Puerto Vallarta Rentals Blog

Violent clashes erupted in parts of western Mexico on Sunday amid a military operation that led to the death of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader, triggering widespread security concerns throughout the region.

Diane Hicks Webb of Livermore describes what it’s like in Puerta Vallarta after cartel leader “El Mencho” was killed. Everything she had planned to do has been canceled. 

Watch FOX LOCAL San Francisco live for the latest breaking news from San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and the entire Bay Area. KTVU delivers the best in-depth reports, interviews and breaking news coverage in the San Francisco Bay Area and California
Subscribe to KTVU on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVhtkN7-c8mA8GXEoxS4YQw?sub_confirmation=1
Watch KTVU’s newscasts: https://www.ktvu.com/live
Download the FOX LOCAL app: https://www.ktvu.com/apps
Subscribe to KTVU’s newsletter: https://www.ktvu.com/newsletters

?? @zackpilcher travels to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with new teeth! 04-16-26

—————

The socials you can find me on :
Instagram : @zackpilcher

If you’d like to support my channel and keep me on the road as long as possible. You can contribute through these platforms

Tip Jar :
CashApp : $zackpilcher
PayPal : [email protected]
Venmo : @zackery-pilcher

Or become a member of my channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC08dGcsVlGQHaaS2gb0oqiA/join

Let’s go on a shopping adventure as we showcase 2 malls in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. “La Isla Shopping Village” and “Las Galerías”.

This video offers a glimpse into the retail offerings for any tourist, highlighting various stores. It’s a great look for those considering lifestyle travel or even moving to Mexico, specifically to Jalisco, Mexico.

?? Buy the “Mexico Relocation Guide” using our link here:

Home Page

?? Use “Retired50” in the checkout to receive $50 off the purchase price.

? We are affiliates and receive a commission for every guide purchased from our site.

?? Louisa’s Boho pants that are perfect for the hot weather in Vallarta: https://amzn.to/4hg5HF8

?? ? Louisa’s Teva Sandals: https://amzn.to/40qvP9p

?? ? Louisa’s Sun Protection Shirt: https://amzn.to/42ngmtx

? Mosquito Repellent: https://amzn.to/40FEFl3

? Michael’s Travel Coffee Mug: https://amzn.to/4hpVgPu

???? Things we use when traveling and staying at hotels/airbnbs:

?? Carbon Monoxide Detector https://amzn.to/4gH2wX3
https://amzn.to/3DHBJva

??As an Amazon Associate, we may earn qualifying commissions.

?? Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the links to products that appear on this page are from companies which Retired Life Mexico will earn an affiliate commission or referral bonus. Retired Life Mexico is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where products appear in our videos.

??The contents of our videos have been created by us, people who have decided to make Mexico our home. We try our hardest to provide accurate and up-to-date information about all of the topics we share here. However, things change and prices change as time goes by, so while the information was accurate to the best of our knowledge when we posted the video, it may have changed drastically since then. Please be sure to do your own current research to verify the content before making a decision to act upon any advice or recommendation.
We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the use or interpretation of the content in our videos. Our videos are for entertainment purposes only so please do not make any financial or life-style decisions before you do your own independent research.

????? We hope you enjoy our videos!

Casual Topics for a Casual Friday

Be sure to subscribe to my LIVE YouTube channel for all the real news in Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding areas:
https://www.youtube.com/@PuertoVallartaRealNews?sub_confirmation=1

Stream the replay any time on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Street.B.Lane

You can also stream this show any time on Substack at: https://brentlane2.substack.com/

PVRN is also on Spotify:

Have a story or want to contact PVRN, email me at: [email protected]

Thank you for the support of the following sponsors:

Puerto Vallarta Aesthetics — Professional. Clinical. Expert. Superior in-home Botox & fillers — expert care delivered directly to you in PV https://puertovallartaaesthetics.com/

South of the Burger — The Best Burger in Puerto Vallarta #??????????? #??????? #Hamburgers #Chilidogs #Pulledpork #Brisket #Fries #Shakes #Beer https://facebook.com/p/South-of-the-Burger-61552766091259/

Barrio Vallarta Boutique Studios — Comfortable Stay at the Heart of the Romantic Zone In Barrio Vallarta we strive for excellence and in a short period of time we have reached an AirBnb Superhost award. Our goal is to satisfy our clients during their stay. Come give us a try. https://barriovallarta.com

Asphalt Radio — Saturday from 11am – 1pm on 98.3 FM Our area’s only all-English radio show hosted by Jessy Ruiz and Bruce Franklin. https://radiante.fm/puerto-vallarta/programa/asphalt

Become a Sponsor — Find Out More Just message me on Facebook. https://facebook.com/Street.B.Lane

Walk through Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in this 4K POV tour and experience one of the most famous beach cities in Jalisco. From the lively streets and oceanfront views to the real everyday atmosphere of Vallarta, this walking video shows the energy, culture, and beauty of Puerto Vallarta.

