Plan on spending the afternoon or even a whole day enjoying the spectacular view while sipping a margarita and dining, the tranquil roar of a cascading waterfall in the background. Afterwards, stroll along the paths, sun on the beaches and giant boulders, swim in the natural pools or explore the canopy by zip line.

Chico’s Paradise Restaurant is an immense, sprawling, multileveled open air palapa that can accommodate large parties, but because of its layout, proximity to the river and jungle setting has a feeling of privacy and solitude. The menu features seafood and traditional Mexican dishes at moderate prices and a multitude of delicious drinks are offered.

The scenery is simply spectacular, monstrous boulders that have the appearance of beached whales, surrounded by meandering channels converging into a waterfall that form wading pools and swimming holes down river. Brightly colored birds sing over head as they flit among the trees and zip line enthusiasts speed long the jungle canopy. It’s a tropical wonderland.

A diving show is performed periodically throughout the day, where a brave soul catapults himself off the top of a large rock landing in a small pool between dangerous boulders at the base of the falls.

Staff are very friendly and ample parking is provided. Souvenirs can be purchased at the gift shop. Guided tours are available to explore the river and horseback rides are offered nearby.

To get to Chico’s Paradise drive approximately 30 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta on Mex Hwy 200. Buses make frequent daily trips and it is close enough that taxi rides are a reasonable option, too.

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