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Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico ticks all the boxes for a picture-perfect Caribbean island holiday. Its white sandy beaches can compete with any in the world and vary from metropolitan cocktail heavens and bustling surfing hotspots to quiet island getaways. Easily accessible diving and snorkeling spots and the excellent bioluminescent bays offer great maritime experiences. Still, there's more to this tropical island than sunny beach life. The Spanish-American influences make for a fun melting pot of culture with an abundance of heritage to explore and some delightful food to enjoy.

As Puerto Rico is a self-governing commonwealth, an insular area of the United States of America, it's a particularly hassle-free and therefore popular destination for US citizens, but well worth any trip to get there. It is known as the "Island of Enchantment".

Cities

 * – The capital and largest city with its historic old town, vibrant nightlife and one of the best natural harbors in the Caribbean.
 * – A historic city with access to beaches and the nature of the Karst country, formerly the home of the world's largest radio telescope.
 * – Entry point into the western coast famous for its beautiful beaches, surfing and Thai food.
 * – The largest inland city and an important entry point into the Cordillera Central.
 * – Location of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, and the Isla Verde club scene with its hotels and casinos.
 * – Famous for its large marina, bioluminescent bay, and ferries to Vieques and Culebra.
 * – The largest city in the western coast is a vibrant and historic college town.
 * – Puerto Rico's second city hosts a number of important museums like the Ponce Museum of Art and the Museum of Puerto Rican Music, as well as the Tibes Ceremonial Indigenous Center, and access into the highest mountains in the island.
 * – Small town famous for its historic downtown, named a National Historic District with its colonial architecture and Porta Coeli, one of the oldest churches in the Caribbean.

Other destinations

 * Guánica State Forest – (Bosque Estatal de Guánica) is also the name of a small dry forest reserve east and west of the town, the largest remaining tract of tropical dry coastal forest in the world and designated an international Biosphere Reserve in 1981. The park comprising much of the dry forest is known as el bosque seco de Guánica.
 * – includes forts San Cristóbal, San Felipe del Morro, and San Juan de la Cruz, also called El Cañuelo, plus bastions, powder houses, and three fourths of the city wall. All these defensive fortifications surround the old, colonial portion of San Juan, Puerto Rico and are among the oldest and best-preserved Spanish fortifications of the Americas.
 * El Yunque National Forest - the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. national forest system, a rocky, misty peak covered in waterfalls
 * Mona Island (off of the west coast of PR, halfway to the Dominican Republic) - this island is a secluded island only inhabited by wildlife. You can only go to the island by appointment.
 * Rio Camuy Caverns (in the north/northwest) – a 45-minute guided walking tour of the main cave, Cueva Clara, including a view of the "3rd largest underground river in the world" and an enormous sinkhole.
 * Bioluminescent bay at La Parguera
 * Caja de Muertos Island, or Caja de Muertos for short – is an uninhabited island off the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The name means "Box of the Dead", which some have linked to the "Dead Man's Chest" of pirate lore. The island is protected because of its native turtle traffic. Hikers and beachgoers are often seen in the island, which can be reached by ferry or through diving tour operators from the La Guancha Boardwalk sector of Ponce Playa.

Understand
Puerto Rico is a self-governing Commonwealth with an area of more than 9,100 km². Famed for its sunny beaches, it boasts a colorful swashbuckling history, tropical forests and a vibrant amalgam of Spanish, African and American cultures.

History
The Europeans first named it San Juan Bautista in honor of Saint John the Baptist. The island's present day name, Puerto Rico (Spanish for "Rich Port"), was the name that Christopher Columbus gave the island. It was then settled by explorer Ponce de Leon and the island was under Spanish possession for over four centuries. The island became United States territory under the Treaty of Paris, which also ended the Spanish-American War. The United States passed Law 600 giving Puerto Rico authorization to create and approve its own constitution, with the United States Congress approval. The relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico is known in English as a "commonwealth". There is no precise Spanish equivalent to this word; thus locally it is translated as "Estado Libre Asociado" (literally, "associated free state"). Most laws passed by Congress apply to Puerto Rico as they do in the fifty states. While Puerto Rico in general enjoys a greater degree of autonomy than one of the US states, including the right to send its own team to the Olympics, its residents are neither entitled to representation in Congress nor allocated electoral college votes in presidential elections. Nevertheless, as Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, they may freely move to any of the 50 states and gain the right to vote by doing so, and people born in Puerto Rico are eligible to run for the U.S. presidency.

Climate
Puerto Rico has a tropical marine climate, which is mild and has little seasonal temperature variation. Temperatures range from 70 to 90 ˚F (21 to 32 ˚C), and tend to be lower at night and up in the mountains. Year round trade winds take part in ensuring the sub tropical climate. The average annual temperature is 26 °C (80 °F). Rainfall is abundant along the north coast and in the highlands, but light along the south coast. Hurricane season spans between June and November, where rain showers occur once a day, almost every day. Periodic droughts sometimes affect the island.

Terrain
Puerto Rico is mostly mountainous, although there is a coastal plain belt in the north. The mountains drop precipitously to the sea on the west coast. There are sandy beaches along most of the coast. There are many small rivers about the island and the high central mountains ensure the land is well watered, although the south coast is relatively dry. The coastal plain belt in the north is fertile. Puerto Rico's highest point is at Cerro de Punta, which is 1,338m above sea level.

Geography
The island of Puerto Rico is a rectangular shape and is the smallest, most eastern island of the Greater Antilles. It measures almost 580 km of coast. In addition to the principal island, the commonwealth islands include Vieques, Culebra, Culebrita, Palomino, Mona, Monito and various other isolated islands. Puerto Rico is surrounded by deep ocean waters. To the west Puerto Rico is separated from Hispaniola by the Mona Passage which is about 120 km wide and as much as 3,300 m deep. The 8,000-m-deep Puerto Rico Trench is located off the northern coast. Off the south coast is the 5,466-m-deep Venezuelan Basin of the Caribbean. Because Puerto Rico is relatively short in width it does not have any long rivers or large lakes. Grande de Arecibo is the longest river in Puerto Rico which flows to the northern coast. Puerto Rico does not have any natural lakes but it does however have 15 reservoirs.

Visitor information

 * Discover Puerto Rico

Talk

 * See also: Spanish phrasebook

Both Spanish and English are the official languages of Puerto Rico, but Spanish is without a doubt the dominant language. Fewer than 50 percent of Puerto Ricans speak English fluently, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Spanish is the mother tongue of all native Puerto Ricans, and with the exception of San Juan and Guaynabo, traffic signs and such are written exclusively in Spanish. Even in tourist areas of San Juan, employees at fast-food restaurants generally have a somewhat limited comprehension of English. However, people who are highly educated or those who work in the tourism industry are almost always fluent in English. Locals in less touristed areas of the island can usually manage basic English, as it is taught as a compulsory second language in most schools. As in any country, it's respectful to make an effort and try to learn at least the basics of Spanish. Average Puerto Ricans appreciate efforts to learn the most widely spoken language of their territory, and most are more than happy to help you with your pronunciation. If you're already familiar with the language, be aware that Puerto Rican Spanish speakers have a very distinct accent, similar to the Cuban accent, which is full of local jargon and slang unfamiliar to many outside the island. Puerto Ricans also have a tendency to "swallow" consonants that occur in the middle of a word. Puerto Ricans also speak at a relatively faster speed than Central Americans or Mexicans. It is not offensive to ask someone to repeat themselves or speak slower if you have trouble understanding them.

Examples of words that are unique to Puerto Rican Spanish include:
 * china – orange (ordinarily naranja)
 * zafacón – trash can (basurero). Zafacón comes from zafa in southern Spain, derived from an Arab word zafa meaning trash container.
 * chavo – penny (centavo)
 * menudo – loose change. Moneda is coin.
 * flahlai – flashlight (linterna)
 * wikén – weekend (fin de semana)

When the Spanish settlers colonized Puerto Rico in the early 16th century, many thousands of Taíno people lived on the island. Taíno words like hamaca ("hammock"), huracán ("hurricane"), and tabaco ("tobacco") came into general Spanish as the two cultures blended. Puerto Ricans still use many Taíno words that are not part of the international Spanish lexicon. The Taino influence in Puerto Rican Spanish is most evident in geographical names, such as Mayagüez, Guaynabo, Humacao or Jayuya. You will also find Taino words in other parts of the Caribbean.

The first African slaves were brought to the island in the 16th century. Although 31 different African tribes have been recorded in Puerto Rico, it is the Kongo from Central Africa that are considered to have had the most impact on Puerto Rican Spanish. Many words originating among the Kongo people are used in Puerto Rican Spanish today.

Get in
Since Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, travelers from outside the United States must meet the requirements that are needed to enter the United States. For travel within the United States, there are no passport controls between the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico, or vice versa. There are also no customs inspections for travel to and from the U.S. mainland, but the USDA does perform agricultural inspections of luggage bound from Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland.

