Mexico Beach Therapy: Rx for Empty-Nesters

Mexico Beach RX for Empty Nesters

Empty Nest Disorder (END). Thousands suffer from it. It usually affects parents in their 50s, whose children have finally flown the coop to lead lives of their own. The symptoms include lethargy; vacant staring out of windows; the yearning to be somewhere else. The diagnosis is simple: vacation deprivation. Good  news!  The prescription for recovery is just a mouse-click or phone call – and only a few hours -- away. Although it is somewhat non-scientific, experts agree that a miraculous cure for END might be found at any one of hundreds of Pacific Ocean beaches that hug the sandy shores of sunny Mexico.

(**Warning: Treatment should not be undertaken if the patient fears seeing dolphins frolic in the waves; reacts badly to the intoxicating smell of coconut oil and suntan lotion, or if watching swaying palm trees results in nausea.)

With shorts, swimming suit, sandals and sunscreen packed in a carry-on, therapy can begin. Play a little Jimmy Buffett on the IPOD, and find the place he sings about, “Where the song of the ocean meets a salty piece of land.” That’s the easy part. Just head to Mexico’s Pacific Coast, and begin the full course of treatment in Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Ixtapa/Zihuatenejo and Los Cabos, all Pacific paradises. Let END remission begin!

Mazatlan

“At Mazatlan at dusk we stopped for awhile for a swim in our underwear in that magnificent surf..."
– Jack Kerouac, author

Mazatlan means “Place of the Deer,”which were indeed prolific at one time. Today, perhaps the city’s other designation as “Pearl of the Pacific” is more appropriate. With almost 16 miles of golden-sand beaches to enjoy and explore, this stretch of uninterrupted beachfront coastline is one of Mexico’s longest. Water temperatures tend to stay in the 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit range, year-round, inviting even non-swimmers to stand in the baby waves. During low-tide, as the sky takes on hues of a mango margarita, lovers walk hand-in-hand towards the horizon, often as far out as 170 feet or so.

Finding a beach in Mazatlan is a bit like seeking out a restaurant: there’s one for any kind of taste. Ready for a coco loco (super-wonderful rum drink served in a coconut)? Head to the Zona Dorada (Golden Zone), where Playa Las Gaviotas and Playa Sabalo are fun places to relax and watch the never-ending people parade. Between the banana boats and the strolling musicians, it might all sound rather busy, but later in the day, as the sand turns the color of burnt umber and the sun melts like caramel over rolling ocean swells, it is clear why this area is called the Golden Zone.

For a quieter time, north of the Zona Dorada is Playa Norte, a bit more local in flavor. And Playa Olas Altas, situated near the beginning of the ‘malecon’ (seawall) is a hot spot for surfers. But for those seriously needing to deal with PWD, the best recommendation is a short taxi- or bus-ride to Playa Brujas and Cerritos. These are some of the most isolated and pristine beaches that Mazatlan has to offer—and there are open-air restaurants to enjoy, serving everything from fresh shrimp cocktails to a local grilled favorite, pescado sarandeado.

Beach Must-Do: Deer Island is part of a 900-island nature reserve in the Sea of Cortez that has been declared by UNESCO to be a world heritage site. A visit here is truly one of the delights of the Mexican Riviera. How to get there? By kayak, boat or catamaran. The beaches are dreamy as is the view back to the city, but the snorkeling, hiking and recreation activities are fun, too.

Puerto Vallarta

Most mornings in Puerto Vallarta (PV, to the regulars), dawn shimmers like peach-colored taffeta on the surface of the tranquil Banderas Bay in the Pacific Ocean. With more than 25 miles of spectacular beach stretching north and south of PV, this region has attracted ocean lovers for hundreds of years. It is, without a doubt, one of Mexico’s most beloved and romantic beach resort areas.

Hence, a great place to take the beach cure. First (and most popular) stop, Playa Los Muertos (Beach of the Dead) in the downtown area. The name comes from an historic battle between pirates and Indians, but there are those among us who think it might also have to do with the deadly coconuts that randomly fall off huge palm trees lining the malecon. Heads up!

Playa los Muertos has a distinctly European feel, with its patio restaurants and live music. Margarita in hand, you can even toddle down to the pier to negotiate rental of your own panga or water-taxi to visit more remote location.

