Back at work review.
Kids said this was their favorite vacation ever. Hard to argue with them. This little island is great.
We stayed at the Sotavento Condos just across from the Joint on the south side. Had a 2 story condo with two bedrooms and roof top deck with outdoor kitchen/grill. It was great. It was a quiet place and if you are going with the family or just prefer quiet and chill, i think a great laid back location. Plus it is a lot of fun to ride around in the golf cart along the ocean.
However, If you are looking for late night bar hopping that Hidalgo st provides then it probably isn't the place for you. The south side pretty much closes up at 8pm.
Food:
South Side:
Joint: Cool little bar with pretty good food. Breakfast special of 2 eggs, 2 bacon, 2 sausage, potatoes and toast for 70 pesos was pretty good way to start day.
Mar Bella: Great great seafood and views - fairly expensive for the island, but no more expensive than any decent place in Houston, Dallas, Austin.
Casa de los Suenos - great views and really good food and drinks - best ceviche we had. We ate dinner there on saturday night, and sunday they remembered my daughters and let them use the paddleboards, and all snorkeling stuff for free. This place apparently is under new ownership/management and was really good.
Central:
Bastos Grill: The steak was as good as everyone has said. Wife had the steak and shrimp and said it was the best thing she had in her mouth all week. I can confirm.
Mangos: Coconut french toast and breakfast quesadilla - bottomless coffee - all was very good.
Oscars italian: it was just okay. Had to go here one night last minute because there was a wedding at Mar Bella. But kids liked their pasta.
North Side:
Rolandi's Pizzeria: Good pizza on Hildago
Soggy Peso: just had margaritas - they were okay, strong but just okay.
Dopi: Lobster tacos were great - everything was good
Tuturreque 33: This is a beach club where you pay for food and drink and get the chair with umbrella. It was a great day on the beach. I had the best chilaquiles i have ever had here - we had breakfast and lunch and drank all day long for about 100 bucks for 6 of us. And i was with a bunch of women, so who knows how many banana or mango daiquiris they had.
Stuff we did: snorkeled quite a bit, ate a lot, drove around, drank, laid around the condo pool, laid around the beach, the girls shopped.
Looking at going back end of oct/beg of November.
Felt perfectly safe the entire time there and all the locals seemed genuinely happy you are there spending money.