By plane
Puerto Rico's main airport is Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina, near San Juan. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, and United have service from the United States; Air Canada Rouge and WestJet from Canada; American from Venezuela; Avianca from Colombia; Copa Airlines from Panama; JetBlue from the Dominican Republic; and Volaris from Mexico; and Air Europa and Norwegian Air Shuttle from Europe. Cape Air and Vieques Air Link provide domestic air service from other points in Puerto Rico. JetBlue, United, and Spirit have service to the airport in Aguadilla and JetBlue has service to Ponce.

Ceiba Airport has service to Puerto Rican island-cities of Vieques and Culebra on MN Aviation and Vieques Air Link.

As Puerto Rico is part of the US, U.S. Immigration and Customs Laws and Regulations apply. Travel between the mainland and San Juan, Ponce and Aguadilla is the same as if it were between two mainland cities.

Most U.S. and many international airlines offer direct flights from many cities to Puerto Rico. Flights are economical and numerous. SJU is the biggest and most modern airport in the Caribbean and offers all the conveniences and services (McDonalds, Dominos, Starbucks, etc.) of a major city airport. San Juan's airport has five concourses (labeled terminals A-E) split across two terminals which are connected. JetBlue and Cape Air operate hubs at San Juan.

A secondary commercial airport in San Juan, Fernando Ribas Dominicci Airport, also known as Isla Grande Airport, has limited air service from the Dominican Republic, the United States Virgin Islands, Culebra and Vieques on Cape Air and Vieques Air Link. Ribas Dominicci Airport is located right by old San Juan and close to the Condado Beach and Caribe Hilton Hotels.

If you have lots of luggage, beware there are no baggage carts in the domestic terminal, although there are plenty of baggage porters available to help you for a tip or fee. Luggage Carts are available in the international terminal of the airport. At the exit, a porter will assist you with your luggage for a fee.

Transferring from the airport to your hotel usually requires taking a taxi, although some hotels provide complimentary transportation to their properties in special buses. Puerto Rico Tourism Company representatives at the airport will assist you in finding the right transportation. All major car rental agencies are located at the airport, and others offer free transportation to their off-airport sites.

Typical flight times (outbound flights are slightly longer due to headwinds):

 * Miami 2.5 hours
 * Orlando 2.5 hours
 * Charlotte 3 hours
 * Philadelphia 3.5 hours
 * Washington D.C. 3.5 hours
 * Atlanta 3.5 hours
 * Boston 4 hours
 * New York 4 hours
 * Dallas/Fort Worth 4.25 hours
 * Toronto 4.25 hours
 * Chicago 5 hours
 * Frankfurt am Main 11 hours
 * Madrid 9 hours

Customs
When departing Puerto Rico to the mainland, your bags will be inspected by the US Department of Agriculture before departure. Generally the same rules apply as when returning to the United States from a foreign country: although certain local fruits such as avocado, papaya, coconut and plantain may be brought back, mangos, soursop, passion fruit, and plants potted in soil may not. In any event, all agricultural items will be checked for disease. If you are carrying prescription drugs (especially prescription narcotics) with you, you must have the original prescription with you, or a letter from your physician.

Cruise ship passengers with ship luggage tags are exempt from customs screenings.

By boat
More than a million passengers visit the island on cruise ships every year, whether on one of the many cruise lines whose homeport is San Juan, or on one of the visiting lines. No passport is required for U.S. citizens who use this service.

Get around
Public transportation in Puerto Rico is fairly bad: outside the Metro Area (San Juan, Guaynabo, Carolina and Bayamon), there are no scheduled buses or trains. Most travelers choose to rent their own cars, but intrepid budget travelers can also explore the shared cab (público) system.

By taxi
Official Tourism Company-sponsored taxis on the Island are clean, clearly identifiable and reliable. Look for the white taxis with the official logo and the "Taxi Turístico" on the front doors.

Under the Tourism Taxi Program, rates are set for travel between San Juan's major tourist zones. See San Juan for details.

Official Puerto Rico Tourist Taxi

Several other taxi company numbers:

Asociación Dueños de Taxi de Carolina

Asociación Dueños de Taxi de Cataño y Levittown

Cooperativa de Servicio Capetillo Taxi

Cooperativa de Taxis de Bayamón

Cooperativa Major Taxi Cabs or

'''Metro-Taxi Cab. Inc. '''

Ocean Crew Transport or

Rochdale Radio Taxi

Santana Taxi Service, Inc.

By car
If you are planning to explore outside of San Juan, renting a car is by far the most convenient way to get around. Rentals are available from the airport as well as larger hotels. There are sometimes long waits of up to an hour when renting a car at that airport, especially with some companies. Rental cars can be had for as little as $28 a day.

Many U.S. mainland car insurance policies will cover insured drivers involved in rental car accidents that occur anywhere in the United States, including outlying territories like Puerto Rico, so check with your own insurer before you rent a car in Puerto Rico. If you have such coverage, you can probably decline collision insurance from the car rental company and request only the loss damage waiver.

Red lights and stop signs are treated like yield signs late at night (only from midnight to 5AM) due to security measures.

The roads can be quite bad, with potholes and uneven pavement. Pools as a result of rainfall can render some smaller roads impassable. Be cautious of other drivers, as turn signals are not commonly used or adhered to. Most natives do not drive like mainlanders are used to. Watch out for cars pulling out in front of you, or crossing an intersection, even if you have right of way. Also, there are many cars with non-functional headlights or tail lights, making driving in traffic even more dangerous. If you are not a very confident, even aggressive driver, you may not wish to drive in urban areas. Speed limits are considered suggestions for the locals (particularly taxi drivers), but high fines should make wise tourists cautious.

Parking in the Old Town of San Juan is virtually non-existent. There is a public parking lot called "La Puntilla". On weekends you only pay a fixed rate for the whole day and on weekdays you will pay less than $5 for a full day. The lot usually has available parking spaces. Traffic in all major cities is bad during rush hour (8AM-10AM, 4PM-6PM), so give yourself plenty of time coming and going.

Road signs are Spanish-language versions of their U.S. mainland counterparts. However, note that distances are in kilometers, while speed limits are in miles. Gas is also sold by the liter, not by the gallon, and it's a little bit cheaper than on the mainland.

In addition to the regular free highway (carretera) network, there are three toll roads (autopista) on Puerto Rico. They're much faster and less congested than the highways, and it's worth using them if you are in a hurry. Tolls for a 2-axle car range from $0.50 and $1.50. The lanes on the left are reserved for people with RFID (Autoexpreso) toll passes (an electronic pass typically called a speed or E-Z pass in the states), which you probably won't have on your rental car. Lanes marked with an "A" generally accept only coins. If you need change, head for the lanes marked with a "C", usually the furthest to the right. Note that if you are heading to Ponce on PR-52, the autopista toll system has gone all RFID, so head to the first "C" booth you come to and buy a travel card if they will let you, or they might require you to buy the Autoexpreso RFID tag for $10. If you put $10 on the tag it will get you to Ponce and back once.

Off the main highways, roads in Puerto Rico quickly become narrow, twisty and turny, especially up in the mountains. Roads that are only one-and-a-half lanes wide are common, so do like the locals do and beep before driving into blind curves. Signage is often minimal, although intersections do almost always show the road numbers, so a detailed highway map will come in handy. Expect hairpin turns in the mountains - experience driving in West Virginia can help a good deal here. Don't be surprised if you see chickens in the middle of the road - Puerto Rico is one place where the local fowl are still trying to figure out the old joke. They are harmless to vehicles - just drive around them or wait for them to move aside. Something else to look out for is sudden fog and zero visibility; when crossing the central mountain range, keep your car at a slow and steady pace.

Navigating a car can be very challenging because most locals give directions by landmark rather by address and using maps in Puerto Rico can be very challenging for visitors. Google Maps has lately been improving and now most small roads and all major roads are covered. Slight problems include street names either missing or incorrect, and address lookups & business entries (POI's) either give no result or are wrong. Other online maps suffer the same issues. Note that the larger metro areas, especially San Juan, can have several streets with the same name, so it's important to know the neighborhood (urbanization) name when communicating with taxi drivers, etc.

Police cars are easy to spot, as by local regulation, they must keep their blue light bar continuously illuminated any time they are in motion. Avoid getting a speeding ticket: fines start at $50 + $5 for each mile above the speed limit. It is also against the law to talk or text on a phone while driving, except when using BlueTooth or a speakerphone. The fine for talking or texting on the phone is $50.

Due to the limitations of public transport in San Juan and the metropolitan area, getting around by car is by far the easiest option. The following table showcases the four types of roads in Puerto Rico.

By público
A público is a shared taxi service and is much cheaper than taking a taxi around the island, and depending on your travel aspirations, might be cheaper than renting a car. Públicos can be identified by their yellow license plates with the word "PUBLICO" written on top of the license plate. The "main" público station is in Río Piedras, a suburb of San Juan. They're also known as colectivos and pisicorres.

