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Remember:
Nearly everything is cheaper on the south
side of Puerto Vallarta!
At the moment the exchange rate in Puerto Vallarta is now hovering just under 13.00 pesos to one $1 US. Don't expect to get the best rate at 'Casa
de Cambios' and
the
rate
given at the hotels is probably the worst.
With beach vendors and flea
market places they will give you a lot less, as they have to go to the bank
and change them to pesos.
Some banks are now not exchanging dollars to pesos or, if they do, you must show your passport and are restricted to exchange $1,500 a month or $300 per day. Merchants have similar restrictions, so many will not accept dollars for payments over $100.
Your ATM card will work fine here
and there are many machines around town. They will give you your best rate,
depending on what your bank charges for an International withdrawal. By withdrawing
your maximum, usually about US$400 (the machine will show amounts in
pesos and some are restricted to 3,000 pesos) you get the best exchange rate when including your bank charge. The
ATM machines here
add a
charge between 27 pesos to 44 pesos, up to 60 pesos at the OXXO ATMs. Note.
make sure
your PIN is four digits, if it'e five digit, just use the 1st four digits, and tell your bank you'll be using the card in Mexico,
or they may put a 'Hold' on it. ATMs are now even more important with some banks not exchanging US Dollars.
When arriving at the airport, after exiting customs and
the infamous timeshare trap, you will find three ATM machines.
New free standing ATMs by Cashola are more secure than most, there's a telephone number on the machines which will reach an English speaking assistant.
They are marked on this site's maps for your convenience. 
Exchange rate for US Dollars and other currencies - Click
here - Currency Exchange
Many people believe that US dollars are very much sort after here,
this is not necessarily true. Years ago, when the peso was less stable, many locals
would try to hoard dollars and wait for the exchange rate to go up
before cashing them in.
With the new restrictions, this is no longer true, also the dollar has beeen diminishing in value to the peso.
If you do bring US currency, be sure that
none of the bills are defaced in
any
way
- even
a tiny
tear
and
they
will
not
be
accepted.
Foreign
coins can not be used at all, they are worthless.
Inspect your pesos also, torn or mutilated
notes will seldom be accepted. If you do get some torn notes, Banamex
is the only bank that will exchange them.
Other currencies accepted here are Canadian Dollars, Pounds Sterling
and Euros.
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Food |
- Breakfast (Desayunos)
from 24 to 40 pesos (La Esperanza)
to 80 pesos( Las Palomas )
Lunch (Comida)
from 40 pesos (Ofe's Shack)
to 120 pesos(La Bodeguita del Medio)
Dinner (Cena)
from 60 pesos ( La Ronda )
to 200 pesos ( Le Bistro)
These are just examples, see The
Insider for other restaurants with good value and the full restaurant
list here.
And don't forget the Taco Stands, see - Street
Food |
Gaby's Comida Corrida
(Set price, choice of entree, includes soup & fruit
drink) 55 pesos
Located on Hidalgo at Mina. |
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Beer |
At the market and depositos you will pay, for most
brands (National) about 8 pesos +2.5 pesos for the bottle - we recycle
- bring
back an empty bottle and pay just pesos. Some places will charge you
from7.5
to 8 pesos (+ empty bottle) if it's cold from the fridge. At a wholesale
'deposito' a case (20) of Pacifico is 160 pesos + a case of empties,
keep your receipt for the case and return the empty bottles when you
are leaving. At bars you will pay from $1.00 to $5 Depending where you
are. See The
Insider for cheap places.
At the current exchange rates of about 12.5 pesos to the dollar, you can get beer at some of the bars I recommend for about $US 1.00.
Some examples:-
Que Pasa - Aquiles Sedan # 625, just
off the corner of L. Cardenas. Map Web
Site. Beer
15 pesos, 25 peso cocktails at Happy Hour 6pm - 9pm & 11:30 pm to closing.
