OT: Puerto Vallarta
The new wife and I are leaving for our honeymoon in a few days. We're spending a week in Puerto Vallarta, and we need advice. Neither of us has ever been to Mexico, and I'm hoping the good people of MGoBoard might be of some assistance.
Has anyone been to Puerto Vallarta, or elsewhere in Mexico? Any suggestions on what to do/see/avoid? How much time should I set aside for the cavity search at the customs check at the airport?
December 27th, 2009 at 5:35 PM ^
Is there a better way to start a honeymoon than being delayed for a little extra probing?
December 27th, 2009 at 5:39 PM ^
need to worry about giving yourself too much time on the trip there. Mexico doesn't have a problem letting people in. Pretty easy to get through and you generally don't have anything extra to go through until you land. Haven't been to Puerto Vallarta just a couple other places in Mex. Enjoy the beaches!
December 27th, 2009 at 5:48 PM ^
Watch out for nigerians.
December 27th, 2009 at 5:48 PM ^
I havent been there but ive been to Cancun/Yucatan and Mexico City. Mexico is amazing, one of my favorite places ever. Dont worry too much. Touristy places like Puerto are very easy to get around, and a good amount of people will speak english. You also probably wont need to worry about the food or water like you would in other places, like Mexico City. Customs and immigration is no worse than any other foreign country ive been to
December 28th, 2009 at 8:42 AM ^
Always, and I mean always, worry about the water in Mexico.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:06 PM ^
PV is a great town filled with fantastic restaurants and great art galleries. I'd highly recommend a boat ride around the area, hitting Mismaloya, Los Arcos, and some of the small villages surrounding the bay area. You may be interested in taking a day trip to Sayulita, which is a surf/hippy town about 45 minutes north of the city. I'd definitely hit up many of the art galleries along the Malecon as PV is the painter/designer/glass/pottery mecca of Mexico.
PV is also a wonderful spot to eat - my favorite in Mexico. There are three spots that you have to check out: hacienda san angel (must make reservations prior - go b/t tues and sat to see the full mariachi band), cafe de artiste, and trios. they are all in the "old vallarta" area and absolute musts for any foodie.
Have a great and wonderful trip!
December 27th, 2009 at 6:18 PM ^
Don't drink the tap water in Mexico.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:21 PM ^
I've been there. Very nice town with nice beaches (although, because some of the beaches have been artificially created over bedrock, the sand can get really hot under your feet). It was pretty safe, and many people speak English. They say not to drink the water, but your hotel and any respectable restaurant will have it filtered (and all beverages for sale, like beer and soft drinks, are made with filtered water as well). Customs probably won't be too big of a deal. Getting back into the U.S. is generally more difficult than entering another country, but for citizens it's not that bad.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:27 PM ^
i stayed at a nice all-inclusive place there. nice boardwalk area in town. plenty to do. if you're interested - there are boats that will take you to rastafarian communities...where weed is sold by the bucket. scuba wasnt that great.
December 27th, 2009 at 8:16 PM ^
fuck whoever negged that.
December 27th, 2009 at 6:51 PM ^
just got back from mexico on the 19th. we went to playa del carmen. the airport experience was fine. they don't really care about anything. they didn't even do the swine flu check like back in may! if you're into this sort of thing, check out the mayan/aztec ruins. there are so many really interesting ruins to check out.
December 27th, 2009 at 8:00 PM ^
Puerto Vallarta is well outside the areas inhabited by both the Aztecs and the Mayans. I don't think there's anything worth visiting within a day of Puerto Vallarta.
Mexico is filled with great archaeological sites, though. A few years ago we rented a car and drove through the Yucatan peninsula, stopping for a few days of sun at Playa del Carmen. We hit a fair number of the better known archaeological sites (Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Tulum) and a number of lesser-known sites. I'd recommend it highly.
