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Vallarta Basics
Imagine yourself here...walking along the Malecon.
Welcome to Puerto Vallarta! Once you have been bitten by the “Vallarta Bug” you will want to return many more times. There is something about this beautiful city that settles in a person’s soul, so you may as well surrender!
For most first time guests, with the exception of those arriving by cruise ship and not staying long enough to get more than a quick taste of all that the area has to offer, you will arrive at the Puerto Vallarta international airport in the state of Jalisco. Nuevo Vallarta (a new area of resorts, timeshares and condo-style living) is just north of there, in the state of Nayarit. North of Nuevo Vallarta is Bucerias, a sleepy little oceanfront town that is growing rapidly, followed by Sayulita, and more. But those destinations are for another trip, if you can ever convince yourself to travel anywhere but Vallarta again. All your Vallarta destinations for now will be south of the airport, in Jalisco.
When you arrive at the airport, unless you have entered Mexico at Mexico City, Guadalajara, or some other Mexican destination, you will have to go through customs. You will have completed paperwork while still on the plane, notifying the authorities of where you will be staying during your trip, what you are carrying of certain items of interest, etc. Now you are prepared to hand in that paperwork to immigration, and move on to claim your baggage. Once you have recovered your pieces you pass through a funky little arrangement with a “stop light” set-up. You are directed to push a large button (one person to push it for the whole group), which you will do while praying that it flashes the green GO or “PASE” light. If you are unfortunate enough to get a red light, you will be directed to one side, and the inspectors will manually go through your baggage. It is fairly cursory, and it doesn’t happen often that the light flashes red; it’s just a slight delay to the beginning of your vacation.
Either way, once you pass through customs, you take your baggage towards the exit of the airport. Expect to pass by a throng of people calling out to you to help you with a taxi, find you a place to stay, or “help” you in some other way. Many will hold signs for particular resorts and ask if you are staying there. You may assume that they will offer transportation. Guess again. They want to sell you a timeshare! Always assume that is the case, and you will seldom be wrong. Just smile, say “No, gracias” and keep walking.
Go straight to the doors that lead out into the sunshine of Vallarta, and by the doors you will see taxi stands, with people leaning out of them, calling “taxi!” This is where you stop. You prepay for your trip from the airport to wherever you are staying. Be prepared to name the hotel or give a neighborhood location to which you are headed, so they know how much to charge you. You pay the person, who gives you a paper showing your destination and amount paid. You then go out through the doors, enter the sunshine, and hand your paper to a waiting taxi driver. He will load your luggage in the cab, and you are on your way! Taxi drivers basically work for tips in Vallarta, with the rest of the fare going to the company, so allow 15% for the driver, and extra if you have a large number of bags. Know that you will pay more for the taxi ride from the airport to your final destination than you will pay to go from your destination back to the airport when you return home. It is just the airport charges, which are more, and a charge per person, which is also unique to the airport. There is nothing you can do about it; it is just the way it is, so go with it and plan to save money on your return trip!
 Almost everywhere you go in Vallarta, you will find English-speaking persons happy to help you locate places, find your way around, or get to know the attractions. Besides that, you will meet some of the friendliest people in the world, so you can just have some fun conversations. The Mexican nationals are almost all eager to practice their English, so they will see you as a great opportunity to engage in conversation! The pace in Vallarta is relaxed and friendly, so enjoy the prospect of slowing down and being “in the moment.” One thing to be aware of is that the town is teeming with individuals who would like to interest you in purchasing a timeshare in the area. It is a part time job for many people who already have full time jobs. They will ask you where you are staying, how you like it, how long you are staying, etc., etc. They will talk about the resort they are representing, invite you to visit, and offer any number of incentives for you to do so (lower prices on zip line rides, snorkeling, and so on). Sometimes they even offer cash! They will promise you that it will only be a 90 minute tour and you will get a free breakfast or lunch. All of the above is true…except for the 90 minute part! The person who invites you receives a financial incentive just for getting you to show up. Once you are there, the meal does not factor into the 90 minutes, you WILL receive the tour, and you will then be passed from one level of sales person to another with better prices offered, and other “extras” with the hopes of increasing the odds that you will actually purchase a timeshare. If you have a long time to stay in Vallarta and are willing to sacrifice one day to receive a monetary benefit for a tour, go ahead, but just know that you have been forewarned. To every person on the street who asks where we are staying and when we are leaving, we smilingly reply, “We’re leaving tomorrow.” They know that may or not be true, but they also know you are saying you do not have time for a tour, and no one’s feelings get hurt! They will remain friendly, and everyone remains smiling, and you will continue with your day.