There are two ways of getting on a público. The easier way is to call the local público stand the day before and ask them to pick you up at an agreed time. (Your hotel or guesthouse can probably arrange this, and unlike you, they probably know which of the multitude of companies is going your way.) This is convenient, but it'll cost a few bucks extra and you'll be in for a wait as the car collects all the other departing passengers. The cheaper way is to just show up at the público terminal (or, in smaller towns, the town square) as early as you can (6-7AM is normal) and wait for others to show up; as soon as enough have collected, which may take minutes or hours, you're off. Públicos taper off in the afternoon and stop running entirely before dark.

Públicos can make frequent stops to pick up or drop off passengers and may take a while to get to their destination terminal, but you can also request to be dropped off elsewhere if it's along the way or you pay a little extra. Prices vary depending on the size of the público and the distance being traveled. As an example, a small público that can seat three or four passengers from Ponce to San Juan will cost roughly $15, while a 15 passenger público that is traveling between San Juan and Fajardo will cost about $5 each person.

Públicos are not very popular, and many Puerto Ricans without access to a vehicle simply keep the phone numbers for Uber drivers they know in order to arrange rides directly with them.

By ferry
Ferries depart from San Juan and Fajardo, and the most popular arrivals are Cataño, Vieques Island & Culebra Island. Also, the Mayaguez ferry travels between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

 * Mayagüez, Puerto Rico	 or
 * San Juan, Puerto Rico or
 * Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
 * Santiago, Dominican Republic

By train
There are no long-distance train services in Puerto Rico. San Juan has a single rapid transit line serving the metro area, but it covers neither the old city nor the resort area of Condado and is thus of very limited utility to most visitors.

By bus
Autoridad Metropolitana de Autobuses, also known in English as Metropolitan Bus Authority or by its initials in Spanish, AMA, is a public bus transit system based in greater San Juan. It is the only regular scheduled bus system in Puerto Rico. The AMA provides daily bus transportation throughout San Juan, Guaynabo, Bayamón, Cataño, and Carolina through a network of 30 bus routes, including 2 express routes and 3 "Metrobus" routes. It also provides limited service to and from the outlying municipalities of Loíza, Toa Baja and Trujillo Alto. Its fleet consists of 277 regular buses and 54 paratransit vans for handicapped persons. Its ridership is estimated at 112,000 on weekdays.

The daily, weekend and holiday bus service from 4:30AM to 10PM with the exception of a few routes that are limited to certain hours and the express routes.

There are two routes which are very reliable, M-I & M-II, commonly called Metrobus (metroboos). MetroBus M1 transit between Old San Juan to Santurce downtown, Hato Rey Golden Mile banking zone and Rio Piedras downtown where a nice open walking street mall and great bargains could be found, the Paseo De Diego. The Metrobus II transit from Santurce to Bayamon city, passing Hato Rey, including Plaza Las Americas Mall and to Guaynabo City. Many interesting places could be found on the routes, like the remains of the first European settlement on the island and the oldest under USA government, the Caparra Ruins (Ruinas de Caparra Museum).

As a tourist staying in the Isla Verde hotel district, be aware there is a bus line going to and from Old San Juan. It costs only 75 cents, but takes 45 minutes to an hour and the right bus comes by irregularly. The bus as of 2022 only takes quarters and no bills, so plan ahead. So the trade-off is between low cost versus your time and convenience. In the rainy months, standing at the bus stop can be uncomfortable.

By plane
Cape Air flies between San Juan (both and Isla Grande  airports) and Culebra, Mayaguez and Vieques. Vieques Air Link flies between San Juan, Culebra and Vieques, with onward connections from its Vieques hub to other Caribbean islands. Vieques Air Link also flies from Culebra to Vieques and from Ceiba to Vieques. Air Culebra also flies from San Juan to Culebra and Vieques as does Air Flamenco. Air Culebra also flies from Ceiba to Culebra. MN Aviation provides charter flights between San Juan, Culebra and Vieques and from Ceiba to Culebra and Vieques. Tickets from San Juan-SJU to Vieques on Vieques Air Link cost around $250 return (2015), and the flight takes about 30 minutes.

See
There is one UNESCO World Heritage Site on Puerto Rico, namely La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site. Coffee Plantations Coffee, sugar cane, and tobacco were the three main agricultural products exported by Puerto Rico in the old days. Sugar cane was produced in the hot low-lands by the sea while tobacco and coffee were grown in the mountainous interior of Puerto Rico. A few coffee plantations are still active or have been turned into museums. Most of them can be found and visited in the mountains region just North of Ponce.

Bioluminescent Bays The bioluminescent bays near Fajardo and in Vieques are an experience that should not be missed. The microscopic organisms that live in every drop of water in these bays will glow when they dart away from movement. Take a kayak or boat tour during a new moon for the best results; they're hard to see during a full moon and impossible to see in sunlight. The bioluminescent bay in Lajas is by far the most famous one to visit, with many kiosks and restaurants there for the traveler to enjoy as well as boat tours.

Do
El Yunque El Yunque rainforest is a must-see. At any altitude you'll see numerous varieties of plant and animal life. If you're lucky you can catch a glimpse of the endangered Puerto Rican parrot & hear the song of the local Coqui tree frog. Since it is a rain forest, expect it to rain daily and frequently. It's a good idea to dress as you would for wet weather at home.

Sports Whether you're dreaming about spectacular surfing waves, a challenging golf course, or the perfect sunbathing beach, Puerto Rico offers the active traveler a tremendous array of opportunities. Surfing and golf compete with tennis, fishing, kayaking, scuba diving, and horseback riding, not to mention windsurfing and parasailing, for your active time. The island has more 15 championship golf courses a short drive away from the San Juan metropolitan area.

Outdoor adventures There is plenty to do outside the metropolitan areas. Many small family owned tour companies provide guided tours of the Central Mountains in Utuado near Río Tanama, Repelling in Arecibo, kayak tours of Lake Guajataka, and horse back riding on the beach in Aguadilla. Some of the tour operators also provide low cost or free lodging.

Snorkel and scuba dive Puerto Rico's coastlines and minor islands such as Vieques and Culebra are best. They each contain scenic landscapes and a diverse population of wildlife. But be sure that if you book with a snorkel trip—that they guarantee you will be taken to true snorkeling sites. Dive operators (for instance, the outfit named Sea Ventures) have been known to book snorkelers on day trips along with scuba divers, taking them all to deep water sites suited only to scuba diving!

Money
Puerto Rico uses the U.S. dollar, denoted by the symbol "$" (ISO code: USD).

There are plenty of ATMs around the commonwealth. Most are linked to the Cirrus, Plus, American Express and Discover networks.

Shopping
Plaza las Americas is the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean and one of the largest in Latin America. It offers a wide array of stores, eating facilities, and a multi-screen movie theater. Most major U.S. mainland and European mass retailers are located in the mall.

The Condado section of San Juan is home to fine designer stores such as Cartier, Gucci, Ferragamo, Mont Blanc and Dior.

You might want to check out the Belz Factory Outlets and Puerto Rico Premium Outlets (Barceloneta). They house stores like Polo Ralph Lauren, Hilfiger, Banana Republic, Puma, Gap, PacSun, etc.

Most of the large cities on the island have a large regional mall with very familiar international stores.

If you're looking for local crafts of all sorts, and want to pay less than in Old San Juan while getting to know the island, try going to town festivals. Artisans from around the island come to these festivals to sell their wares: from typical foods, candies, coffee and tobacco to clothing, accessories, paintings and home décor. Some of these festivals are better than others, though: be sure to ask for recommendations. One of the most popular (yet remote) festivals is the "Festival de las Chinas" or Orange Festival in Las Marías.

Don't forget that Puerto Rico is a large rum-producing island. Hand made cigars can still be found in San Juan, Old San Juan, and Puerta de Tierra. Also a wide variety of imported goods from all over the world are available. Local artesanías include wooden carvings, musical instruments, lace, ceramics, hammocks, masks and basket-work. Located in every busy city are gift shops with the typical tee-shirts, shot glasses, and other gifts that say Puerto Rico to bring home to friends and family. Make sure to visit the Distileria Serralles, the home of Don Q, one of the oldest rums made in Puerto Rico. You would not only enjoy tours of the process of making rum, but a little taste of the rum. They also have a museum and it is an enjoyable place for a warm afternoon in the Enchanted Island.

Eat
Puerto Rico is a drive-through buffet. All you need is a car, an appetite (the bigger the better), time, and the realization that your swimsuit won't fit as well when you get to your destination. The island has the most diverse culinary offerings in the entire Caribbean. There's something for everyone. You can enjoy the finest Puerto Rican food at most traditional town squares and also (for those of you who get homesick) have a steak at a place like Morton's.

