Gus B

APRIL 2013

Chonchos is the perfect get away. We had an amazing time doing absolutely nothing. We stocked up in Puerto Vallarta with a bunch of delicous food, had breakfast, lunch and dinner in the most picturesque location in all of Mexico. Basically, we loved it the whole thing. The people we met were fantastic. We hiked the trail to Chimo with a huge crew from the beach and celebrated Easter with all night dancing, great food and drink and enough smiles to get us to constantly talk about coming back. The hardest part is leaving without knowing when we can get back.

Los Chonchos Beach a is an out of this world experience, especially for the adventurous type. Beginning with the interesting 1 hour water taxi ride to get there from the little town of Boca. You see many resorts and small interesting villages on the way of most of which are still very rustic. When you arrive at Los Chonchos you jump onto a beautiful little beach situated in a small cove and are greeted and taken to your palapa. Most of the palapas are either by the beach or a short walk from the beach through the lively lush jungle. All the palapas have amazing views of the ocean. It is the most peaceful feeling I have ever experienced, just sitting and watching the ocean for hours, occasionally spotting whales, dolphins, mantas or other fish. There are plenty of things to do in Chonchos; like swimming, snorkeling, spearfishing, kayaking, fishing and hiking. The hike to a nearby village called Chimo is a must if you want to experience some Mexican culture. You can even arrange for a family to cook a meal for you, it is worth the hike! The people of Chimo don't speak English, so a little bit of Spanish is helpful. I definitely will return to Chonchos again, hopefully very soon!
Yvonne A.
November 2009, San Diego, California, USA

We hope to return soon, again and ever.... Los Chonchos is a paradise for nature lovers ... So far our best vacation. An ideal and fantastic spot to relax and escape the world for just a little while. The one thing that's garanted at Chonchos is relaxation. During the day, if you're patient, you watch whales & manta rays play their mop water, and the nightlife consist of sitting on the beach watching the moon by the fire.
Jocelyne & Jacek Z.
Paris, France.
2003/05, 2005/01, 2006/04, 2007/03

Los Chonchos is a virtual paradise for those who love nature and like to participate in life. This is one of the last remote hide a ways of its kind in the world where the jungle meets the sea and where there are no roads, electric grids, convenience stores or any of the typical annoyances of modern civilization. Just beautiful pre-Hispanic thatched roofed palapa cabins integrated into mostly perfect weather, ocean and jungle nature, scenes and sounds. A truly spiritual respite for the skilled, healthy, fearless, athletically and sound adventurer, but, not recommended to those who live in fear and need air conditioning, hair dryers, massive word robes, chemicals and lots of prescription drugs.
Charles A.
2008 November
San Diego, CA

I can not yet put into words the amazing time we had. It was beyond our expectations. I did not expect to run out of pecos at the cabana.
We had the whole place alone for 2 days...then a cool couple showed up. It was an amazing experience and I would love to go back some time. ( next time i will bring more pesos and more of our own food!). The schedule of the reataurant was sketchy at best and they had only 3 beers and half a bottle of rum. Luckly we brought a bucnh of our own stuff to drink. The whole place was impecably clean and set up beautifully. The beach was perfect and the water warm. For the price we could not believe where we were staying. Thank you so much.
Drew Z.
2010 May,
Denver, CO

My husband and I had a great time at the “village”; we relaxed, explored and experienced. Alfonso set up a boat to take us fishing one morning and that was a lot of fun. It was also great that Alfonso cleaned and cooked the fish for us. We loved how he cooked the fish and the rice and fresh vegetable along with it were perfect. He’s a great cook/chef! The wild life in the water and on the beach was a favorite part of our trip. We would love to come to the “village” again and we suggest it to people that are looking for a vacation with an experience. I’d say your target market is people who want a vacation off the beaten path and who want to see “real” Mexico instead of just a beach and a margarita.
We brought items the web-site suggested like flashlights, etc. We also brought a first aid kit (we used some band-aids and anti-biotic ointment) and food. We brought food because we didn’t plan to eat 3 meals a day at the restaurant. It was good that we brought food because when we got to the beach late morning the first day Alfonso showed us around the “hut” and then left to go back to Chimo; I think it was Mother’s Day. We were a bit surprised he was leaving and with us not speaking much Spanish and him not speaking much English we didn’t know what to expect after that. We talked to the nice couple from San Diego and they filled in some blanks for us.
I notice now that the “food” information on the web-site says “Arranged with Alfonso a day in advance. . .” But, it didn’t mention that if you’re going to arrange the food with Alfonso it would help to be able to speak Spanish. We had him cook the fish we caught the day we caught it and again the day after; which was perfect for us. Maybe when guests are making their reservation their food for the first day (or more) should be brought up since you can’t arrange it with Alfonso a day in advance because you’re not out there yet. We did not have a problem with this, but maybe others would expect a full restaurant and bar available more hours of the day, so I mention this.
We really enjoyed everything, even the unknown. It was exciting to be out there almost all alone that first day when Alfonso left for town. We didn’t know what to expect, which isn’t bad thing. Alfonso was very polite and accommodating. I enjoyed our “communication” with some Spanish, some English and some hand signals. 
Thank you,
Shannon R.
2010 May
Fairmound, IN

