recommend: a babymoon in puerto vallarta

plus our (gluten-free) highlights, of course!

Mar 04, 2025

Hello, hello! We just got back from our babymoon in Puerto Vallarta, and I’m hoping I soaked up enough Vitamin D to last me ‘til the cherry blossoms start to bloom in Vancouver. The balmy air, salty ocean breeze, and slow, sun-drenched days were just what the doc ordered before life picks up speed—with both baby and book baby arriving later this year!

Before deciding to go as a 25-week preggo eggo, I had a few questions:

What’s the risk of Zika, and will it be buggy? The risk is extremely low, and as someone mosquitoes usually flock to, I didn’t get bitten once! November through April is their dry season, after all.

Is the drinking water safe? Puerto Vallarta’s water is among the cleanest in Mexico. I still stuck to filtered or bottled water for drinking but wasn’t too concerned about raw produce.

What pregnancy essentials should I pack? Good sneakers (I love my Woden SIF Reflective) and babybub’s maternity pillow for belly and back support—plus their convenient travel case.

Water taxis took us to secluded beaches, including Casitas Maraika, a boutique hotel and restaurant where we savored a day of reading and dreamy tropical eats: Café de Olla (cold brew with peanut milk and warming spices), passion fruit adobo grilled shrimp, and a coconut tapioca pudding with charred pineapple—all the flavors my taste buds usually crave.

📖 My Beach Reads 📖

Why Did No One Tell Me This?: The Doulas' (Honest) Guide for Expectant Parents by Natalia Hailes and Ash Spivak

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

Back in Zona Romántica 💕, where we stayed, our mornings started with obligatory smoothies (ya girl needs her fruit and veg), followed by tacos from our top three spots:

🌮 Birrieria Robles – Birria on soft or crispy corn tortillas with rich beef consommé

🌮 Pancho’s Takos – Specializes in Al Pastor and features the biggest daily trompo I’ve ever seen

🌮 Sonorita Olas Altas – Also serves up great Al Pastor and ribeye tacos—don’t sleep on their not-too-sweet hibiscus agua fresca or horchata!

We’d grab a day pass at one of the beachfront spots along the busier Playa Los Muertos stretch—nibbling on seafood or anything that came with a lineup of colorful salsas. Evenings usually wrapped up at our gem of a rooftop at Nomada Rentals, watching the sun melt into the ocean, before heading to dinner and, inevitably ordering a cone at Lix.

For a special night out, we treated ourselves to a meal at Tintoque. Their rotating menu of modern Mexican dishes with global influences was incredible, and they were super accommodating of our dietary restrictions. Standouts included:

Coconut dashi with young coconut and abalone
Soft shell crab burrito
36-hour roasted tomato with Mexican crema
Vanilla flan with bone marrow and foie gras caramel (?!!)

I came home feeling full and recharged, albeit with some typical pregnancy symptoms, with a stash of Mexican chocolate and vanilla extract in my bag, too 🍫

For my full list of (gluten-free) PV highlights, check out the reel below!

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