Cuisine

Authentic Puerto Rican food (comida criolla) can be summed up in two words: plantains and pork, usually served up with rice and beans (arroz y habichuelas). It is rarely if ever spicy, and to many visitors' surprise has very little in common with Mexican cooking.

Plantains (plátanos) are essentially savory bananas and the primary source of starch back in the bad old days, although you will occasionally also encounter cassava (yuca) and other tropical tubers. Served with nearly every meal, incarnations include:

 * mofongo — plantains mashed, fried, and mashed again, when filled up (relleno) with seafood this is probably the best-known Puerto Rican dish of them all
 * tostones — twice deep-fried plantain chips, best when freshly made.
 * amarillos — sweet fried plantain.
 * sopa de plátanos — mashed plantain soup

The main meat eaten in Puerto Rico is pork (cerdo), with chicken a close second and beef and mutton way down the list. Seafood, surprisingly, is only a minor part of the traditional repertoire: the deep waters around Puerto Rico are poorly suited to fishing, and most of the seafood served in restaurants for tourists is in fact imported. Still, fresh local fish can be found in restaurants across the east and west coast of the island, especially in Naguabo or Cabo Rojo respectively.

 * chicharrones — crispy dry pork rinds.
 * chuletas — huge, juicy pork chops, available grilled or deep fried.
 * lechón asado — roast suckling pig, this is the pinnacle of Puerto Rican porkcraft. Served at specialty restaurants, with the Cayey city's barrio of Guavate off the San Juan-Ponce highway being particularly famous.
 * morcilla — blood sausage
 * pernil de cerdo — pork shoulder with oregano and garlic

A few other puertorriqueño classics include:
 * arroz con gandules — rice with pigeon peas, the unofficial national dish of Puerto Rico
 * arroz con jueyes — rice with land crab meat
 * asopao — a spicy tomato stew with rice and chicken or seafood
 * bacalaitos — salted cod fritters
 * chillo — red snapper, the most common fresh fish on the island
 * empanadillas — fritters of cheese, meat or lobster
 * sofrito — a fragrant sauce of sweet pepper, herbs, garlic and oil, used as base and seasoning for many dishes
 * quenepas — a green grape-like fruit common in summer, don't eat the skin or seeds (and watch where you put them, they stain clothes easily)
 * sorrullos — corn sticks, which come either sweet or salty

Places to eat
Meals in sit-down restaurants tend to be fairly pricey and most touristy restaurants will happily charge $10–30 for main dishes. Restaurants geared for locals may not appear much cheaper, but the quality (and quantity) of food is usually considerably better. It's not uncommon for restaurants to charge tourists more than locals, so bring along a local friend if you can! Note that many restaurants are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

If you want to eat like a local, look for places that are out of the way. There is a roadside food stand or 10 at every corner when you get out of the cities. Deep-fried foods are the most common, but they serve everything from octopus salad to rum in a coconut. You might want to think twice and consult your stomach before choosing some items - but do be willing to try new things. Most of the roadside stand food is fantastic, and if you're not hung up with the need for a table, you might have dinner on a beach, chomping on all sorts of seafood fritters at $1 a pop, drinking rum from a coconut. At the end of dinner, you can see all the stars. In the southwest of the island, in Boqueron, you might find fresh oysters and clams for sale at 25 cents apiece.

If you are really lucky, you might get invited to a pork roast. It's not just food - it's a whole day - and it's cultural. Folks singing, drinking, hanging out telling stories, and checking to see if the pig is ready, and staying on topic, you'll find the pig likely paired with arroz con gandules.

Typical fast food restaurants, such as McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Wendy's are numerous in Puerto Rico and are almost identical to their American counterparts with minor exceptions.

Finally, there are some wonderful restaurants, and like everywhere, the best are found mostly near the metropolitan areas. Old San Juan is probably your best bet for a high quality meal in a 5-star restaurant. However if your experimental nature wanes, there are lots of "Americanized" opportunities in and around San Juan. Good luck, keep your eyes open for the next roadside stand, and make sure to take advantage of all the sports to counteract the moving buffet.

Dietary restrictions
Strict vegetarians will have a tough time in Puerto Rico, although the larger towns have restaurants that can cater to their tastes. Traditionally almost all Puerto Rican food is prepared with lard, and while this has been largely supplanted by cheaper corn oil, mofongo is still commonly made using lard, bacon or both. As a general rule, foods that are perceived as more traditional are much more likely to be made with lard.

Drink
Unlike most U.S. territories and states, Puerto Rico's drinking age is 18. That, coupled with the fact that the U.S. does not require U.S. residents to have a passport to travel between Puerto Rico and the continental U.S., means Puerto Rico is becoming increasingly popular during spring break. Beer and hard liquor is available at almost every grocery store, convenience store, panadería (bakery), connell cabinet shop, and meat shop. There are many bars just off the sidewalk that cater to those of age, especially in San Juan and Old San Juan. Puerto Rico is famous for its rum and rum drinks, and is the birthplace of the world renowned Piña Colada. Several rums are made in Puerto Rico, including Bacardì, Captain Morgan and Don Q. Rum is, unfortunately, not a connoisseur's drink in the same way as wine or whiskey, and you may get a few odd looks if you ask for it straight since it is almost always drunk as a mixer. The best rum available in Puerto Rico is known as Ron de Barrilito. It has only been available in the mainland U.S. since the 2020s, and is considered to be the closest to the rums distilled in the Caribbean in the 17th and 18th centuries, both in taste and the way it is distilled. It has an amber-brown color and a delicious, clean, slightly sweet taste. Very refreshing on a hot day with ice and a mint leaf.

The local moonshine is known as pitorro or cañita, distilled (like rum) from fermented sugarcane. It is then poured into a jug with other flavorings such as grapes, prunes, breadfruit seeds, raisins, dates, mango, grapefruit, guava, pineapple, and even cheese or raw meat. Its production, while illegal, is widespread and a sort of national pastime. If you are lucky enough to be invited to a Puerto Rican home around Christmastime, it is likely that someone will eventually bring out a bottle of it. Use caution as it is quite strong, sometimes reaching 80% alcohol by volume (although typical alcohol levels are closer to 40-50%).

Another often-homemade drink is maví, made from fermented tree bark, which is refreshing with a strength and taste about halfway between soft apple cider and beer.

During Christmas season, Puertoricans also drink "Coquito," an eggnog-like alcoholic beverage made with rum, egg yolks, coconut milk, coconut cream, sweet condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It is almost always homemade, and is often given as a gift during the Christmas holidays. It is delicious, but very caloric. It will also make you very sick if you drink too much of it, so be careful if someone offers you some.

Most stores stock a locally produced beer called Medalla Light that can be purchased for $1–$2 each. Medalla Light is only sold in Puerto Rico, and is first in the Puerto Rican market share. It is comparable in taste to American light beers, i.e. bland and watery. Other beer options for the discriminating drinker include Presidente, a light Pilsner beer from nearby Dominican Republic (note: it's a different brew from the Dominican version), and Beck's. Beck's imported to Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean is a different brew from the one that makes it to the U.S. mainland, and is considered by many to be better. Other beers which have popularity on the island are Budweiser (Bud Lite is not available or very difficult to find), Heineken, Corona and Coors Light, which happen to be one of the prime international markets. Many other imported beers are also available, but usually at a higher price.

Most of the beers sold vary from 10- to 12-ounce bottles or cans. The portions are small (compared to the Mainland) in order to be consumed before the beer has time to warm up.

Tap water is treated and is officially safe to drink, although somewhat metallic-tasting.

If you are an avid coffee drinker, you may find heaven in Puerto Rico. Nearly every place to eat, from the most expensive restaurants to the lowliest street vendors, serves coffee that is cheap, powerful, and delicious. Puerto Ricans drink their coffee in a way particular to the Caribbean, known as a café cortadito, which is espresso coffee served with sweetened steamed milk. A cup of coffee at a good panadería is rarely more than $1.50. Although coffee was once a formidable component of Puerto Rico's agriculture, its domestic production has declined significantly and most coffee sold in Puerto Rico is actually from Brazil or Colombia. However, indigenous coffee is experiencing a comeback, with a variety of excellent brands such as Alto Grande, Yaucono, Altura, and Café Rico. Puerto Rico's best coffee is now some of the most expensive and exclusive in the world, and a box of estate-grown coffee is an indispensable souvenir for the passionate coffee lover.

For those who want non-alcoholic drinks, horchata is a popular drink in Puerto Rico that is made from vanilla, cinnamon and sesame seeds, and differs significantly from its better-known Mexican counterpart.

As a legacy of Puerto Rico's status as one of centers of world sugarcane production, nearly everything is drunk or eaten with sugar added. This includes coffee, teas, and alcoholic drinks, as well as breakfast foods such as avena (hot oatmeal-like cereal) and mallorcas (heavy egg buns with powdered sugar and jam). Be aware of this if you are diabetic.