This Puerto Vallarta POV is perfect if you enjoy travel videos, walking tours, Mexico 4K videos, beach city vibes, and real street scenes.

? Location: Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

If you enjoy walking tours and travel POV videos from Mexico and Latin America, subscribe for more

#puertovallarta #mexico #jalisco #pov #walkingtour

Can you really live in Puerto Vallarta (Bucerias) Mexico on $1,500 a month?

In this video, I sit down with Pat and Bill — a retired Canadian couple who have been coming to Mexico for over 20 years — to see exactly how they make it work.

From daily expenses and groceries to housing, transportation, and lifestyle choices, they break down what it actually costs to live in Bucerías (just north of Puerto Vallarta) on a fixed income.

They’re not living lavishly… but they’re not struggling either. This is real life — and for many people, it might be more possible than you think.

If you’ve ever thought about retiring in Mexico, living abroad, or stretching your money further, this is a story worth watching.

? Let me know in the comments:
Would you be comfortable living on $1,500/month in Mexico?

? Location: Bucerías, Nayarit (20 minutes from Puerto Vallarta)

? Copyrighted music licensed from Lickd. https://lickd.co
Close To The End 3 by Tom Peters, Lorenzo De Feo, https://t.lickd.co/l/JnGKR826bL8

? Copyrighted music licensed from Lickd. https://lickd.co
Evergreen by Adam Drake, Neil Williams, https://t.lickd.co/l/nzWBaJ376Av

? Copyrighted music licensed from Lickd. https://lickd.co
Silent Embrace 4 (60) by Bruce Maginnis, https://t.lickd.co/l/kG0WmbNblrJ

? About this channel:
I retired in Mexico… then somehow built a business. Now I share real, boots-on-the-ground insights on living, investing, and navigating life in Mexico — the good, the bad, and everything in between.

If you’re thinking about making a move, you’re in the right place.

#Mexico #CostOfLiving #RetireInMexico #PuertoVallarta #Bucerias #ExpatLife #LivingInMexico #retirementplanning

I retired in Mexico… then somehow built an app. Now I talk about the stuff that actually matters: real estate, investing, travel, and the occasional rant from horseback.

If you’re trying to escape the 9–5, grow your money, or just live a little smarter — you’re in the right place.

? INVESTING & REAL ESTATE (Mexico & Beyond)

Buying or Renting in Mexico?
? https://www.maraVillaNayarit.com

Tell Jillian Joel sent you for 10% off weekly stays.

Looking for real estate or land-banking deals?
? https://www.maraVillaNayarit.com/land-banking-investment

Business / Real Estate Inquiries:
? [email protected]

? TRAVEL, LIFESTYLE & THE FUN STUFF

Win 150,000 Turkish Airlines Miles
? https://www.TheAccidentalRetiree.app

Stay in Bucerias (your home base in Mexico)
? https://www.maraVillaNayarit.com

Bike Tours, Rentals & Cycling in Bucerias
? https://www.BiciBucerias.com

? MONEY SAVING HACKS

Best way to move money to Mexico? WISE.
Free transfer here: ? https://bit.ly/Wise_Joel

The Dolar App — get live FX rates + cashback
? https://bit.ly/dolarapp_Joel

? SUBSCRIBE & JOIN THE ADVENTURE

Retirement doesn’t have to be boring.
Sometimes it’s building an app at 56. Sometimes it’s yelling at markets. Sometimes it’s feeding horses…
But it’s never dull.

? Subscribe and come along for the ride.

There’s something about Puerto Vallarta you can’t really explain… you just feel it.
Even during the energy of Semana Santa, when everything is a little louder, a little busier… those real moments still find you.
In this video, I share a few of them — from an unforgettable evening at La Cappella, to cooling off in hidden river waterfalls, to a quiet escape out to Quimixto.
It’s not about checking boxes or doing the “top 10 things”… it’s about the richness of life here. The simple moments, the beauty, the connection.
This is the side of PV that keeps people coming back… and sometimes, never leaving ??

The air in Antigua is thick with the smell of woodsmoke and coffee, but my mind was elsewhere. I was looking up at the horizon, where these massive triangular shadows cut into the sky. Fuego and Acatenango. They just sit there. Watching. You hear people in the hostels talking about the hike in hushed tones, like they’re describing a war they survived or a religious awakening. I didn’t know which one it would be for me. Probably both.