December 27th, 2009 at 9:09 PM ^
My father, brother and I took a very similar trip two years ago. We started in Akumal, a small beach town an hour south of Cancun. Then we hit Coba, Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Tulum as well. We also went inland to Merida. It was my favorite trip I have ever been on. Mexico is great, and the combination of beaches and ruins is awesome.
December 27th, 2009 at 7:31 PM ^
the salad.
December 27th, 2009 at 7:56 PM ^
I like you
December 27th, 2009 at 8:31 PM ^
Thanks!
December 27th, 2009 at 7:57 PM ^
Had a great experience while checking in in PV. The young man at the counter asked me if I wanted to do something "Under the Water?" I did not know what the hell he meant, I thought it was a strange proposition. He then took me a small but nice room without a view, he then took me to a room with Bay Doors opening to the Pacific with another set of Bay Doors that opened to a jacuzzi. The upgrade cost me $200 for the week, about $25 per day. I guess he meant "Under the Table."
December 27th, 2009 at 8:12 PM ^
I thought you were going a whole other direction with that! Shewwww.
December 27th, 2009 at 8:46 PM ^
Did you think it was gonna end ala The Hangover, with the young man naked in my trunk missing a size six shoe?
December 27th, 2009 at 7:57 PM ^
I went to Puerto Vallarta a few years back for spring break...As long as your not their at the end of February to the end of April it looks like a beautiful place from the pictures I took, but other than that I don't remember I was blackout drunk for seven straight days.
December 27th, 2009 at 8:15 PM ^
Go do rhythms of the night. I was there about 2 months ago and that was a huge highlight of the trip. you will not be dissapointed.
December 27th, 2009 at 8:35 PM ^
Most appreciated.
If I don't post anything by like January 8th, please alert the State Department.
December 27th, 2009 at 8:48 PM ^
Do not trust anything that has water/ice in it, unless you are staying at an all inclusive resort.
I assumed that the International Airport in Mexico City would have used bottled water to make their ice...I was wrong and my ass paid for it. I am being literal...I was literally pissing out of my ass for a week.
Sorry if that visual is a bit extreme, but trust me, extreme visuals will help you avoid it.
Have fun...
December 27th, 2009 at 11:33 PM ^
Ice machines in general are pretty gross. They are seldom cleaned regularly and their cubes often contain higher levels of bacteria than even toilet water. It's not a good idea to chew or swallow ice cubes from a restaurant. An article on the subject:
http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/some-ice-cubes-have-more-bacteria-…
December 27th, 2009 at 9:22 PM ^
If you are into deep sea fishing it is pretty good even this time of year. There are charters that have English(ish) speaking crews around PV. If you ask the hotel they will be able to tell you where to go. The billfish are biting at this time of year and you might be able to get into some marlin or sailfish. Tuna might still be around, but it starts to slow down around November. Also there is also snapper and rock cod fishing which is very good to bring back for dinner.
December 28th, 2009 at 12:32 AM ^
Get away to a secluded beach if you can. Never been to PV, though several of my friends and sister have, but being at both Mazatlan and Cabo, I can say the beaches off the beaten path are the best. Especially if you get a wide, clear, open view of the Pacific.
Also, stay away from the petting zoo and the lion cubs. They do bite. Also, the whale trips are not worth it. You'll be able to see them just sitting on the beach.
December 28th, 2009 at 9:57 AM ^
Usually, when you stop at a gas station, there will be an attendant there who will pump your gas. You are supposed to tip this person. MAKE SURE that you specify how much fuel you want, and then get out of the car and watch exactly how many liters are pumped. You can then double check the calculation as to how much you owe. I got stroked yesterday heading from Playa Del Carmen to Chichen Itza at a Pemex station because I wasn't watching the attendant. He pumped my gas, zeroed out the machine, and told me that I owed him 550 pesos. That's like 43 bucks, and he put less than a half a tank in. I refused to pay it, and he eventually came down to 400 pesos (which was still way too high), but he wouldn't budge. Lesson learned.