VALLARTA TIPS

The town of Puerto Vallarta 350.000 hab. perches at the most tranquil recess of one of the Pacific Ocean’s largest, deepest bay, the Bay of Banderas. The bay’s many blessings, golden beaches, sparkling sunshine, blue waters, and the sea food that they nature-are magnets for a million seasonal visitors.

Visitors find that Puerto Vallarta is really two cities in one-a new town strong along the hotel strip on its northern beaches as well in Nuevo Vallarta, and an old town nestled beneath jungle hills on both sides of a small river, the Rio Cuale. Travelers arriving from the north, whether by plane, bus, or car, see the new Puerto Vallarta first-a parade of luxury hotels, condominiums, apartments, and shopping centers.

Taxis and Buses …and Restaurants

First rule of thumb: Always ask the taxi driver how much your trip will cost. If you are staying in a hotel, ask the concierge or bellboy how much it should cost to get wherever you’re going. Most hotels have the prices posted somewhere in their lobby. Also, make sure you have exact change because sometimes, the drivers claim they don’t have any.. Another added precaution, in case you forget something in the cab or something goes wrong, is to jot down the cab number – it’s clearly marked on the door. When you want to get to the “center” (the main square), taxis and combis may want to let you off at the beginning of the sea walk, the Malecon, near Hidalgo Park. Your fare covers the entire area, so why walk 10 or 15 blocks if you paid for the whole trip? Insist on the full value of your fare.

DO NOT accept restaurant recommendations from cab drivers. More often than not, if they get paid commissions by restaurants, you may end up in a less-than-wonderful place. Insist on being driven to where you really want to go. And if they tell you that that place is “closed”, get another taxi. Decide what restaurant you want to go to based on the recommendations of other tourists or reviews that may appeal to you, or ask the concierge at your hotel.

Buses are the cheapest way to get around Puerto Vallarta and the Bay of Banderas. Depending on the time of day, they can get very crowded, but they are also very exciting at times.. You might even get entertained with a few songs during your ride. The routes are painted on the front windshield. Those that say “centro” go downtown and to the South Side. Those marked “tunel” bypass the downtown core, along the Libramiento. Current cost for a bus ride: $6.00 pesos, and there are no “transfers”. If you have to take another bus – to go to the South Shore area (towards Mismaloya) or to the North Shore (Nuevo Vallarta), you’ll have to buy another ticket.

The Bus Routes

Marina Vallarta
The yacht club and all the hotel’s in the Marina area like Marriot, are covered by only one bus route; and it comes around every 20 minutes approximately, in order to identify the correct bus you have to read the front upper part, and look for “Marina Vallarta“, the fare is $6.00 pesos. Their initial point of start is at Pino Suarez in downtown and they cover the route in 35 minutes one way.

Nuevo Vallarta
Departs from the Medina bus station located at Brasil street No.1410 between Guatemala and Brasilia just before the stadium sports park in the downtown area. Every 20 minutes takes down the Brasilia street and then Francisco Medina Ascencio, main avenue along at determined bus stops. The ride cost $20.00 pesos to Nuevo Vallarta and takes 40 minutes approximately.

Punta Mita
Punta de Mita, Bucerias, Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Valle. All this towns in the Nayarit state are covered by the Medina buses, with the same route as “Nuevo Vallarta“, you can go to the bus station in Brasil street to go back to all this destinations.

Mismaloya & Boca
This bus is a south side route that covers all the hotel’s located south of downtown, like Conchas Chinas, Camino Real, La Joya de Mismaloya and the town Boca de Tomatlan. The route start at Constitucion and Basilio Badillo corner, taking the highway 200 south. Takes about 55 minutes ride to Boca, de Tomatlan. Cost is $6.00 pesos and this route starts at 6:30 A.M. until 10:00 P.M.

Pitillal
There are two ways to get to Pitillal town. The old route goes along the Fco. Villa Boulevard and usually these buses are green, if you’re looking for areas like Gaviotas or The public Library, this is the route to take. The newer way is trough the Blvd. Fco. Medina Ascencio, where all the major hotels are located and turns right at the corner in front of the Terminal Maritima, these buses are blue and white. The ride cost $6.00 pesos.

Hotel Zone
Many of the routes goes along these important zone, specially when they are coming back to the starting point in downtown, just make sure it say “CENTRO”, which means it goes straight to the Malecon and leaving you at the Old Town. The cost is $6.00 pesos.