Bar Oceana - On the Malecón at Corona, Map. Web Site. 10am-9pm every day Beers US$1.00, but between 3pm-5pm they are 2x1 - 2 beers for one US Dollar !.
El Barrill - Guerrero #225, Upstairs
on the corner of Juarez. Low prices and a nice feeling.
Few, if any, tourists. Mon-Fri. 1pm - 2am. Happy Hour
2-4pm.
Mandela - on the Malecón.
- Beer 50 pesos Or 2 for 90 pesos at 'Happy Hour' |
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Cocktails |
A big difference in prices, depending
on where you are. The same cocktail in one of the bars on the Malecón
that costs you 4-5 dollars, can be half that price at a bar on the south
side
- Que?Pasa for example - stronger too.
Happy Hours abound, but some places don't have a unhappy hour - even at
2 for 1 the cost is high, again the south side is the place to be. Harry's
Bar has a 2-10pm Happy Hour, 2 for 1 cocktails & 17 peso beers, on Thursdays from 10pm, Ladies pay just 30 pesos and drink all night, Guys pay a 50 peso cover, includes one beer. |
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Tipping |
The local custom is to not tip taxi drivers, unless they go out of their way with service, just driving from A to B is what the fare is. Unfortunately many foreign visitors import their culture when visiting. This has created a problem with the locals here when they really need a taxi, like going to a hospital or important appointment. The taxis, too many for the town, so very competitive, will not stop for a local, because a tourist may be around the corner and they know they will tip.
Please do tip your wait staff at bars and restaurants, they only make an average of 100 pesos for an 8 hour shift!
Unbelievable I've seen tourist not leave a tip at all ! Shame on you! |
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Other Drinks |
Puerto Vallarta is in the state of Jalisco which happens
to be the birthplace of Tequila. Once a drink looked down upon by middle
class Mexicans (drinkers in the USA consume far more than in Mexico),
it has now gained in popularity. In part due to the production of a much
higher quality product, there is now on the market a Tequila in a crystal
bottle for $1,000.00 US. A very successful marketing campaign, but without
the necessary forethought to increase the planting of Agave, caused a
shortage of the raw material and prices have gone up and up. Now, of
course, everyone is growing this valuable plant and in about 8-10 years,
when all the plants become mature, there will be a glut on the market
and prices will take a dive.
We have in Puerto Vallarta now a combination bar/coffee bar/store
that specializes in these high quality Tequilas and they offer you
a FREE taste from a selection of about 30 different brands. Their selection
for sale is even greater and ranges in price from $5.00 to $500.00
a bottle. Also available are a large collection of very nice books
on all aspects of the Mexican culture. Casa de Tequila on Morelos.
There is one other unique beverage associated with the area around
Vallarta, this is 'Raicilla' a local moonshine made from a relative
to the Agave Azul from which Tequila is made. This is the Agave Lechuguilla
which only grows in our area of Jalisco. Raicilla is now available
legally for the first time, unfortunately at a reduced alcohol level,
about 40%, the illegal (untaxed) version is usually way up above 80%.
Warning!, this drink has been compared to a cross between a local anesthetic
and rocket fuel. See Raicilla. |
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Cigars |
You will find many stores selling 'Cuban' cigars, but beware they
may not be what they seem. Many are seconds or rejects smuggled out of
Havana or made somewhere else in Central America and dressed up with
a Cuban label. Below is an explanation by my friend Alejandro, 'el patron'
of La Bodeguita del Medio - an authentic branch of the famous watering
hole of 'Papa' Hemingway in Havana.
La Bodeguita del Medio serves excellent Cuban food and drinks - try the
Mojitos (Papa's favorite drink), live Cuban music and also has a cigar
shop with the genuine article.
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Yours truly and Alejandro at
La B del M in Puerto Vallarta.