Sleep
There are over 12,000 hotel rooms in Puerto Rico and 50% are located in the San Juan area.

International chains such as Sheraton, Westin, Marriott, Hilton, Ritz-Carlton, Holiday Inn as well as some luxurious independent resorts offer very reliable accommodations. There is a boom underway in boutique hotel construction which promise a higher level of service and Miami-chic appeal. Most large cities have at least one international chain hotel.
 * All major international hotel chains have properties in Puerto Rico. Guests can expect a high level of service even in lower quality properties. The San Juan area is very popular and perennially full of visitors but also suffers from a shortage of hotel rooms which results in high prices during the winter season. New developments on the horizon look to alleviate this problem.

There are properties to rent, buy, or lease available, whether it is a quiet home or a vacation rental. There are also many fully furnished apartments you can rent by the day, week and month, especially in Old San Juan. These are usually inexpensive, clean and comfortable and owned by trustworthy people. They are located mostly in the residential area, which is safe (day and night), and within walking distance to everything from museums to nightlife.

See the San Juan section for contact numbers for hotels and short-term rental apartments.

Learn
Most universities in Puerto Rico are accredited by US authorities and they offer quality educational programs. It's very easy to find Spanish courses as well as learn to dance salsa.

Puerto Rico has 3 ABA-accredited law schools which are very competitive. The University of Puerto Rico Law School is very friendly towards international students and is a great option for foreigners looking for a quality, cheap education (subsidized by the government) that is less than 10 minutes from a beach!

Also the island has major medical teaching centers which are internationally acclaimed such as the University of Puerto Rico Center for Medical Sciences and the Ponce School of Medicine.

Work
There is a small international workforce on the island. In general, it's possible to find a nice job on the island doing various things. The island is full of international businesses which look for skilled labor all the time. Tourism is obviously a big industry for Puerto Rico. Also, the majority of pharmaceutical companies can be found here and the island plays a very important part in pharmaceutical manufacturing for the U.S. and other places in the world.

Stay safe
If you look at the statistics, it's clear that Puerto Rico has a crime problem, but tourists generally encounter no major problems when simply applying common sense. The tourist areas of San Juan and Ponce are heavily patrolled by police, and violent crime directed against tourists is extremely rare. The main problem is theft: never leave your belongings unattended anywhere (on the beach, in a restaurant/bar, etc.) The crime rate is lowest in the wealthier suburbs outside major metropolitan areas, such as Isla Verde, Condado, San Patricio, and Guaynabo. Car theft is a minor issue, so park your car in a garage and don't leave valuables inside. After the traditionally high murder statistics peaked in 2011, the FBI increased its involvement in Puerto Rico, taking charge of a large number of cases as well as addressing corruption and other problems in the island's police force. This FBI involvement and other initiatives to increase public safety seem to be paying off, as the island has seen a promising decline in heavy crime over the past few years. Like all cities in the US, serious crime is concentrated in the densely populated metropolitan cities of San Juan and Ponce. Most of it is committed by the youth or young adults, and almost always there's a connection to the drug trade. Puerto Rico's history of rampant and staggering drug smuggling during the 1970s is now mostly over thanks to a beefed-up law enforcement presence, but the island's location still makes it a major point of entry for narcotics into the US. Make sure to stay away from public housing complexes known as caseríos, which are numerous and widespread throughout the island, and avoid shanty slums as well (La Perla in San Juan). These are frequently the location of drug dealers and other illegal activity as well as violent crime. If you must venture into such a location, do so during the day, try to blend in and avoid attracting attention, and be polite at all times.

Beggars are common in large cities and tourist attractions. If you feel you are being harassed, a firm "No" will usually suffice.

Stay healthy
Freshwater lakes and streams in metropolitan areas are often polluted so avoid going in for a dip. You can, however, find freshwater streams and ponds in the rain forest that are safe to swim in. Generally, if you see Puerto Ricans swimming in it then you are probably okay, especially high in the rain forest. Puerto Rico is a tropical island, but is free of most diseases that plague many other tropical countries of the Caribbean and the world. Tap water is safe to drink almost everywhere, and your hosts will let you know if their water is suspect. Bottled water, if necessary, is available, at grocery and drugstores in gallons, and most small stores have bottled water as well.

Medical facilities are easily available all around the Island, and there are many trained physicians and specialists in many medical fields. There are a number of government as well as private hospitals. Health services are fairly expensive. Keep in mind that a visit to the doctor may not be as prompt as one is used to, and it is common to have to wait quite some time to be seen (three to four hours would not be exceptional).

Visitors should expect a high level of quality in their medical service - it is comparable to the U.S. mainland. Drug stores are plentiful and very well stocked. Walgreens is the biggest and most popular pharmacy chain, although Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Costco offer medicines, as do numerous smaller local chains.

Respect
Politeness and a simple smile will get you far. Unspoken rules regarding personal space differ somewhat from the American mainland; people generally stand closer together when socializing. For either gender, it is very common to customarily kiss on one cheek when greeting a female. This is never done by a male to another male (except between relatives). Puerto Rican society is generally very social, and you will commonly see neighbors out at night chatting with each other.

It is wise in some cases to avoid discussing the island's politics, especially with regards to its political status with the United States. Arguments are often very passionate, and can lead to heated debates. In the same manner it may be wise not to discuss the political parties either, as Puerto Ricans can be very passionate about the party they affiliate with. Puerto Rico has 3 political parties, marked (among other things) by different stances towards the relation to the United States: PNP (statehood), PPD (commonwealth) and PIP (independence). PNP and PPD share the majority of the voters, whilst PIP has a relatively negative rating.

It is fairly common for attractive women to have cat calls, whistles, and loud compliments directed at them. These are usually harmless and it is best to just ignore them.

Puerto Ricans love board games. Some would even say that the national game of Puerto Rico is dominos. It is a very common pastime, especially among older people. In some rural towns, it is common to see old men playing dominos in parks or the town square. Chess is also popular. Either a chess set or a box of dominos makes a great gift.

Respect for the elderly is very highly valued in Puerto Rico. When saying goodbye to an older person, it is a gesture of great respect to say "Bendicíon" (a request for his/her blessing), to which s/he will respond, "Díos te lo bendigan" ("May God bless you").

LGBTQ visitors will find Puerto Rico a far more tolerant destination than many in the Caribbean (particularly the Anglophone Caribbean). Same-sex marriage was legalized in 2015, and discrimination in public accommodations against LGBTQ people is against the law. Nevertheless, Puerto Rico is still far behind Western Europe in this respect, and more comparable to the American South than the US coasts in its attitudes. Open displays of affection will be met with stares and catcalls, but the likelihood that a tourist will encounter open hostility is very low. Youth are usually much more open than the older generation. The most gay-friendly areas are in San Juan, particularly Condado, Santurce and Hato Rey.

Cellular phones

Puerto Rico has a modern cellular network. All the major US carriers are represented and are not roaming for US subscribers with nationwide plans. Services are provided by Claro (owned by América Móvil) and the US-based telcos, T-Mobile US (which also merged with Sprint), and AT&T (which sold its network to Liberty Latin America in Nov 2020).

Voice coverage
All of the major metro areas have solid coverage with all carriers. For rural areas and the islands Culebra and Vieques, coverage is pretty good but can be spottier than in the states and you may find poor or no coverage at the beaches. AT&T/Liberty is generally regarded to have the best voice coverage, followed by T-Mobile, and Claro.

Data coverage
T-Mobile has 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G data in the major metro areas, averaging over 1,500 kbit/s or higher, but they only have 2G outside those areas. Personal hot spots work well for streaming and other uses in the 3G areas.

AT&T/Liberty has the most consistent and by far the fastest data coverage on the island, with solid 4G LTE/HSPA+ and 3G coverage in the metro areas and 3G or 2G in the rural areas. Data rates average around 500 kbit/s on 3G and speeds on the 4G LTE network can be up to 10 times fast than 3G. Personal hot spots work well for streaming and other uses in the 3G and 4G areas.

Claro also has 3G and 4G LTE data. Verizon Wireless also uses Claro's network for roaming coverage and Verizon Wireless customers won't be subject to any charges when using Claro's Network in Puerto Rico.

Internet
Public access internet penetration is not yet as good as in the mainland US or in Europe. Internet cafes exist but are not very common, although some cafes, such as Starbucks, and restaurants, such as Subway, provide free WiFi. Some of the major metro areas provide free WiFi zones, such as along Paseo de la Princesa in Old San Juan, but these tend to be slow and unreliable. There is no free WiFi at the primary airport, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU). Most hotels provide wired or wireless (or both) internet for guests, either for free or a fee, however many motels do not. Puerto has continually strived to improve the Internet on the island.

Mail
Puerto Rico uses the U.S. Postal Service with zip codes 00601-00795 and 00901-00988 with a state code of "PR". Postage to the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), St Thomas, and to overseas U.S. military and diplomatic posts (with APO, FPO or DPO addresses) are the same domestic rates as it would be to send something within Puerto Rico and to Vieques and Culebra Islands.