Newcomers to Vallarta frequently worry about the water, the food safety, and other important considerations which are very real concerns in many areas of Mexico. Puerto Vallarta’s water safety has been attested to by government agencies for many years, now. You can drink it, cook in it, brush your teeth with it, and shower without concern. Even so, as in the United States, most people still choose to drink bottled water. It is readily and very inexpensively available everywhere in Vallarta. Area restaurants serve agua purificada (purified water) and use ice that is made with it, as well. Vegetables are washed in clean water, so you do not run the risks you do in many cities eating salads or salsa fresca. There are many fine grocery stores in Vallarta that carry as wide a selection of foods as could be found in many large grocery stores to the north. Meat and seafood, as well as produce, are safe to buy and eat. In short, you can shop pretty much the same way you do at home. If you are fortunate enough to be staying in a condo or accommodation with a refrigerator, or at least ice (and hopefully a blender), you can buy alcohol, beer and amazing freshly squeezed orange juice and make drinks where you are staying, at a substantial savings over ordering them out. Still, prices in Vallarta are extremely reasonable and they make some amazing Margaritas! Try a mango one, even if you want it to be “virgin,” as that is an experience you won’t believe.
Money is an important concern, of course. The exchange rate between the peso and either US or Canadian dollars fluctuates (although not as wildly as it did ten years ago), and so if you choose to pay taxi drivers, small businesses, or many restaurants with dollars, they will simply use a 1:10 conversion rate. Thus, 60 pesos becomes $6. With each of these small transactions, you lose a small amount of money. Over the course of your entire visit, this can add up…at least to another dinner on the town! You have two choices when it comes to exchanging your pesos. If you go to a money exchange, you will get served quickly, but you will not get the best exchange rate. For economic reasons, your best bet is to go to a bank, where you will get the best possible exchange rate, even though you will have to wait in line. They often give you a number, and they have chairs for people to sit in while they wait! Nice touch. Puerto Vallarta is largely a cash town. There are many cool little restaurants and, of course, other local merchants, who operate on a cash basis only. Missing out on them would be missing out on a large portion of the Vallarta experience. Credit cards will work at resorts, hotels, many larger restaurants and tour offices or car rental offices. Be advised that credit card thefts are more frequent occurrences in Mexico than in Canada or the US. There appears to be some magical way to take the numbers off the card electronically when running the card and then utilizing them after you are home and not paying attention to make purchases. Of course, your credit card company will cover you against the fraudulent use, but it is still a hassle for you. Do NOT, repeat, DO NOT, use your ATM/Visa. When money is taken out from them (and it has happened), it comes directly from your bank account. With a $500/day limit on the amount than can be withdrawn, in a few days your account can be wiped out without your knowledge. Of course, again, it is insured. But the drama in the meantime, with checks bouncing, etc., is totally not worth the risk. We found this out the hard way. There is some way to capture the numbers from your ATM card (even at a bank ATM) and later make a new card with the same numbers, with a magnetic strip and new passwords, and about a month or two after you return home, the thieves are off and running!
Some of the very best basic information, covering almost every question you could think of, can be found at Vallarta Online. Check it out for all the information you could possibly need. Enjoy your visit, or your final move, to Puerto Vallarta!
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