Alphonso firing up la comida at the restaurant..killer huevos rancheros...fresh lobster dish by Alphonso...view of the pacific from the the jungle trail...open air shower, with the water shower head made of a small pale… made a soothing sound too.
colourful ocean view from living room...deck with view...collecting shells...soaking it in...sunsets...pristine beach...siesta...Open air bed"room". Some of the best z's ever with the ocean in the background...feet on the hammock...mule ride...

the ultimate escape
Brad and Nicole S.
December, 2010
Kansas City, MO
USA

Just to let you know we left yesterday Los Chonchos. It has been a really wonderful week for us in the middle of the nature and we sadly left the beach. Our holiday has surely been more pleasant thanks to the work of Alfonso and Gabriel on site.
We thank you all and hope to see you again in the future.
Ciao
Adios
Giulia and Marco S.
January 2011
Pavia, Italy

The location does not even come up on normal maps-the closest "town" is Chimo about a mile South of Los Chonchos. This is an adventure. I loved it, but there is limited phone service,  internet only in the resturant, no tv. It is secluded. If you are a hypochondriac about anything, you won't like it. You have to have island mentality to love it. "Don't worry be Happy" comes to mind...lol.
KayreneG.
January, 2011
Portland, OR

My wife and I stayed in Casa de pirata. We had a wonderful time. We are in our late 20'S and have traveled a lot together. We have never experienced any thing like this place. It is defenitly a romantic getaway. There are no TV's, phones, but there is Internet in the resturant. It felt like we were on our own private island like on the movie Cast Away with Tom Hanks. Except we had a nice bungalow. We had the jungle and beaches all to ourselves. The food was wonderful and the small staff was great. I suggest that if some one is going to make sure they read and understand what to bring. This is not a resorts. It is like renting a friends beach house that is next to nothing. You must bring supplies and snack food. Next time I go I will go to the super market and bring my own food and drink. I will also bring more fun things like my fishing pole and speer gun. This place seems a little scary at first because it is so quiet and remote but once you realize the people are so friendly and caring your thoughts change. This place is a wonderful and fun vacation. Take the boat taxi and go explore the water falls near by or hike. This place is great!! Thank You,
Derek S.
December, 2010
Oakdale California USA

We had a great time and will recommend your casas, casa de pirata & casa de sirena, to friends/family. We definitely want to come for a stay again in the future.
Thanks again,
Samantha and Aaron W.
February, 2011
Anchorage, AK, USA

I recently went to Los chonchos a week ago and stayed for 6 days. This place is a paradise for people who want to get away from everyone else. You basically have a small thatch roof hut (palapa) to yourself, with wide open views of the ocean. We woke up to see humpback whales not too far offshore every morning. You have a small beach and another larger beach that is a 5 minute hike totally to yourself. It can be difficult to get to, especially if the water is too rough for the water taxi to land on the beach, but thats part of what makes this place so special. You also need to pack in your own food and refreshments, although there is a village called chimo that is about a 45 minute hike to get to. They have 1 store and limited selection (its a small fishing village). There is also an onsite "manager" who will cook you dinner if you arrange it with him- we had him cook twice and it was great- fresh caught red snapper, and fresh shrimp. If i had to come up with something wrong, i would say that they could use some new bedding and dishes, but that is really a minor concern when you have a beach paradise to yourself. Very romantic place to go with a girlfriend or wife as i did. Its actually hard to write a review like this because this is the kind of place you hope lots of people dont find out about, but its too good not to share.
Timothy and Sydney M.
February, 2011
Denver, Colorado, USA

Can't thank you enough for letting us stay at casa de pirata...it was AMAZING! We had a wonderful time....it was exactly what we were looking for in a vacation. Unfortunately the ocean hadn't cleared up too much for good snorkelling but we did it anyways :) And a hearty thanks to Alfonso for the delicious dinners!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Tom
April, 2011
Denver, Co, USA

My boyfriend and I recently stayed at Los Chonchos beach for 3 nights and it was an absolutely amazing experience! We love to camp and this trip was the perfect mix of creature comforts and ruggedness. The bungalow itself was clean, furnished quite nicely, and had a full gas-powered kitchen (stove and fridge). There was no electricity but some solar powered lights and converter were there if you needed it. The bathroom is an open design, but accessed from the house and well hidden, and more than adequate. The views from the bungalow were breathtaking and the beaches wonderful. There was plenty to do to keep busy despite the fact that we were the only folks there....sea kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, whale and bird watching etc. It was the perfect beach vacation for anyone that likes to stay a little off the beaten path. Oh and how could I forget that there was also an amazing cook who would make dinner if we asked. Definitely going back!
S.- "Tan and Happy"
April/May 2011
Denver, Colorado, USA