Consulates

 * 🇩🇰 Denmark
 * 🇵🇹 Portugal
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden

title: Puerto Rico


text:
Puerto San José

Puerto San José is a city of 24,000 people (2018) in the Pacific Lowlands region of Guatemala.

Understand
Puerto San José was founded in 1853. The port is at the end of a railway line that begins in Puerto Barrios on the Atlantic coast. Until the 1980s, Puerto San José was Guatemala's most important port.

Puerto Quetzal was built around 1980 as a container port, and within a few years it developed into the country's largest port on the Pacific coast.

In addition to the large port complex, tourism is an important economic factor due to the holiday resorts of Chulamar and Likín.

Get in
By plane

By car
Puerto San José is about 110 km south of Guatemala City on the CA-9 motorway.

By ship
Cruise ships dock in the port of Puerto Quetzal, either at the or at a container quay.

See
The two cities of Puerto San José and Puerto Quetzal and the surrounding area do not offer any special sights. Cruise passengers will find interesting excursion destinations in the hinterland, but should always think about the departure time of their ships due to the distances.

Do
Go fishing.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Puerto San José


text:
Puerto Suárez

Puerto Suarez is in Santa Cruz Department in Bolivia, near the Brazilian border city of Corumbá.

Understand
Puerto Suarez is mostly a gateway to/from Brazil and Paraguay.

By train
There are regular trains going to Santa Cruz from Ferroviaria Oriental. There are 4 services of varying comfort and price. The Ferrobus has Cama (Bs. 250) and Semi-Cama (Bs. 222) which runs overnight leaving at 18:30 on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. The Expresso Oriental costs Bs. 127 and leaves at 16:00 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The local service "regional" is not advisable due to longer travel times and greater discomfort. It leaves daily at 11:45. The Mixto leaves on Thursdays and costs Bs. 47. The station is quite a ways south of the city center.

Note the station of Puerto Quijarro is closer to the border, if in transit to Brazil.

By bus
There are buses going all the way to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, 28 hr away. Crossing the border to the Brazilian tourist town of Corumbá is easy by taxi. Be sure to note border opening hours, the Brazilian border may close early on Sunday.

By plane
Boliviana de Aviación offer flights from Santa Cruz.

Get around
Taxis will take you to the Brazilian border, from there a bus can carry you to the bus station in Corumbá.

See
The Pantanal is the largest wetland, and though only 10% of it is in Bolivia, it is possible to see the abundance of wildlife without crossing the border. Bolivian companies such as Ruta Verde can organize trips in advance, though most trips leave from nearby Corumbá in Brazil.

The caves at Motacusito are 7 km to the west, and have stalactite formations.

Do
There are numerous designated swimming holes "balnearios" and waterfalls in the area to enjoy the abundance of fresh water. El Salao and Vertiente, both east of town, are well developed and attract crowds. La Represa, towards the mine of Mutún, is reportedly the best, though at 25 km is far. Do not be fooled into paying taxi fare all the way to the abandoned mine site at Mutún.

Buy
Puerto Suarez is the best place to buy the semi-precious gem Bolivianite, especially in uncut form. A large local business has formed around processing, selling and exporting the gem.

Eat
There are several restaurants along Avenida Bolívar.

Drink
Puerto Suarez is not a major tourist center, in comparison to Corumbá, or other Bolivian cities like Sucre. Nightlife is limited by the small size of the city, though Avenida Bolívar is the center of life in the town.

Mid-range

 * Casa Real, Calle Vanguardia 39, one block away from the central square, Tel, 976.3335, has Wifi Internet and a swimming pool
 * Casa Real, Calle Vanguardia 39, one block away from the central square, Tel, 976.3335, has Wifi Internet and a swimming pool

Splurge

 * Resort El Pantanal, Arroyo Concepción, outside the city, tel. +591 3 978-2020; for transport to the resort, call +591 77-036351 (cel.)

Go next
The Pantanal is the world's largest and most diverse freshwater wetland ecosystem, and there are many tours available from nearby Corumbá.

title: Puerto Suárez


text:
Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta, colloquially known as Vallarta, is a city on Mexico's Pacific Coast. While it is established as a modern resort town, the Old Town (the Zona Romantica district) south of the River Cuale is more of a traditional Mexican city.

Around the Bay, beautiful beaches, lush jungles, and sparkling waterfalls offer many opportunities for the adventurous, while five-star resorts, world-class shopping, and gourmet restaurants satisfy even the most sophisticated traveler. Stretching from the south end of Old Town to central downtown, a newly extended and refurbished boardwalk along the ocean, called the Malecon, passes by any number of shops, restaurants, and hotels, and often plays host to mimes, breakdancers, clowns and artists.

Understand
The residents are friendly and generally willing to help with directions and other requests. Puerto Vallarta also has gained a reputation as one of the few cities in Latin America that enthusiastically welcomes LGBT tourism. The area in and around the Zona Romantica is particularly known for having many hotels, bars, shops and restaurants that cater to gay tourists. There is also an annual Pride festival held in May.

English is widely spoken, and as a tourist destination, prices are higher than many other places in Mexico. Puerto Vallarta is very crowded at holidays, if you're planning a visit to Mexico that coincides with a major holiday, consider visiting Mexico City or Guadalajara instead. The cities empty out as Mexicans and tourists flood to the beaches.

To the north, the hills give way a little. Here you will find mile-long stretches of golden sand beaches, rich plantations of papaya and mango and, tucked back along tumbling rivers and streams, small villages where life seems to move at a different pace. There are many different ways to explore the Bay.

To the south, the hills cascade towards the sea creating a rich palette that mixes the vivid green foliage with the deep blues of the water. At their feet nestle secluded coves and small fishing villages, many of which are still accessible only by sea.

To the east, the jungle clad Sierra Madre Mountains, which quickly rise to over, encircle and protect the town from the winds and regulate the semi-tropical and humid weather.

And, to the west, the Bay of Banderas is home to a wide variety of aquatic life. Humpback whales come here to mate every year from December to March, and sea turtles nest on the beaches from May to October. Schools of dolphins and giant manta rays also inhabit these waters. The Bay and the Marietas Islands offer an amazing kaleidoscope of tropical fish, attracting snorkelers, scuba divers and sport fishermen alike.

Airlines and destinations
International flights are offered from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom year round. Direct flights from additional cities in North America and from Europe are only offered seasonally, usually between November and March. Domestic flights are offered from major Mexican cities including Mexico City (from both MEX and NLU) and Monterrey.

The following airlines offer regular service to Puerto Vallarta:
 * Sala A - Concourse A: Aeromexico/Aeromexico Connect, Calafia, Magnicharters, TAR, VivaAerobus and Volaris,
 * Sala B - Concourse B: Alaska Airlines, Air Canada, Air Transat, American Airlines, Delta, Copa Airlines, Southwest, Sun Country, Spirit, Sunwing, TUI Airways, United, World2Fly and Westjet. The following carriers only come seasonally: Frontier, Finnair and airlines chartered by Apple Vacations. Even the carriers that come regularly, year round, (listed in the former) offer seasonal flights from additional cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico than they do at other times of the year.

Inside the airport
Upon exiting from customs, the next two rooms outside of customs are plagued by timeshare hucksters. They will offer to arrange a cab ride, arrange for a tour, offer free meals, cash etc for you in an effort to rope you into a high pressure timeshare sales presentation. Unless you are looking to buy timeshare or to burn hours of vacation time in timeshare sales presentations, do not engage in conversation with anyone in the next two rooms. Walk quickly through the next two rooms - the ones housing the hucksters - continue walking past the rope-line out to the main arrivals area.

From the airport by e-hailing
The is on the opposite side of the main road from the airport terminal under the pedestrian bridge.

From the airport by taxi
Look for the official taxi kiosk or car rental desks out in the main airport arrivals hall. You can purchase your taxi trip here. All other offers of cab rides you will receive between customs and the kiosk will be from the timeshare hucksters. Ignore every one of them. The bad experience of those taken in can ruin one's first hours in PVR, and that would be a shame. Or hire private transportation.

From the airport, there are two types of taxis available to get you to where you are going. The white federal taxis are available immediately upon exiting the airport but are more expensive. Cross the pedestrian bridge over the highway for the cheaper yellow taxis that are more common in other parts of the city.

From the airport by bus
If you've packed lightly you can take the city buses into town. Go out the doors and turn left towards the main road next to the building. Turn left again at the corner of the building and go through a small taxi and shuttle parking lot towards the pedestrian bridge. Under the pedestrian overpass is the Wait for a bus (5 minutes or so) marked "Centro" (but not marked Pitillal or Bobadilla), wave it down, pay your M$10 (Nov 2021), and enjoy the ride. The bus stops all throughout the town. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes for the bus to get to its farthest southerly stop. You need exact change for the bus, as you throw the coins into a box as of November 2021. By taking the city bus you've just saved US$20!

