Life is sweet-O in El Tuito

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We leave Puerto Vallarta making our way along the water and then eventually inland along the Rio Tomatlan. Most of our first day is spent climbing though the canopy of pulsating green forest that spills down the surrounding cliffs to frame the edges of this ancient route. The first settlers to this area in the late 16th century did not settle in the lowlands that make up what is Puerto Vallarta today, but rather in the much more comfortable highlands that are the Valley of El Tuito. This makes for a full day of climbing up to almost 1085 meters. Compared to Puerto Vallarta, El Tuito is cool and bug free - a settlers paradise.

It would be easy to give this charming little town a miss as its centre is located a good 20 minute walk away from the main road, but what lies at the heart of this little town is a friendly colonial centre whose buildings are mostly painted with washed colours derived from local clays.