Finding a Routine in La Cruz
January in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
I know I have fallen behind on my emails. But everyone reading should know Mexico is wonderful and I want to be present and enjoy this time fully, especially knowing in the back of my mind job hunting and land life is coming soon (ahh time flies).
I feel like I have had a lot of time to reflect and have had an emotional growth spurt…. Maybe not, but I definitely have a tan and better conversational Spanish now! Plus, it’s very hard for me to work with no deadlines! So of course, I also procrastinated updating my newsletter. I am currently in the Sea of Cortez, where service is terrible, but I have time to write.
New Year’s Eve was spent anchored in Banderas Bay, the same bay that Yelapa, Puerto Vallarta, Bucerias, La Cruz, and Punta Mita all share. I’m glad we anchored out for the fireworks show! We were closest to La Cruz, but all the towns all over the bay were setting off fireworks so it felt like a 360 show! (And to be fair I have noticed Mexicans like to set off fireworks all the time).
Lovely sunsets at the marina.
For the rest of January, we kept the boat in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle (often called La Cruz, because Huanacaxtle is very hard for gringos to pronounce). Huanacaxtle is a kind of beautiful tree, there are a few in the town square. We saw shops selling big wood tables lots of the restaurants in town have beautiful Huanacaxtle tables. A good spot for music had an amazing Huanacaxtle growing in the middle of the bar.
The bay itself is so special you can see why developed. Every time Sam and I took the boat out of the marina into the bay for a day trip we saw fish, humpback whales, dolphins, and sometimes even a turtle. The marina itself is filled with life, we saw parrotfish, pufferfish, and even a resident turtle right off the dock.
I really enjoyed my time in La Cruz, it started to feel familiar, we had friends there, restaurants we went to multiple times, and little routines. Ok, it did not have fancy pools like Barra did, but there was a little beach and really nice charm to the town. I enjoyed daily walks around the marina’s malecon, admiring all the colorful murals along the streets, stopping at a fruiteria or tortilleria along the way. Our time in La Cruz was the longest the boat (and Sam and I) have been in one place since early April/May 2021.
Unlike the neighboring towns of Puerto Vallarta and Bucerias to some extent, La Cruz still feels less developed, more Mexican. There are no major hotels and not many condo buildings near the center of town (although sadly, rumor is that might change in the next few years). La Cruz just has hostels, inns, smaller lodging, and a handful of delicious restaurants. Few of the roads are paved (well), and lots of dogs, cats, and chickens roam around. There are a fair number of gringos, but I would say 95% of them are related to the marina in some way. A small cruisers oasis. The marina hosts movie nights, yoga, and different activities for kids (we participated in a turtle release the marina organized). The marina is right in town, a quick walk to the town square, stores, laundry, etc. Releasing turtles at a turtle at a beach sanctuary spot was a highlight!
I am noticing as we travel around, the places where there are fewer gringos and less resorts, the more people are way more friendly.
The town itself had some really great (and super affordable) food options and frequent live music. We saw a great guitar show and some Cuban music and dancing were highlights.
La Cruz also has a well-known Sunday farmers market that sells foods, produce, and crafts. It was great and had some of the best tamales and produce I’ve seen in Mexico! Between that and little stores in town with amazing fruit and beans, I feel like I cooked and ate the freshest food while there.
Sam and I are part of a group of Nordhavn owners who all have the same kind of boat (they only made 26) that meet via zoom about once a month. While we were in La Cruz, four of these Nordhavns were also in town. It was fun to meet people face to face and we all went out for a ‘branded photo’.
Many days were spent having a drink or getting dinner with friends, Nordhavn people or boaters we have met coming down Mexico. The social time was appreciated while we were there since boat life often can feel solitary. La Cruz is convenient to lots of places in the area, so while we kept the boat there, we went to Puerto Vallarta for a teeth cleaning ($40…for the dental work, not the cab fare!), some beaches towards Punta Mita that became my favorite, and Pat and Alexa, Nordhavn friends that live in La Cruz all year round (and have a car) took us to the charming surf town of San Poncho for a day.
La Cruz, being so close to the Puerto Vallarta airport, was a great place to travel inland from. Sam and I took a 10-day trip, first to Mexico City for a few days, and then met some boat friends in Oaxaca (the same couple we spent Christmas with, and some other Nordhavn owners). But that is for another newsletter.
I was a little sad when we left La Cruz. Spending so much time there and feeling almost like I had a routine inspired Sam and I both to fantasize about living in a foreign country at some point in our lives…