Drinking Water

Puerto Vallarta is one of very few cities in Mexico where the water is guaranteed pure and most hotels have their own water purification systems. Good restaurants only used locally purified bottled water. However, if you want to be double sure, you can find commercially bottled, purified water in every corner store.

Money Exchange

You can exchange your money at a bank, in an exchange booth or “Casa de Cambio”, or at your hotel. Banks will give you the best exchange rate and hotels will give you the worst. If you have a bankcard, your best option is to use it as the exchange rate charged by your own bank back home is the best of all. Just make sure that the ATM you use is affiliated to the same system as your own bank.

Calling Home

If you’re staying at a hotel and you want to save money, try to make as few long-distance calls as possible. Some establishments will charge you up to U.S.$10. just for the connection, without mentioning the cost of the call itself. Try to use the Internet at one of the many cafés around town to stay in touch with your dear ones. If you absolutely must call long-distance, you might consider using your credit card in one of the Telmex booths.

Shopping

Shopping in Puerto Vallarta goes far beyond buying souvenir T-shirt and vacation keepsakes. In fact, shopping could be Vallarta’s biggest attraction and with most shopkeepers speaking English, prices in pesos and attractive exchange rates, it’s easy and rewarding to explore your options…

Emergency Telephone Numbers

Quick Facts

Puerto Vallarta Location:
Pacific coast of Mexico along Banderas Bay, Mexico’s largest natural bay, in the northwest corner of the state of Jalisco.

Puerto Vallarta Climate:
November to April: Average high 85F/low 63F
May to October: Average high 92F/low 70F
Rainy Season: Mid-June through September, mainly afternoon and evening showers.

Puerto Vallarta Airport:
Airportt Gustavo Diaz Ordaz located four miles from downtown, has over 550 weekly flights, ground transportation available.

Currency:
Pesos, money exchange houses located in the airport, on nearly every street corner and at banks throughout the city. Exchange hours in banks are from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Credit cards and traveler checks are widely accepted.

Electricity:
110 volt 60-current, same as the U.S.A., no adapters needed.

Population:
450,000 of which 7,500 are expatriates. 3 million visitors annually.

Accommodations:
More than 20,000 rooms available from bed & breakfast, to five-star, Gran tourism and Boutique hotels, also private homes, villas, and condominiums.

Economy:
Mainly tourist related. Agriculture, tobacco, cattle ranching and tequila production are also important financial resources.

Local Time:
Puerto Vallarta is in the Central Time Zone (the same as Texas), which is two hours ahead of California and one hour behind New York.

Restaurants:
There are more than 250 in town!

Beaches:
Vallarta has been named the best beach in Latin America by Travel and Leisure Magazine Readers Survey, all 25 miles of it.

The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe:
It took 33 years to build from 1918 to 1955; the trade mark crown was damaged in the 1995 earthquake and has now being repaired.

Nayarit:
Jalisco’s neighboring state, just eight miles north of town is in another time zone, one hour earlier.

Puerto Vallarta Real Estate:
The Puerto Vallarta area and surrounding region has a very active real estate market.

Taxis:
With more than 1,200 taxis in town, there is no problem hailing one. Taxi fares are set in PV; the average fare is around $60 pesos or USD $5.5 A trip across town-from the Marina to Los Muertos Beach-will run about $80.00 pesos or USD $7.5 Fares are posted in each taxi, the daily newspaper and most major hotels. Asking about the fare before you get in may save you a few pesos.

Tequila:
Only tequila that is made in Tequila, Jalisco can bear the name of “tequila.”Try the brand “ Don Julio Reposado” is one of the best.

Mariachi:
Jalisco is the home of this traditional Mexican music. Don’t miss to hear some Mariachi music.

Wildlife:
Humpback whales winter in the Bay every year. Dolphins, giant mantas, sea turtles, and over 100 species of birds also live here. Sailfish, marlin, tuna and dorado sport fishing activity is great during most part of the year!

Casa Kimberly:
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s love nest was built in 1963 for $5,000 USD and sold years later for $450,000. Located in Zaragoza street in downtown.

History:
1500s – Spanish conquistadors explored the coast.
1851 – Area around Rio Cuale first settled by farmers, fishermen miners and mango and banana plantation owners.
1918 – Puerto Vallarta officially named for then governor Ignacio L. Vallarta.
1963 – Puerto Vallarta goes Hollywood with the filming of “Night of the Iguana.” The scandal of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor’s romance makes national headlines and makes Puerto Vallarta a star.