If going towards central bus station, Nueva Vallarta, Bucerias, Sayulita or anywhere north, go up to the pedestrian bridge and walk over to the other side of the road. The bus stop for buses going north is under the pedestrian bridge at the opposite side of the road and also where to get off if coming back to the airport from town.

For going to the bus station take the northbound bus going towards "Ixtapa" or "Juntas" and get off Las Palmas which is the Cerveza Corona building at Km 9 and walk back two blocks along La Palmas or take the "Victoria Guadalupe" bus which makes the turn towards the actual bus station in Colonia Victoria Guadalupe.

From the airport by private transportation
If you are visiting Puerto Vallarta, you should consider private pre-arranged transportation directly from your airport to your hotel. This transportation can be arranged by contacting a company by phone or booking online. This will save you time and money. There are several companies that can take you anywhere in Puerto Vallarta and surrounds.

By carpooling
For example from or to Guadalajara is for around M$300 (Nov 2021) on Blablacar.

By boat
Major cruise ships loaded with thousands of tourists from the United States as well as Europe dock in the city's main port typically spending an entire day there. Other port accommodations are available for those wishing to travel along the coast.

By intercity bus
Bus service in Mexico is quite reliable and comfortable. Several lines serve Puerto Vallarta. Buses have air conditioning (except some "economy" ones), and often show movies and have refreshments.

(Central de Autobuses) To go there you can take an Uber for around M$100 (Nov 2021), a taxi for around M$200 or a local bus (Guadalupe Victoria, Ixtapa or Juntas) for M$10 (Nov 2021) from the city. Buses go to Tepic (3 hours), Guadalajara (4-5 hr), Mexico City (12-13 hr), Manzanillo (5 hr), Mazatlan (6 hr), Barra de Navidad, Zihuatanejo (14-14½ hr) and to other locations. The main bus station is in the northeastern part of town, at Bahia de Sin Nombre 363, a couple blocks behind the Corona Building at Km 9 Carretera Tepic-Puerto Vallarta (Hwy 200) along Av Las Palmas in Colonia Guadalupe Victoria. It is 3 km past the airport terminal and 9 km NE of the downtown core (el centro). The following bus lines offer services into and out of the Central Bus Terminal:

The following do not serve the main bus station:

The following are local city buses going north to the Riviera such as Bucerias, Sayulita, Punta Mita, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mezcales, and Nuevo Vallarta. in Nayarit state. Buses going towards Nayarit can only stop in front of Wal-Mart, next to the airport and in front of the Cerveza Corona Building at Km 9 along Carr. Tepic-Vallarta (Hwy 200):

Going south there are white and orange buses going to Mismaloya, the Puerto Vallarta Zoo, Boca, and the Botanical Gardens plus all the small towns along the way. They pick up in front of Oxxo at Basilio Badillo & Constitucion in Col. Emiliano Zapata (Zona Romantica)

In town there's an additional bus stop at the NE corner of Aguacate & Venustiano Carranza in Zona Romantica (Colonia Emiliano Zapata) for first & second class buses going south to El Tuito, Manzanillo and anywhere along the way. Tickets can bought from vendors in front of Abarrotes Don Chalio on 402 Venustiano Carranza; Farmacia Guadalajara on the SE corner of Insurgentes & Lazaro Cardenas; or Superior Tours on Ignacio L. Vallarta 228 (SW of Ignacio L Vallarta & Calle FCO Madero ). Fares for second class buses can be paid to the driver at boarding.

If coming into town from the south ask to get off in Zona Romantica (along Insurgent) if going to downtown or Zona Romantica, otherwise stay on the bus to the bus station (north) to continue north to Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias, Sayulita, Tepic, or anywhere in the Riviera.

By car

 * Carretera_federal_200.svg The Carretera Pacifico (Fed Hwy 200) begins 162 km north in Tepic (3 hr) and winds down through the Riviera and eventually into Puerto Vallarta from the north as Carretera Tepic-Pto Vallarta and Blvd Francisco Medina Ascencio. Going south into town the highway splits into local one way streets through 5 de diciembre and Zona Centro as Av Mexico and Av Morelos and as Ignacio Vallarta through Zona Romantica south of the Rio Cuale. The main highway continues south towards Manzanillo (273 km) through Mismaloya. From the south the highway enters as Carretera Pto Vallara-Cihuatlan and into Zona Romantica as Av Insurgentes. It becomes Av Juarez and than Av Colombia going north through Zona Centro and 5 de Diciembre.

 * Carretera_federal_15D.svg & Carretera_federal_15.svgg from Guadalajara (322 km) go west along Fed Hwy 15D towards "Tepic" to the "Chapilla-Pto Vallarta" exit and continue west towards Hwy 68D through Chapilla to the roundabout junction with Hwy 200, southwest of Compostela. Alternatively you can also exit off the main highway by following the signs for "Tepic Libre" (Fed Hwy 15) after entering into Zapopan instead of continuing along the "Tepic Cuota" (main toll highway on Fed Hwy 15D). Exit again at Fed Hwy 70 going towards "Tala Ameca". The road winds through Tala, Ameca and Mascota; becomes State Hwy 544 west of Mascota and enter Pto Vallarta as Las Palmas through Col. Ixtapa northeast of town.

By e-hailing
Uber covers the city.

By taxi
Hotels may provide a price list for cabs. Hotels will also offer (expensive) transport from airport to hotel, but it is much better to take a taxi. If you've booked with a travel agency, they will most likely provide you with transportation to and from the airport.

Be prepared for fast speeds, as the cab drivers have schedules to adhere to. Many of the cabs do not have working seatbelts or speedometers as well. Taxi drivers tend to gather at the intersection close to the liquor outlet in the Centro District. They are friendly and you can negotiate trips outside of Puerto Vallarta at a very reasonable cost on slow days. They will wait for you while you dine or shop as well as photograph you and your mates. Tip only if the taxi driver did something above and beyond normal transportation (e.g., helped with bags, waited while running an errand).

By bus
To find a connection, Moovit and Google Maps cover the city. Bus trips cost M$10 (Nov 2021) that you pay to the bus driver when you get in. For that fare you can go through the whole city on one bus. In the city buses you don't get change. If paying for two persons with a M$20 bill, you can fold it and push it through the coin slot inside the bus. Make sure to keep the ticket you are provided by the driver in case an inspector gets on the bus, both for your sake and the driver's sake.

You can only enter and exit at a bus stop, which are shown for example in Google Maps; additionally you can have a look where other people wait for the bus on the sidewalk. You need to flag down a bus in order to stop. Buses run quite frequently. Look for your travel location on the bus windshield. Buses at peak hours tend to get crowded and can get hot, so be ready for that. Some buses have air-conditioning. If you are a man, be ready to give up your seat to women if the bus becomes crowded.

The buses are very reliable and quite handy to get to places like Pitillal (the rapidly growing suburb to the northeast) and Ixtapa (including the nearby U of Guadalajara campus with its gallery and crocodile farm). They are also useful for traveling from the hotel zone and marina area to the downtown or old town areas. Any bus marked "Centro" will pass through both. Buses marked Tunel will skip downtown and head directly to the old town/Zona Romantica via the tunnel bypass.

By car
Be very careful if you choose to drive in Puerto Vallarta. The police seem to pull tourists over at the drop of a hat during spring break. When you pick up a rental, check that all the lights work. Also when you are pulled over for a light violation, do not be surprised if the police holds out an open palmed hand, while holding your driver’s license hostage in the other. Most police officers are underpaid and will for the most part demand a small bribe to let you off the hook.

Public beaches
Beautiful Banderas Bay, one of the largest and deepest in the world, may be admired from many of the surrounding hills exuberant in lush vegetation. Located right at the mouth of the Bay, straddling both sides of the River Cuale lays a charming and picturesque little town with true Mexican spirit, Puerto Vallarta.

For those who just want to relax, Puerto Vallarta's many golden sand beaches offer one of the best ways to experience the beauty and magic of the Bay of Banderas.

Art galleries

 * Galería Arte Latinoamericano - Two-floor gallery. Participates in art walk
 * Galería Corsica - Contemporary Mexican fine art
 * Galería Omar Alonso - Dedicated to antique and contemporary photography, engraving and sculpture
 * Gallería Pacificio - One of Vallarta's leading galleries since 1987; sponsors the Public Sculpture Walking Tour that starts at 21:30 every Tuesday on the Malecon, Nov-April.
 * Galería Omar Alonso - Dedicated to antique and contemporary photography, engraving and sculpture
 * Gallería Pacificio - One of Vallarta's leading galleries since 1987; sponsors the Public Sculpture Walking Tour that starts at 21:30 every Tuesday on the Malecon, Nov-April.

