Travel Tips and Information:
Puerto Vallarta - Visitor Tips

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

Climate and Temperature
Vallarta enjoys one of the most reliably temperate Winters in the
world. There is virtually no rain from November to June. During
these months, daytime temperatures hover between 80-85 degrees, and
dip down at night to between 70-75 degrees. The sky is bright and
sunny every day, and the breezes are gentle. During the Summer
months, the temperatures rise to between 85-90 during the day, and
80-85 during the night. Generally, the rainy season begins about
mid-June and carries through to about October 15th. The hottest and
most humid months are August, September and October.

What to Wear
P.V. is a very casual place. T-shirts and shorts are the normal
attire. You just don't see anyone wearing a business suit or formal
gowns. Long pants and a casual shirt are generally worn by men at
the more up-scale restaurants and clubs at night; women wear
informal dresses and skirts. Generally speaking though, Vallarta is
very casual.

Water in Puerto Vallarta
The water and ice in local restaurants and bars is purified, bottled
water. P.V. is one of the few cities in Mexico that has a water
purification system (Seapal) and the water is tested regularly and
has been deemed safe for human consumption. But, because your body
is used to the water you drink at home, different water can
introduce new bacteria that don't agree with you. To be on the safe
side, it is probably better to buy bottled water for your personal
use. It is available in almost every corner store or in the
supermarkets. If you are cooking or preparing raw vegetables for
salads, etc., you can buy "Microdyn" or other such products that
purify the water you soak the vegetables in. It is available at
local supermarkets and stores as well. Click here for more info on

the common travel risks from food and water.

Getting Help
Vallarta has a tourism office that offers English language
assistance to tourists, along with free copies of the local
newspaper and various promotional material about things to do in
Vallarta. It is located in the Zocolo (Town Square) - at the back of
the Municipal Building.

There is a special tourist police force in Vallarta. If you need
help with directions, or have a question, ask a policeman or woman.
They wear white uniforms and white or grey caps, and are always
eager to help.

If you require medical assistance, the following hospitals offer
some degree of bilingual service, and they accept most medical
insurance programs for emergency services.

Servicio Medico De La Bahia: 222-2627 and 223-1600
San Javier Hospital : 223-1919
AmeriMed American Hospital: 221-0023 or 221-0024
CMQ Hospital 223-0878, 222-3572 or 222-4395
Canadians and Americans in Vallarta, who encounter a problem, such
as losing their travel documents, can contact their consulate in PV.

The American Consulate
Kelly Trainor
Zaragoza 160, second floor
Tel. 222-0069, Fax 223-0074

The Canadian Consulate
Lyne Benoit
Zaragoza 160, second floor
Tel. 222-5398, Fax 222-3517
Visitors from other countries can contact their country's embassy in
Mexico City.
Japanese Embassy .... 211-0028
Australian Embassy....531-5225
French Embassy .........533-1360
Swiss Embassy ..... ....520-3003
British Embassy .........207-2593
German Embassy .......280-5534
N. Zealand Embassy ..281-5486
If you encounter a problem with a business of any kind in Vallarta,
contact the Profeco at Morelos 883. Telephone: 2-25-54 or 2-25-55.
This agency is committed to maintaining the integrity of the
business community in Vallarta, and is the equivalent of consumer
protection agencies found in many countries.

Tourist Cards
When you entered Mexico, you filled out a card that an official took
from you, kept one copy and returned the other copy to you. When you
leave Mexico, you must turn in your copy of that tourist card.
Without the card, you might have trouble at the airport when you try
to leave the country. If you drove into Mexico, you will not be
allowed to leave without your tourist card. If you lose your card,
go to the Mexican Immigration Office at the Marina Port. They will
replace the card, but you will need proof of how and when you
entered Mexico (a plane ticket will do). You will also need to
produce some identification - your passport or birth certificate or
a voter registration card.

Newspapers
Vallarta has a number of English and Spanish language newspapers and
there are many Spanish-language papers published out of Guadalajara
and Mexico City. The New York City Times, The San Francisco
Chronical and USA Today are available at most of the major hotels in
town. The Toronto Star and Globe & Mail can also be found in most of
the major hotels.