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"In Puerto Vallarta you will find a lot of places that sell Cuban
cigars, the question is "are they real habanos?" The thing
is that you can not know until you smoke it. Cuban cigars are expensive
all over the world, but in Vallarta you will find for example a different
price in every store for the same cigar, one COHIBA ESPLENDIDO can
go from 70 pesos to 190 pesos depending where you buy it. In Cuba
for a box of 25 cohiba esplendido you pay no less than 200 dollars
that means 8 dollars for each one, then to get them into Mexico we
have to pay taxes, no less than 2 dollars per cigar, and adding the
cost for the trip for every cigar, the cost of each one to the store
will have to be no less that 11 dollars, if you add the profit that
the store has to make to pay the rent and employees, the right price
to me will be 190 pesos ( 19 dollars). Obviously the ones being sold
at 70 pesos can not be real habanos. The point is that if you like HABANOS look
for quality don't go for the cheap price." Alejandro de la Peña.
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Tours |
How about Free?
The Navel Museum (open 9am - 7:30pm Tue - Friday:
Weekends 10am - 5:30pm but closed from 2pm-3pm) right next to the
amphitheater
at Los Arcos, see
MAP, has
a wonderful collection of artifacts and models depicting the history
of Mexico's discovery, occupation by the Spanish and also other Spanish
holdings in the world. Air conditioned and free.
On the 2nd floor they have an art gallery and a coffee shop, serving
breakfast, ex.- eggs & bacon - 25 pesos. Extremely clean and ship
shape. There're two balconies you can sit at.
Just walking around town is entertaining, you never know what you'll
see. I'm talking non tourist areas, such as Gringo Gulch, except the
Taylor/Burton bridge, generally the area behind the church and it's
up a steep hill, so you'll need to be fit for this. Another reason
it's not a tourist area. 
The south side of town is flatter and the further you are away from
the beach the less touristy the area will be. A 6.5 peso investment (almost
free) can put you on the Paso Ancho bus, number 04, and this will take
you to a small, dirt street, colonia, see MAP.
I recommend drinks and food at El Rio BBQ, especially Sunday afternoons,
when the Mariachis play (in high season). You can also rent horses there.
For a Few Dollars More.
Take the bus to El Tuito, corner of Aguacate and Carranza on the south
side MAP, for 20 pesos.
After looking at the town, check out the several new restaurants around the plaza. You'll be at
about 1.000' elevation in the cool with lots of pine trees but still
the occasional palm tree.
For a Real Adventure,
Catch any bus and ride it to the end of the line and back, cheap thrills
for 13 pesos return.
Get Great Discounts.
By booking your tours on-line through this site, up to 15% off - TOURS
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Rentals |
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Car
Compact $60 , Jeep $65 per day, cheaper by the week, $325 - $380. Gecko Rent A Car is the only rental place I can recommend. Although based in Bucerias, they provide free transport from the airport. telephone from the US/CAN 011-52-329-298-0339
If you're offered a Jeep for $10 - beware - it's those dreaded timeshare
people again.
But finding a parking space downtown, in the season,
can be a problem, you might consider the price of a taxi all day at
about 150 Pesos ($15) per hr.(min.2 hrs.), or make a deal for half
/full day, with no extra payments for Insurance, Gasoline or parking
problems.
Scooter/ATV
Real fun way to see the town. At Estigo Scooters you can rent Scooters
- US$13 an hour. US$69 per day or even weekly. Or an ATV, a great way to get around on our cobbled streets, for US$32
an hour and US$89 per day.
Av.Francisco Villa 384-A, 2 blocks east of the Mega Store,
Tel 322-223-8143 Cell 044-322-100-9464 or Vonage US number 213-353-9665.
Mountain Bike
$25 per day (front suspension) $35 per day (full suspension) or $5 & $7
per hr, includes all the equipment you need - helmet, gloves, water
bottle etc.
Jet ski
Jet skis only last about one year and are therefore expensive to rent,
I've only seen the sit down type here, about $35 for 30 min.
Boats
Half day or full day from $85 to $400, with a captain - required by
law. No bare-boat charters. For more information, feel free to e-mail
me.
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