12/15   I am considering a January trip to some quiet/smallish beach community
        (not mega resort) on the Pacific Coast of Mexico [Jalisco, Michoacan,
        Guerrero or Oaxaca] ... does anybody have a recommendation of where to
        go for a week or so?
        \_ Why no cities in Baja which are overall cleaner and safer?
           Acapulco was a destination city years ago, but I hear it is
           kind of scummy now.
           \_ Because I have been to Baja, and I am meeting somebody in
              Mexico City. I'm not worried about safety issues. BTW,
              supposedly Northern Baja is now considered somewhat unsafe,
              although it is not clear to me that isnt internet amplification
              of a couple of stories rather than a real change in conditions
              on the ground.
        \_ I am a little unclear on what you want to do there. Just beachcomb?
           Fish? Go to some nightclubs? I have only been to this region a
           couple of times, so I am not really an expert, but I can ask
           my brother, as he goes fishing down there all the time.
          \- i want to sit in a nice looking place which is a reasonable
              temperature and eat unhealthy cheap tacos, steak and fresh
              seafood. i'm not interested in seeing cultural patrimony,
              paragliding, getting wasted etc. if snorkling is an option,
              might do that, but not that important. but i dont want to
              be in a one restaurant, one hotel, one bar town. puerto escondido
              was recommended. thanks.
                      \_ from my brother, sorry for the formatting:
        What type of experience are you looking for?  Are you looking
        for a small mexican beach town or more of a secluded resort?
        They have both north of Puerto Vallarta.  I loved Mar Y Sol
        Hotel at Jacarandas 8 Rincon De Guayabitos, it is a small
        mexican beach town, a few Candians but few americans.
        Resonable prices and decent hotels right on the beach. A think
        we got a one bedroom suite for around $100 a night.  Good
        fishing, a great restraunt on the bluff top, warm water and
        many of the touristy things just small and more oriented to
        mexicans.  They had a great beach, shrimp kabob salesmen,
        simple...about an hour and half north of Puerto Vallarta.
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
        For a more seculded expereince there is a great small resort
        near San Francisco, Nayrit, Mexico.  The one I was very
        impressed with seemed to cater more to the surfers but there
        were several quality, small resorts there.  For luxury you
        can't beat the Four Season's in Punta Mita, Nayrit, Mexico.
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
        I love them all including Puerto Vallarta,I found a small,
        adults only resort that I liked very well there called Villa
        Premiere.  Great beach, decent pool and you can walk down to
        the Malceon at night.  There are all kinds of great
        performers, musician and other curio.
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
        I also Love, Love, Love, Playa de Carmen an hour or so south
        of Cancun.  That place is full of small resorts right in town.
        The town is incredibly charming and has a europen fell.  There
        are small places to eat right on the beach, awesome, neat
        little shops.  Touristy but small and personable.
        \- detailed feedback appreciated. i'll research those.
           BTW, one question: what vintage is your brother's info?
           last 2-3 yrs? >5yrs ago? the first time i heard of "nayarit"
           was like a month ago. i thought it was a place in say thailand.
           \_ Pretty recent, he goes fishing down there like half a dozen
              times a year.
        \_ Seconded Playa del Carmen, but that's not on the Pacific, which
           was the original request.
        \_ Was disappointed w/ Playa Del Carmen, but I didn't stay there.
           Seemed like it was nice a few years ago and then got over-developed
           and is now becoming ane extension of Cancun. This is from May.
           Several years ago I went to Oaxaca City (very inland) and then
           spent a few days coastal (Puerto Escondido / Huatulco). PE is a
           sleepy surfer town and Huatulco is a nice, quiet, resort town. I
           went in the low season (June) and all the tourists were local
           Mexicans. If you like food, in Mexico City/DF I highly recommend
           Fonda el Refugio in Zona Rosa. It's the bomb (San Angel Inn is
           nice but way out of town, and too Euro-influenced).