Hiking a volcano sounds cool on Instagram. In reality, it is a brutal, dusty, lung-burning slog that makes you question every life choice you have ever made. Why am I here? Why didn’t I just stay at the beach in El Paredon? But then you see the first puff of smoke from Fuego. It changes things.

The Gritty Reality of the Ascent

We started at the trailhead in La Soledad. It’s a dusty little village. The first hour is the worst because it’s just loose volcanic sand. It is like trying to walk up a giant beanbag. For every two steps you take, you slide back one. My calves were screaming within twenty minutes. I’m not even kidding. If you aren’t prepared for the incline, it hits you like a freight train.

The terrain changes as you go up. You start in these farm fields where locals are growing corn and potatoes on slopes so steep it seems impossible they don’t just tumble down. Then you hit the cloud forest. It’s damp. Weirdly quiet. The trees are covered in moss and these long, stringy epiphytes. It feels ancient. Someone in our group mentioned that this is where the real work begins. To make sure you actually get the most out of this experience without losing your mind, booking a solid acatenango volcano hike tour is basically the only way to go. You need the guides. You need the base camp setup. Otherwise, you’re just a person shivering in the dark on a pile of ash.

I forgot to pack extra socks. Big mistake. My feet were sweating, and then as the altitude climbed, they got cold. It’s a strange sensation. The higher you get, the thinner the air feels. It’s not like you’re gasping, but your heart just beats faster for no reason.

Base Camp and the Fire Show

By the time we reached base camp, I was exhausted. Just done. The camp is perched on a ridge directly facing Volcán de Fuego. Fuego is the angry one. It erupts every 15 to 20 minutes. Sometimes it’s just a little burp of gray ash. Other times, it’s a roar that vibrates in your chest.

The sun started to go down, and that is when the magic happens. Or the terror, depending on how you feel about molten rock. When it’s dark, you can see the red. Actual glowing lava shooting into the air. It looks like Earth is bleeding. It’s loud. Like a jet engine combined with falling glass.

I sat there with a bowl of lukewarm noodles, staring. I didn’t even want to take photos after a while. A camera doesn’t catch the way the ground shakes. It’s funny how small you feel when a mountain is literally exploding a few kilometers away. You realize humans are just ants. We are just lucky to be allowed to watch.

The wind at base camp is relentless. It whistles through the tents. I didn’t sleep much. Maybe an hour? Every time I drifted off, a “boom” would shake the tent poles. I kept thinking about the trek to the summit at 4:00 AM. Who decided that was a good idea?

The Final Push to the Summit

Four in the morning is a dark, cold place. It was freezing. Literally. My water bottle had ice crystals in it. We put on headlamps and started the final ascent. This part is pure scree. It’s just rocks and ash. No trees. No bushes. Just a steep, gray wasteland.

The wind at the top was insane. I had to lean into it just to keep from being blown over. But then the sun started to peek over the horizon. The sky turned these shades of purple and orange I’ve never seen before. You can see the shadows of the volcanoes stretching across the clouds for miles. You can see all the way to the Pacific Ocean if the weather is clear.

We stood there, shivering, teeth chatting, but nobody was complaining anymore. The summit is 3,976 meters. That’s high enough to feel the world is curved.

Lessons Learned the Hard Way

If you go, bring layers. More than you think. I had a down jacket, a fleece, and a windbreaker, and I was still cold at the top. Also, snacks. Not just “healthy” snacks. Bring chocolate. You need the sugar. Your brain starts to get foggy at that height.

The descent is a different kind of pain. It’s fast. You basically “ski” down the ash on your boots. It’s fun for ten minutes, then your knees start to protest. By the time we got back to the bottom, I looked like I’d been rolled in a fireplace. My hair was gray with ash. My lungs felt dry.

Was it worth it? Honestly, in the middle of the climb, I would have said no. I would have paid someone a thousand dollars to fly me out via helicopter. But looking back at the photos, and remembering that sound of the earth cracking open. . . yeah. It’s the most intense thing I’ve ever done. Guatemala is wild. It doesn’t care about your comfort. It just exists, and it lets you visit if you’re tough enough to walk up its sides.

I think people spend too much time looking at screens. We forget that the planet is alive. Acatenango reminds you. It shouts at you. It makes you hurt, but it gives you something you can’t buy. Just make sure you wear good boots. Seriously. Cheap shoes will get shredded by the lava rock and you’ll be walking back in your birthday suit. Or at least barefoot.

Maybe I’ll go back next year. Maybe not. My knees are still mad at me. But every time I hear a loud thunderclap now, I look for the red glow