Shaded Hot Spring, Massage and Mex Grill in Puerto Vallarta

The best part of this day is the change of pace. You leave Puerto Vallarta’s hotel zone behind, pass farms and small towns, soak in Nuevo Ixtlan’s warm mineral pools, and return to the coast for a beach massage. It feels like several trips packed into one.

I especially like the market stop, where you help choose produce for lunch, and the care taken by guides Antonio and Jose. Fresh fruit, guacamole, handmade tortillas, grilled meat, and lemonade make the hot springs feel like a hosted Mexican meal, not just a quick restaurant stop.

The tradeoff is the drive. The road to the springs is long, winding, and bumpy in places, so this is not the right pick if you want a short outing or dislike van time. Also check the expected group size before booking, since the experience is described as small-group with up to 10 people, while the booking details allow as many as 12.

Key points to know before you book

• Mountain hot springs: Spend roughly two to three hours in several warm pools at Nuevo Ixtlan, with changing rooms and bathrooms available.
• Market-to-grill lunch: Choose fruit and vegetables in a local market, then enjoy grilled chicken, beef, vegetables, guacamole, and fresh tortillas.
• Country roads and local life: The ride passes agricultural areas, ranch land, and small Mexican towns away from Puerto Vallarta’s main tourist strip.
• Beach massage finish: End the day in Bucerias with a one-hour massage beside the ocean.
• Personal guide service: Antonio or Jose may adjust the pace, such as allowing more time at the springs or making a different market stop.
• Full-day commitment: The tour begins at 8:00 a.m., lasts about eight hours, and costs $165 per person.

From Puerto Vallarta to the farming country

This experience begins at 8:00 a.m. at Sam’s Club on Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio 2880. The listed meeting point is easy to locate, and some arrangements include pickup or drop-off at your accommodation, so confirm the exact plan when you book.

The early start matters. Nuevo Ixtlan is well beyond the city, and reaching the springs is part of the experience. You ride through rural areas where farms, crops, ranches, and small towns replace Puerto Vallarta’s condos and beach resorts.

Antonio is often the guide and driver, while Jose Antonio Garcia Rivas is the named provider. The strongest part of their role is the running commentary during the drive. You can expect stories about Mexican history, local agriculture, plants, animals, and the area’s development.

This is not a silent transfer. The ride gives you a look at daily life outside the resort zone. At the same time, you should be realistic about the distance. The trip to the hot springs takes about two hours according to the detailed accounts, and the return drive also takes time. Roads near the springs are unpaved and rough, although careful driving helps.

Bring patience, and consider motion-sickness medicine if winding roads bother you. The van is described as comfortable and well kept, but the ride remains a long one. I see the drive as part of the price of reaching a rural spring site, not as dead time, but your expectations will shape your enjoyment.

Choosing lunch in San Juan de Abajo

One of the most appealing stops comes before the springs. In or near San Juan de Abajo, you stop at a local market to select fruit and vegetables for the meal later in the day.

This small detail changes the feel of the outing. Instead of being handed a fixed plate at a tourist restaurant, you take part in choosing ingredients. The produce becomes fresh fruit served during your soak, vegetables for the grill, and ingredients for guacamole and other side dishes.

The market visit also gives you a practical glimpse of Mexican food shopping. You might see the kind of produce used in ordinary local kitchens, rather than only the dishes prepared for resort visitors. Antonio handles the cooking, so you do not need culinary skill. Your job is simply to help choose what sounds good.

The timing is smart. Shopping early gives the guide time to prepare lunch while you relax at the pools. It also makes the meal feel connected to the countryside you have just passed through.

Fresh tortillas straight from the press

The market stop may include a visit to a tortilla-making workshop or factory. Here, you can watch tortillas being made and try one while it is still hot.

This is a quick stop, but it is one of the day’s most memorable food moments. Fresh tortillas have a warm, soft texture that packaged tortillas cannot match. They also become part of the later meal, along with chips for the guacamole.

The tortilla stop adds context to lunch. You are not just eating Mexican food in Mexico. You see one of the basic foods being prepared and then taste it at its best. If food is a major reason you travel, this part gives the outing more substance than a standard spa excursion.

Soaking at Nuevo Ixtlan

Nuevo Ixtlan is the main event. The springs sit in a mountain setting with clean air, greenery, and a quieter feel than the coast. The pools are described as comfortable rather than scalding, and several pools offer different temperatures.

That range lets you move around until you find the water that suits you. You can sit and talk, enjoy the rural setting, or simply let the heat loosen tired muscles after the drive.

You get about two to three hours here, depending on the group and the day’s timing. That is enough for a proper soak rather than a rushed photo stop. The site has changing rooms and bathrooms, and there is a small convenience shop where you may be able to buy drinks.

Some outings also include an optional mud facial for about $4. It is not part of the listed $165 price, so carry extra cash if that sounds appealing. The mud treatment is a small add-on, but it fits the relaxed spa theme.

Antonio brings food to the pools, often beginning with fresh fruit selected at the market. Guacamole and chips, lemonade or limeade, and sometimes other snacks follow. Several people singled out the timing and generosity of these servings. You can snack while soaking instead of waiting until lunch to eat.

The springs are not a polished luxury resort, and that is part of their appeal. You are visiting a rural site connected to local families and communities. Expect a natural, relaxed setting rather than a hotel spa with a long menu of treatments.

A wood-and-coal Mexican grill

After you settle into the pools, the guide prepares lunch. The meal commonly includes marinated chicken and beef, grilled over wood and charcoal, along with vegetables chosen at the market.

