Cold 12 Peso Beers at Happy Hour 6-8pm Mon - Sat.

Food - Beer - Tequila - Cigars - Tours - Car/Scooter Rental - Transport

Tipping

Remember:
Nearly everything is cheaper on the south side of Puerto Vallarta!

At the moment the exchange rate in Puerto Vallarta is now hovering around 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 may give you a lot less, as they have to go to the bank and change them to pesos.
Most banks are now not exchanging dollars to pesos and 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 usually around 23 pesos. Note. make sure your PIN is 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 most 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.

 

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.

Beer

Que Pasa - Aquiles Sedan # 625, just off the corner of L. Cardenas. Map Web Site. Beer 12 pesos, 20 peso cocktails at Happy Hour 6pm - 8pm & 11:30 pm to closing.

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'

Cocktails

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!

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.

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.

Yours truly and Alejandro at
La B del M in Puerto Vallarta.

"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.

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 La Huerta, 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

Rentals

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.