Dollars and Cents
The currency in Mexico is the " Peso". Bills come in denominations
of $N10 - 20 - 50 - 100 and 200. Coins are in denominations of 5,
10, 20 and 50 centavos, and one, two, five and 10 pesos. There are
still some bills and coins floating around from the "old pesos" --
with additional zeros -- these coins and bills are slated to be out
of circulation by early 1996.
Vallarta, like most other tourist towns in Mexico, has numerous
Casas de Cambio (money exchange houses) that can be found all over
town. These money exchange houses usually offer a rate that is
slightly lower than the current bank rate, but not by much and you
can save time by exchanging your money at these exchange houses,
since bank lines tend to be long during peak tourist season, and you
might find yourself standing in line for over an hour.
If you have a bank card that has "Interact", "Plus" or "Cirrus"
support, you can use your own bank card to withdraw money directly
from your personal account in pesos. This works out well for
Canadians, as Canadian banks tend to give the "official" foreign
exchange rate of the day. However, American banks may not give
equitable rates of exchange.
To understand the denominations of the peso, divide by the current
rate of exchange, which today is around $10 pesos to $1 USD and
about $6.50 pesos to $1 Canadian. So, $10 USD = $100.00 pesos and
$10 Canadian dollars = $65.00 pesos.

Click here for a currency converter.

Shopping Tips
In general, many things in Mexico cost less than what they would
cost in North America and Europe. However, there are some exceptions
to that generalization. Some products are more expensive. For
example, paper products tend to cost more because there is very
little or no pulp and paper industry in Mexico. Coconut palm trees
and cactus don't process into paper very well. Food, clothing, and
domestic beer, wine and liquor cost considerably less. Housing costs
and rentals are also much lower.
In some smaller shops around Vallarta and, for example, at the Flea
Market in Centro, prices are not set -- you need to barter and
bargain. It's expected, and it can be a lot of fun! Don't try it in
the more up-scale stores -- their prices are set and they won't
budge!

"Siesta" or "Lunch"
As is the custom in Mexico, most shops and businesses close for
siesta between 2-4 p.m., but open again from 4 to 9 or 10 p.m.
Generally, the larger department stores do not close for siesta.
Emergencies
Police
Emergencies - Tel. 060
Non-emergencies - 222-0123 or 223-2500.
Fire Department
Emergencies - Tel. 060
Non emergencies - 225-0000 or 225-0018.
Ambulance Services
Private Ambulance: 225-0386
Cruz Roja (Red Cross) Ambulancia: 222-1533 or 222-4973
Taxis
With more than 1,000 taxis in town, there is no problem hailing one.
Taxi fares are set in PV; the average fare is around $30 pesos or
$3.00 USD. A trip across town-from the Marina to Los Muertos
Beach-will run about $60 pesos or $6.00 USD. 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.

Buses
Getting around the city on bus is a very inexpensive way to travel.
Fares anywhere in town are $4.00 pesos, which equals about 40 cents.
Buses can be caught at nearly every corner and run from early
morning until 11 p.m. There is even bus service for out-of-town
trips. For $12.00 pesos you can visit Bucerias, and $14.00 pesos
will take you to Punta Mita. Larger more comfortable buses make the
5-hour trip to Guadalajara for around $278.00 pesos or to Mexico
City in 12 hours for approximately $630.00 pesos.

Airline Contact Information
Aeromexico US: 1-800-237-6639 - Mexico: 01 800-021-4010
Alaska Airlines US: 1-800-ALASKAAIR - Mexico: 1 800-252-7522
American Airlines US: 1-800-433-7300 - Mexico: 01 800-904-6000
Canadian Airlines US: 1-800-268-0024 - Mexico: 01 800-90-020
Continental Airlines US: 1-800-525-0280 - Mexico: 01 800-900-5000
Delta Airlines US: 1-800-221-1212 - Mexico: 91 800-902-2100
Mexicana Airlines US: 1-800-354-2562 - Mexico: (322) 224-8900
Transworld Airlines US. 1-800-892-4141

Telephones
Telmex is the only telephone company in Mexico. Rates are higher
here for long distance than in many other countries. If calling to
the U.S.A. or Canada with a calling card, any of the toll-free
numbers listed below will connect you to an English-speaking
operator.
Canada Direct 95-(800) 010-1900
AT&T (US) 95-(800) 462-4240
MCI (US) 95-(800) 674-4000
Calling without a card after 8 p.m. will save you 33%. If using a
public phone, dial 95 then the area code and number. The Mexican
long distance company is Ladatel; they have phones on nearly every
street corner and in many hotels. You can purchase phone cards at
local vendors around town for use in these phones, a much less
expensive way to call home given the 60% tax placed on all
international calls.

To call Puerto Vallarta from the U.S.A. or Canada, dial 011 52 (322)
then the local number. For dialing to the U.S.A. or Canada from
Mexico on a private phone line, dial 001+ area code and number.