline offers world-class surf and enthusiasts travel it in search of the perfect wave--on "surfari," often camping in the wilds or staying in small towns near surf breaks. A "surfari" is not for newcomers to the sport, however. A novice surfing a remote area alone would be akin to a mountaineering novice scaling Everest solo. The safest, easiest type of surf trip involves hiring a surf instructor or coach with local knowledge and years of experience, and more enthusiasts do precisely that in Mexico each year.

While most surf destinations are seasonal, offering only one or two locations with consistent waves three to six months per year, Banderas Bay (home to Puerto Vallarta's international airport) has up to 300-plus days of surf, good weather, spectacular views, Caribbean colors and warm, crystal-clear water.

North of Puerto Vallarta on Highway 200, 20 different surf breaks pepper the coastline from Nuevo Vallarta (8 miles away) to Punta de Mira (22 miles away), which have up-market hotels. For surfers there is something for everyone--from small beginner waves to intense, experts-only reef breaks.

Although most of Banderas Bay's beachfront access is privately owned and land access often difficult, help is at hand. Local surf legend, Dave Sinclair of Coral Reef Surf Shop in Bucerias (12 miles north of Vallarta on Highway 200), is not only a surf history encyclopedia and marvelous raconteur, but also an excellent source of help and information. With 46 years' surfing experience, his knowledge of the area and advice on where and when to surf is matched only by his knowledge of surf instructors and launches for hire to satisfy all budgets and tastes.

Aloha and happy wave hunting.