Why We Chose La Cruz de Huanacaxtle

In the fall of 2012, we started planning our first real vacation together.  We both agreed that we wanted to go somewhere "off the beaten path."  We both love the sun and the beach so we started looking in Mexico... We had both already done the all-inclusive, swanky, crowded resort thing in Mexico and we were sorta over it.  What's the point of going to a foreign country to hang out with a bunch of Americans while eating American food in an American-style hotel?  There *is* no point.  We wanted to live like locals, walk or take the bus, explore local towns, cook our own food...and just "wing it." 

I found Simply Baku on Groupon of all places.  It was exactly what we had in mind.  We could have a fully-equipped "casita" right on a quiet beach and be within walking distance to restaurants and markets...all in a very un-touristy little fishing village.  Sold!  We didn't buy the Groupon because we couldn't travel within the required dates, but we booked it for the following March anyway because it was affordable and perfect.  (I just realized that we were there for the first time exactly 3 years ago today!  Happy birthday, babe!)  

From our first contact with Marianne, the owner of Baku and a retired American who had lived in Mexico for over a decade, we already felt comfortable and excited about traveling to little La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Nayarit, Mexico.  Marianne picked us up at the Puerto Vallarta Airport and greeted us with a big hug...I remember feeling like I was visiting an Aunt or someone I knew.  I felt at home.  

When we arrived at Baku, just 30 minutes later, I remember thinking, "The photos don't do this place justice."  The gardens, the palm trees, the casitas...everything was stunning.  The inside of the casitas were even more amazing, each one perfectly decorated with local artwork and ornate Mexican tiles.  

The view from our patio.... 

For the next week, we woke up to the sound of the ocean, we watched the humpback whales breech in the bay while we waded in the pool, we ate at a different restaurant every day, we bought our own groceries at the local market and cooked a lot of our own meals, we bought a whole fish from the neighboring marina and made fish tacos for the 3 other couples staying at Baku, we hopped on the bus with no real plans, we walked 2 hours on the beach just to get to the next town, we listened to live music, we made new friends...and we were sad to go home. 

The following year I was in college and Ty was traveling every week for work, and Spring Break was a few weeks away...I asked him to take vacation that week so we could spend it together at home.  He surprised me by asking, "Wanna go to Baku instead?"  EEEEEEEK.  Um, duh!  We contacted Marianne right away and luckily enough she had an empty casita with our name on it... The second time was just as amazing as the first time, except we realized that the next time we came, we wanted people to come with us so they could experience little La Cruz too.  (Yes, we were already planning our third trip.)  So, in May of 2015, we dragged our cousins and besties to the beach and we all had the time of our lives.  And I came home with a surprise rock on my finger... 

Needless to say, La Cruz feels like our second home... So, when we decided to make a major life change and leave the country in the fall of 2015, we contacted Marianne and asked her to consider us if she needed help running Baku.  Luckily for us, she said yes and invited us down for the off-season.  So, here we are...packing and planning and preparing (and panicking!) for our big move to our favorite little town.  You only live once, right?