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When traveling to Mexico there are important considerations to keep in mind. In order to make your trip as relaxing and stress-free as possible it is wise to acquaint yourself with local requirements, rules, and customs to avoid any unnecessary delays or problems while on vacation.

The following is a list of things to help you plan a trip to Mexico.

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Walking from Boca de Tomatlan to Las Animas - 1

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During your vacation in Puerto Vallarta you can spend a truly terrific day walking from Boca de Tomatlan to Las Animas beach, a distance of some 3.5 kilometers.

A truly terrific day can be spent walking from Boca de Tomatlan to Las Animas beach, a distance of some 3.5 kilometers. It is not hard. Do you walk daily? If you can climb up six flights of stairs, are happy scrambling up and down a goat-trail like path, are unafraid of scruffy little wooden bridges, then you will be ecstatic. Even better, you return in a panga, water taxi. No stumbling back down the trail after an afternoon of delicious margaritas or cervesas.

The trip takes you through lush jungle and solitary beaches to the beautiful beach of Los Animas where you can reward yourself with delicious meals and drinks. Walking at leisurely pace, enjoying the views, stopping to watch scuttling land and sea crabs, amazing birds and to enjoy immaculate beaches, the walk will take about two hours.

You need a good pair of shoes, a daypack with water, snacks, camera and swimming gear.

Take the Boca bus from Constitution and Basilio Badillo beside the Oxxo. The buses leave about every 10 minutes. The trip takes about 40 minutes and you catch the bus back at the same place you get off the bus.

Walk down into the town of Boca. If you have never walked the trail before you can hire a local teen to guide you. See Justin in the restaurant Mi Ranchito, or call him ahead of time on his cell at 322-127-8455. He will appoint one of his staff members to guide you at a cost of 200 pesos for your group (as opposed to per person) plus a tip for the young guide. Once you arrive in Las Animas, the guide will leave you and make his own way back to Boca.

You can use the washrooms of various Boca restaurants for five pesos before you start the trip.

The trail starts at a bridge over the river as you head south through the town. The trail is occasionally marked with white paint on the trees but not frequently enough to ensure the way. First time it is best to have a guide and later you can guide your friends. If you leave town before 10 a.m. the beach parts of the trail may be under water. You will need to wait for the tide to recede. At full moon the tides are very high on parts of the trail so be prepared. The trail has been improved in the last few weeks and there are now handrails in certain parts and stairs have been carved into sections of steep sandy trail. The precarious wooden bridges have been fixed.

Please watch for the second part of this story, which will give you some tips to make this activity during your vacation in Puerto Vallarta a memorable one.