Or, just hop a bus (which are plentiful in PV) and head north to Bucerías, with its vast stretch of beach. The simple little town features small shops (a great place to buy tie-dyed sarongs) and an outdoor market. Just west of Bucerías, Punta de Mita – famous as the home of the Four Seasons resort -- is considered by many to be the most beautiful area in the bay. It consists of a number of small islands that are wrapped together in a package of sparkling blue water. Snorkeling and swimming are ideal pastimes, here.

Beach Must-Do: Just another incredibly beautiful tropical cove, right? Wrong. Las Caletas is a minor miracle, so make the pilgrimage. Once the home of film producer John Huston, Las Caletas is under the purview of Vallarta Adventures, and – at approximately $85 per adult and nearly $60 per child – the seven-hour trip which can be made only by boat might seem a bit pricey. But worth it. A luxury catamaran takes passengers to this nature preserve to enjoy sand as pure as confectioner’s sugar; kayak; snorkel; hike an eco-trail; take paella cooking classes or…yes!...visit the open-air hilltop spa where its hard to tell if its gentle hands or caressing breezes providing body rejuvenation.

Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo

Paradise…times twom on the Mexican Riviera.

Although connected by their 16 miles of white sand beach hugging the beautiful Bay of Zihuatanejo and bordered by the verdant hills of the Sierra Madre Occidental, these two towns could not be more different. Ixtapa, a planned high-rise resort, is slightly similar to Cancun but more affable and certainly less flashy. It has everything a sophisticated vacation destination could possibly have…and one thing more: Zihuatanejo.

Zihuatanejo (also called Zihua) -- the economy of which was once based entirely on fishing and crops such as sesame seeds, mango and copra (the meat of the coconut) -- retains its enchanting fishing village ambiance. Although it has charmingly adapted to its new role as a tourist spot, it still feels like a beach hideaway, the kind of place to sip rich Mexican coffee under a palm-thatched hut and watch fishermen untangling their nets all morning.

Playa la Ropa, lined with hotels, bungalows, hammock areas and seafood joints, is one of the most popular and scenic playpens in the area. There are even occasional sand-castle building competitions here.

What’s most interesting about this beach is its name, reflecting back to a time when the Spanish conquistadors set up a trade route between this area and the Far East. As the story goes, a cargo of Oriental silks and garments washed on to the beach from a shipwrecked galleon. Playa la Ropa means Clothing Beach. Today, clothing is still required, and the main activities are jet- and water-skiing (easy to rent the necessities) and wind-surfing.

Beach Must-Do: Playa La Manzanilla—the hidden beach that is discovered only by boat. Here, the palm trees and aquamarine water looks like they have been photo-shopped. This is a place to watch dolphins and put on the diver’s mask for the show below: the underwater sea-life here plays out like a widescreen movie with myriad schools of colorful fish swooping past right, within touching distance.

Los Cabos

About 1,000 miles south of San Diego, at the tip of the Baja California peninsula, Los Cabos is uniquely a spectacular seaside resort and a thriving desert oasis. Given the area’s location between a warm sea and a cool ocean, where winds and waters carve the coastline to their liking, it is possible to find the finest, softest sand and also the most remarkable rock formations.

It is also a veritable treasure trove of beaches – some with rather pointed names. There’s Lover’s Beach, located behind the famous Land’s End Arch. Here, lovey-dovey swimmers can luxuriate in the warm, welcoming waters together, but only on the Sea of Cortez side; on the Pacific Ocean side, where Divorce Beach is, it might be more likely to see singles braving the waves. There’s also Widow’s Beach…hmmm.

At El Medano Beach in Cabo San Lucas, the party never stops, nor do the throngs of people who visit this lovely place.

Beach Must-do: For those who can afford to stay here, great…for those who can only afford lunch and cocktails, still great. Go to Las Ventanas al Paraiso (Windows to Paradise), which is the queen of beach resorts – sublime golden sand, crowned by a stunning vista of lapis lazuli-colored ocean and Baja-blue sky. Although this is not a swimming spot, it is worth the trip just to plop in a lounge chair and receive actual on-the-beach-butler service – maybe even (perish the thought) an umbrella drink! This is a truly breath-taking place where the ocean is presented in its natural state – sans banana boats and wind-surfers; it’s just what the doctor ordered.

And speaking of the doctor, recovery should be well under way by now. With enough Vitamin D from the sun, and lots of Vitamin C from those cocos locos and tequila sunrises, END is almost a thing of distant memory. And if it recurs? Heck, there’s always another beach for empty-nesters!