The reviews are right... this place is amazing. If you want to get away from it all, you really really do. Took my wife for our honeymoon and found the off the beaten path vacation we were looking for. Had the entire place to ourselves for 4 days. Alfanso the host and chef was amazing. He brought and cooked dinner for us twice (outstanding).. He's been professionally cooking for ten years and I'm a chef and was very impressed. We did the hike to Chimo- not for the timid, but worth it when we got there. Alfanso was with every other father in the fishing village enjoying Father's day. Even on his day off he helped us order food and drinks and gave us directions to get more supplies in town. Really is a great guy. Gabriel the groundskeeper was awesome. Speaks no English but has good Raicilla and is an amazing fisherman. Shared some of his catch with us. All in all the whole trip was amazing.. Be prepared to cook your own food and be creative. Also make sure to save enough $$ for your trip back.. Unfortunately we got chased out by a hurricane our last day, but Alphonso was quick to get us a taxi from Chimo and a bus from Tuito as the water taxis were grounded due to the storm. What could have been a disaster turned into a fantastic off road adventure finding our way home. We sacrificed the souvenirs for fare, but will always have the memories.. We've told many of our friends, but secretly hope that it stays private for when we get to come back someday... You can view all of our pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davepotwin/sets/72157627237381555/
Dave & Heather
June 2011
Rochester, NY

My daughter Kristen and I stayed at Los Chonchos Beach on October 20, 2011. We took the water taxi from Boca de Tomatlan. What a beautiful village it is. From there the taxi stopped at couple of villages to let people on and off. The scenery along the coastline is just gorgeous. It was very exciting not knowing what to exprect. As we approached Los Chonchos Beach we could not believe we were finally there. Kristen and I had made a comment that we were going to be like Tarzan and Jane but without a Tarzan. (We are mother and daughter) Just as soon as we got off the boat and started walking on the beach we were greeted by Gabriel who is the groundkeeper. He had long hair, very tanned and only wearing a pair of pants. Kristen and I looked at eachother and said"There's Tarzan!" From then on Tarzan and Riuben our guide instantly became our friends. Ruben took us to Casa de Pirata where we were to stay. Wow, what an awesome bungalow. I just loved everything about it. As I was taking a shower I kept looking around making sure no one was looking but then I remembered where I was. It is so cool, taking a shower outside surrounded by natural beauty of the jungle and looking out into the ocean. Every inch of Casa de Pirata has a view either to the ocean or the jungle. We then were greeted by A;phonso the cook. What a cutie he is and so nice and polite. They all are! He asked us what we wanted for lunch dinner and breakfast. We said fish of course and what ever else he wanted to cook. He left and later on as we were returning from a hike we noticed a donkey. Since there is no taxi after a certain hour, he had to bring out food by donkey from the nearest fishing village Chimos. As we sat at the restaurant waiting for our meal we sipped on "Raisia" (tequila)Gabriel brought down from "Tuito"> where they make it. The fish was the best I ever had in my life and everyhting else Alphonso cooked. As we were savoring this wonderful food having great conversation with Gabriel and Ruben and looking out into the ocean my daughter said, "Mom, this is what movie stars do when they want to get away, have privacy and no poparazzi!!!!! I said, "Yes it certainly is, but better". As the evening approached we saw the most beautiful sunset. In the evening we sat around and talked,and through the night all we could hear was the sounds of jungle and the ocean splashing against the rocks. The next day we went kayaking after breakfast, hiking taking pictures, walking on the beach talkiing to Gabriel and Alphonso . I really admire Gabriel for taking care of the turtles. When the turtles lay their eggs sometimes they don't hatch because the tide comes in too close and washes them away. What he does is he digs the eggs up and buries them where the tide doesn't take them. People who stay or live on this beach are very lucky to have Gabriel and Alphonso. I highly recommend this beautiful paradise. It is an adventure in deed and a place that will forever stay in my memories and will certainly go back. This is a very romantic place for couples in love and if you are not in love, you will fall in love for sure.
October 2011
Kristen O., Bertha M.
Alpine, Calif (San Diego)

I just returned from Los chonchos and all I have to say is that it was one of the best holidays I ever had! WE were there for three days and we loved it. The palapas are great, you can hear the sound of the waves, cook brunch, enjoy the views, go kayaking, enjoy the hammock, go to the beach and read a book quietly and peacefully cause guess what??? There's nobody there! It's just the cook and somebody who watches the place. Both of them are great and they contribute to the experience of wild deserted beautiful beaches, firepits in the beach at nights, stargazing... My suggestion is GO, GO, GO! you'll love it!
p.s.
If you are planning on staying there long, bring some food from Puerto Vallarta. The 45 min Hike to Chimo ( the nearest village) for beers and eggs can be a b***!
December 2011
Alba D.
USA