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Travel Tips
Health and Safety
Tourist areas in Mexico are generally clean and healthy places. No inoculations are required to enter Mexico. You might consider wearing an ID tag provided by your doctor if you have a medical condition such as diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease or allergies to ordinary medications.
Time Zone
- Pacific Standard time (PST) -- GMT/UTC minus 8 hours in Spring and Summer.
- Pacific Daylight Saving Time (PDT) -- GMT/UTC minus 7 hours in Fall and Winter.
Currency and Bank information
The exchange rate fluctuates each day around 9 and 10 pesos to the US dollar. Each bank of money exchange (casas de cambio) will have a slightly different rate. So shop around for the best rate.
Newspapers and Magazines
- Vallarta Today - It is free and is the daily English-language newspaper which is an excellent source for local information and upcoming events.
- Vallarta Lifestyles - It costs 25.00 pesos and provides listings of services to those who advertise.
- P.V. Tribune - It's free, and a weekly paper found throughout town, hotels, etc., that offers a local perspective.
Post Office
Located at Mina 188. Open Monday through Friday from 9am to 7:30pm and on Saturday from 9am to 1pm.
E-mail
You can access email in several ways while you are here. Including some hotels, there are many places in town "The Net Cafe" and "Cyber Cafe" for example, where you can access a computer as well as coffee, snacks. Several bars in Town now also offer E-mail service for free with a purchase.
Groceries
You can find almost anything at the following stores:
- LEY: Mexico avenue, about a block away from Hidalgo Park. Open 24 hours a day.
- COMERCIAL MEXICANA: in Plaza Marina and the newest just off Francisco Medina Ascencio Boulevard; more like those found in the US.
- GUTIERREZ RIZO: Centrally located in Old Vallarta on Constitucion.
- SAM'S CLUB: Across the street from Port Terminal. Equivalent to Costco in the US.
- WALMART: Across the street from Port Terminal and beside Sam's Club.
- GIGANTE: Inside the Plaza Caracol Mall just off Francisco Medina Ascencio Boulevard.
Telephone
It is extremely expensive to call home from your hotel as well the phone kiosks with credit card logos are expensive for Long Distance and Credit Card Calls. Telephone cards are available at all Pharmacies at a reasonable price. These are Smart-Cards enable the screen on the phone to show you how much time is left on your card. In town you have to add the extra "22" in front of the number; example: what was (322) 25636 is now (322) 22 25636, but it's not considered a long distance call.
Banking
- Banks: these are located throughout downtown and in the prime shopping areas of Vallarta Open Monday through Friday from 08:30am to 4pm.
- American Express: Morelos 660, at the corner of Abasolo. Open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm; Saturday 9am to 1pm.
- Money exchange houses (Casas de Cambio): located throughout town.
Handicap Access
More and more ramps for the disabled are in hotels and also are appearing to ease access across the high curbs.
"Moctezuma's revenge" or Turista
Although its incidence is decreasing, "Moctezuma's revenge", as we know it, or turista, as Mexicans call it, remains the greatest health concern of tourists. This illness, indicated by diarrhea and sometimes fever, can last a few days and requires complete bed rest. It usually results from exposure to bacteria different from those at home because Mexico purifies its water differently. (Mexicans, visiting the United States are often, similarly affected by unfamiliar bacteria).
Common sense can greatly reduce your changes of coming down with food or water related illnesses. The first rule is not to overdo it during the first few days of your trip. So eat and drink in moderation.
Mexican doctors are experts in treating this illness, so you should not feel timid about consulting them. Your hotel can arrange for a doctor if you become concerned about your condition.
Safety
Although Puerto Vallarta is fairly safe, you should observe the usual sensible precautions:
- Keep money and valuables secured - Hotel safes, safety deposit boxes or other hard-to-reach place on yourself.
- Keep an eye on cameras, purses, etc., to make sure you don't leave them behind in restaurants, hotels or excursions.
- At night, lock the door to your hotel room.
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