The food can include pineapple, corn, potatoes, broccoli, peppers, cactus salad, fresh tortillas, guacamole, and other seasonal produce. The exact spread may change, since it depends on what the group selects and what is available locally.

I like this arrangement because it gives the meal a sense of place. The guide is not simply passing out boxed lunches. Antonio cooks, plates, and serves the food, often with more than enough for the group. The grill adds smoky flavor, while the fresh tortillas and guacamole keep the meal simple and unmistakably Mexican.

Vegetarians should ask about choices before booking or early in the day. The supplied details show a strong meat selection, but they also describe plenty of grilled vegetables and cactus salad. If you have allergies or strict dietary needs, communicate those in advance rather than assuming the market can cover every requirement.

You may want to bring water and perhaps a beer or other drink. The small shop at the springs can sell some beverages, but the available details do not promise a full selection. Since this is an all-day outing, a little personal planning helps.

Bucerias and the one-hour beach massage

The day ends with a change from mountain air to ocean air. On the return to Puerto Vallarta, you stop in Bucerias for a one-hour massage with a beach view.

This is more than a quick foot rub. The experience is described as a full-body massage, and it gives you a quiet hour beside the sound of the waves. After several hours on the road and in the springs, the massage works as a second relaxation session.

The order makes sense. You first spend the day outside the city, eat a substantial lunch, and then finish with a treatment before returning to the meeting point. Some accounts describe small extras after the massage, such as chocolates, electrolytes, or a wine cooler. Treat those as thoughtful touches that may vary, not as guaranteed inclusions.

Bucerias also gives the day a different setting from Puerto Vallarta. You are not simply returning along the same route and ending at the van. The beach stop breaks up the ride home and provides a calm final hour.

Is $165 a fair price?

At $165 per person, this is not a budget transport trip. It is a long, hosted day that combines transportation, guide service, market shopping, tortilla tasting, hot springs admission, snacks, a cooked lunch, and a one-hour massage.

The value is strongest if you would otherwise pay separately for a mountain excursion, a meal, and a massage. You also receive personal attention from a guide who drives, explains the region, shops for ingredients, and cooks. That is a lot of work packed into one outing.

The value is weaker if you mainly want access to hot water. You spend several hours getting to and from Nuevo Ixtlan, and the road can be rough. A shorter hotel spa treatment would be easier, though it would not give you the market, countryside, grill, or rural springs.

Group size is worth clarifying. The experience is promoted as intimate, with a maximum of 10 in the main description, while the additional booking information says up to 12. One account describes a much larger van group, which did not match the smaller-group expectation. Ask for the likely number of people and vehicle arrangement if personal space is important to you.

Who will enjoy this day most?

I would choose this excursion if you want to see more of the Puerto Vallarta region than the beach and hotel zone. It suits couples, friends, and families who enjoy food, scenery, warm pools, and a full schedule.

It is especially good for:

• People who want a rural Mexican experience rather than a standard resort activity
• Anyone who enjoys eating fresh food and seeing how tortillas are made
• Couples looking for a relaxed day with a massage at the end
• Visitors willing to trade a long drive for a less urban setting
• Small groups that appreciate a flexible guide

I would think twice if you have difficulty walking or moving around easily. The activity states that a moderate level of physical fitness is needed and is not recommended for people who have trouble walking or getting around. You should also reconsider if bumpy roads, long van rides, or an early start will spoil the day for you.

The tour requires good weather. If poor weather cancels it, you are offered another date or a full refund. For other cancellations, you need to cancel at least 24 hours before the 8:00 a.m. start for a full refund.

What to bring and how to plan

Wear a swimsuit under easy-to-change clothing. You will want a towel, sunscreen, water, and a change of dry clothes, although the provided information does not confirm that towels are supplied.

Bring some cash for optional purchases such as the mud facial, drinks at the springs, or personal market items. Keep your packing light, since you will move between a van, pools, a meal area, and the beach massage.

Tell the guide about food allergies, mobility concerns, and massage preferences at the start. If you want extra time in the pools, ask early. The small-group format may allow some adjustment, but the full route still has fixed driving and massage times.

At the meeting point, arrive ready for an all-day outing. The activity ends back at the starting point, although some arrangements may include accommodation drop-off. Confirm this detail directly before the morning of your tour.

Should you book the Nuevo Ixtlan day trip?

Book it if you want a day that mixes mountain springs, local food, and a beach massage rather than a single attraction. The best moments come from the combination: choosing produce at a local market, tasting a hot tortilla, soaking in warm pools, eating a wood-grilled lunch, and hearing the ocean during the final massage.

Skip it if you want to avoid long drives or prefer a tightly controlled luxury spa. The road is part of the adventure, but it can be tiring. For the right person, $165 is a strong value because the guide, transport, food, hot springs, and massage all fit into one carefully planned day.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The listed departure point is Sam’s Club at Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio 2880 in Puerto Vallarta. The start time is 8:00 a.m.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately eight hours and ends back at the meeting point.

What is included in the food experience?

You stop to choose local fruit and vegetables, visit a tortilla-making facility, and receive snacks such as fresh fruit, guacamole, chips, and lemonade or limeade. Lunch includes grilled food and vegetables, with chicken, beef, fresh tortillas, and other items depending on the group’s selections.

How long do you stay at the hot springs?

The detailed accounts describe roughly two to three hours at Nuevo Ixtlan, allowing time to use the pools and enjoy the food.

Is the massage included?

Yes. The itinerary includes a one-hour massage in Bucerias with a beach or ocean view.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start are not refunded. Poor weather cancellations offer a different date or a full refund.