10 reasons my hometown of Valle de Bravo, Mexico is one of the most beautiful of unknown places.

1. The Food

As all foodies from Berkeley can attest to, there are some pretty killer places to eat at. From pizza to sushi, Berkeley has a pretty great variety. But these different places just can’t touch Valle de Bravo’s food. There are literally alleyways lined up with different taco stands in the marketplace (and I’m talking real tacos, none of that Taco Bell stuff). But Valle doesn’t just have tacos-- There are tostada stands, quesadilla stands (again. Real quesadillas), sope stands, and places with corn on the cob (elote) smothered with mayonnaise, chili powder, and cheese. We also have authentic Mexican desserts that I literally dream about: churros filled with chocolate, caramel and dulce de leche, pastel de tres leches, cakes, and ice creams. A real foodie paradise.

2. The Scenery

The scenery around Valle is literally breathtaking. The town itself is surrounded on all sides by tall pine trees in a way that makes you feel like the rest of the world just doesn’t exist. Consequently, the mountains are one of the most beautiful places to take in the surrounding scenery. There are also waterfalls like “The Vela de Novia” that cascade down parts of the mountainside and make you wish you could stay forever.

3. Paragliding

One of the raddest ways to soak up the beautiful scenery Valle has to offer is to paraglide. Basically, you can pay a company or some townies that take people for a living, and drive up the side of the mountain to a place called “El Torre”. Here, they strap you in and attached to an instructor, have you run off a steep slope until the wind catches your parachute and you're carried into the air. Not for the faint-hearted but definitely the best way to catch that view from the sky. I did it last time I went and seriously, it was incredible.

4. Motorcycling

My memories of Valle just wouldn’t be the same without the motorcycle adventures. From actual motocross motorcycles to the more commonly used ATV’s, Valle is a place where it’s quicker (and more fun) to ride an ATV or motorcycle than it is to drive.

5. The Community

The community in Valle makes you never want to leave. Picture a place where basically everyone knows you and greets you in the Town Square, shopping in the market, or just walking down the cobblestone streets. Everyone here is warm and friendly, and the way of life is slow and peaceful.

6. The Architecture

The architecture in Valle is definitely worth mentioning. The Town Square is home to Valle’s center Church, a tall and beautifully made “Iglesia” where all the locals in this predominately Catholic town, go every Sunday to mass. It is surrounded on all sides by smaller house-like buildings of white walls with a maroon stripe that goes all throughout the town. Away from the main part of town, there are houses individually constructed around the perimeter of the lake. This is the part of Valle that exhibits the most extravagance. The wealthy from major cities come to Valle as a vacation town. Locals call them “the weekenders”. Some of the wealthier, therefore, have constructed their own homes along the lake with everything from private docks, boats, Sea Doos, and water slides.

7. The Lake

You can’t talk about Valle without mentioning the lake. As mentioned in #6, some of the wealthier people, who have discovered Valle as a treasure of Mexico, have constructed their vacation homes on the lake. But there’s far more to the lake than just the homes. The lake caters to all the water sports one could hope for: water skiing, boating, sailing, and wakeboarding, to name a few. If you're hoping to stay dry, there are also a myriad of lakeside restaurants and even a bar at the center of the lake, only accessible by boat.

8. Adventure

I think I have made it pretty clear that Valle is definitely a place for adventure for those who seek it. This small town is home to paragliding, motorcycle riding, and lake adventures but there are more ways to enjoy the town. Valle is unique in that it has local family run businesses that take groups on bike tours of the town. One of my uncles does this and started his business, “ Con Tato Ruedas,” first as a bike shop and then later to include mountain bike tours of the area (immensely popular among those who visit this town).

9. Butterflies

The people of Valle contribute a lot to its magic as a town. But, it is also home to a particular natural wonder because once a year, it is the spot where monarch butterflies from as far as Canada come seeking warming climates to the wondrous mountains of Valle. The sight is indescribable. Thousands and thousands of butterflies migrate to the pines in the mountains; literally butterflies everywhere. So many in fact, that there are places you are not allowed to enter just because you taking a step would kill a handful. They fly everywhere and are on every surface for the warm months. Going to these parts of the mountains means seeing them everywhere, having them land on you, and seeing the trunks of huge pine trees covered in these beautiful creatures. It is an incredible sight.

10. Carpentry

Mexico is a pretty incredible place, as anyone who has been to these special places or is lucky enough to be from there like me, can attest to. I have to end the list of amazing things about Valle with a note on the carpenters, mainly because my grandfather, Constancio Valencia, was one hell of a carpenter himself. He made his sons, my uncles, his apprentices and they are part of an incredible guild of carpenters who live in Valle and sell their beautiful, handcrafted, wooden masterpieces of furniture.

So if you’re ever in the mood to explore one of Mexico’s hidden treasures, my hometown will not leave you disappointed.