Do
Puerto Vallarta has many activities and excursions to keep you entertained. The adventurous can hike or mountain bike in the hills, explore the jungle and hidden trails on horseback, take a jeep safari, snorkel, scuba dive, charter a yacht or sailboat, or take a cruise on one of the many party boats, make a personal photoshoot. Oftentimes they are easily booked online.

Events around the year
Mardi Gras/Carnaval: The parade takes places in the Zona Romantica. You will also see the gay charm around downtown.

November: The first weekend of November Vallarta holds the Half Marathon and 5-km race. Everyone is welcome to enjoy it. "http://www.maratonvallarta.com/"

December: Mexico's patron saint, the Lady of Guadalupe, is celebrated throughout Mexico on December 12th. Puerto Vallarta's celebration starts around December 1st, Local people, hotel, condominium owners, and organizations go on a pilgrimage parade through downtown around 18:00 until 21:00 everyday. You´ll see traditional dancers, mariachis, bands, and individuals offering tribute to the Virgin. A festival with regional foods and games takes place in the main square.

Botanical gardens

 * Vallarta Botanical Gardens is a nonprofit institution. The Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens was founded in 2004 and was opened to the public in 2005.
 * Hacienda de Oro Visitor's Center with spectacular mountain views, is also where you will find Hacienda de Oro Restaurant, with a courteous staff, delicious brick oven pizzas, salads and other Mexican specialties. Hacienda de Oro Restaurant was designed by Santa Rosa, California, native and world-renowned fine artist, Anthony Sbragia. Also, in this area are the famous "classy" restrooms. Located in the heart of an old growth native forest, with thousands of native and ornamental plants, a short ride from town - by car, bus, taxi.
 * Hacienda de Oro Visitor's Center with spectacular mountain views, is also where you will find Hacienda de Oro Restaurant, with a courteous staff, delicious brick oven pizzas, salads and other Mexican specialties. Hacienda de Oro Restaurant was designed by Santa Rosa, California, native and world-renowned fine artist, Anthony Sbragia. Also, in this area are the famous "classy" restrooms. Located in the heart of an old growth native forest, with thousands of native and ornamental plants, a short ride from town - by car, bus, taxi.

Adventure and sports
Whale watching

 * Puerto Vallarta’s whale watching season runs from December to March of every year. Humpback whales are the top liners of this fantastic nature show, but you can also see dolphins, porpoises and other animals. Puerto Vallarta Whale Watching Tours take you to see humpback whale mothers and their calves in Banderas Bay.

Golfing
 * La Marina Vallarta Golf Course-Have to have good accuracy for this one due to narrow fairways that are guarded by water
 * Los Flamingos Golf Course-Known as one of the easiest to play
 * The Mayan Palace Nuevo Vallarta Golf Club, 18-hole par 71 course designed by Jim Lipe. Address: Paseo de las Moras S/N, Fraccionamiento Náutico Turístico, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit . Fun course with many obstacles is on the spectacular beaches of Vallarta between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Bahia de Banderas bay. The Vallarta course offers interesting competitive advantages and challenges to golf lovers for the vast fairways appear to be the easy part but the lakes complicate the game for the most expert golfers.
 * El Tigre Golf Club-Long course with many traps and water
 * Vista Vallarta-Hosted the 2002 EMC World Cup Championship

Scuba diving
 * Puerto Vallarta is one of Mexico's top dive destinations. There are many rental shops along the beaches.

Surfing
 * The beaches in Puerto Vallarta are not ideal for surfing, but a daytrip out of town up along the coast of Banderas Bay will take you to some great surf spots! Passing the Ameca river along the way to these spots, you find yourself in the next door northern state of Nayarit. Such trips can be coordinated with a local surfing instructor or done solo.
 * There are many surfing spots in the state of Nayarit: ranging from beginner waves, to perfect reef breaks for experienced surfers. The names of some of the more popular surf spots are: Veneros, Burros, la Lancha, Punta de Mita, San Pancho and Sayulita. The drive from downtown Vallarta to points inside the Bay takes roughly 45 minutes, and a bit over an hour to get to renowned Sayulita on the Pacific coast. Sayulita is a small village which is frequented by many tourists because it is easily accessible and a vast array of businesses cater to beginner surfers. You can find surfboard rentals, surf lessons and great beaches. Sayulita is known for producing some of the best surfers in Mexico like Tigre Cadena, Kalle Carranza, Diego Cadena and Adan Hernandez amongst others.
 * The main beach at Sayulita has consistent waves and the place is crowded during the winter months particularly. There are waves small enough for beginners and large enough for the locals and experts. Most of the adventure companies don't offer surfing lessons and you might need to find an independent instructor.

Snorkeling
 * The most popular snorkeling areas are Los Arcos underwater caves and Marietas Islands caverns. Vallarta Adventures snorkeling trips combine an extraordinary day of sun, fun, and adventure with just the right mixture of entertainment, learning and challenge, while snorkeling, sea kayaking, and exploring the tropical ecosystems on the secluded islands and beach hideaways that surround beautiful Banderas Bay.

Explore the Sierra Madre
 * The Mexican Outback in the states of Jalisco and Nayarit offers an opportunity of discovery and adventure: A culturally and ecologically trained guide can take you into authentic Mexican villages and through the sub-tropical forest with its extraordinary ecology and wildlife. Vallarta Adventures´ Sierra Madre Expedition takes you in specially designed all-terrain vehicles on an off-road voyage of discovery, past forgotten villages into the heart of the Sierra Madre.

Canopy tour and zip lines
 * Puerto Vallarta is well known for its canopy and zip line tours. Experience the exhilarating rush as you fly over the tree tops, securely fastened, from platform to platform.

Sailing
 * Banderas Bay is the second largest bay in North America, behind Hudson Bay. The deep, calm waters offer a very rich biodiversity, stunning beauty, romantic sunsets and relaxed sailing. Vallarta Adventures offers day sailing, sunset sailing, sailing with whales and private charters.

Kitesurfing
 * Kitesurfing is becoming more and more popular in Banderas Bay. Especially in Bucerias, a fishing village north of Nuevo Vallarta, you can see up to 30 people kitesurfing on a Sunday when the wind is good. The calm waters of Banderas Bay, the extended shoreline and the fact that it´s not too crowded with kitesurfers (yet) make it an excellent place to take lessons, for example from Jamison Smith, an IKO Level 2 Senior Certified International Kiteboarding Instructor. The season is from February until May.

Parasailing
 * You are able to parasail at pretty much every beach. The sky high trip usually last around 15 min.

Jet skiing
 * Jet skis can be rented at most beaches by the hour.

Fishing Horseback riding
 * Banderas Bay is home to annual Puerto Vallarta International Fishing Tournament held since 1956. Fish types include sailfish, dorado, marlin, bonita and yellowfin tuna, roostertail, jack crevalle, pargo, red snapper and more denizens of the deep, black, blue and striped marlin.
 * PV Charters - Offers fishing charter services. Phone +322 888-576-0329
 * There are many ranches in town that offer horseback Riding into small villages and through the forests. They can last from a few hours to a few days.

Turtle-watching & repatriation
 * Some tour companies offer educational programs combined with hands-on activities to help save Mexico’s turtles. After the female turtles lay their eggs in nests they create in the sand, volunteers dig up the eggs and re-bury them somewhere safe from predators. After about 45 to 60 days, the eggs hatch. Without help, only about 1 in every 1,000 baby turtles will survive to adulthood because most are caught by predators before they make it back to the safety of the ocean. However, turtle repatriation volunteers keep the babies safe until it is time to set them free to head for the ocean (at night when predators are less active). You can be part of these programs.

Hiking
 * . Bus lines C32T and C32C bring you to their final stop at the trail.
 * . The bus C04 brings you to the final, where you can hike from.
 * . Take the bus line PT21-AT or PT21-AC to Lomas De San Nicolás.
 * . The bus C04 brings you to the final, where you can hike from.
 * . Take the bus line PT21-AT or PT21-AC to Lomas De San Nicolás.

Trails outside of Puerto Vallarta are shown in the Out of town trips.

Yoga

Water parks

Entertainment
November Festival

It usually occurs in the middle of November and includes:
 * Many cocktail parties
 * Wine and tequila tastings
 * Cooking classes
 * Concerts
 * Gala dinners
 * Art expos
 * Screenings

Music

You can also find blues, pop-rock and jazz.
 * Electro Beach Puerto Vallarta - a yearly Electronic Dance Music (EDM) festival featuring talent like Tiesto, Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki, and Hardwell.
 * Malecon - You'll find live Cuban, jazz, rock, Latin American ethnic, Mexican ranchero and Mariachi
 * South Side - Los Muertos Beach offers jazz at Daiquiri Dick's happy hour
 * Marina Vallarta & Nuevo Vallarta-You can have a Mexican dinner and listen to mariachi, marimba, romantic trios and folk harp.
 * North Shore - Offers a variety of live music.

Hiking trails

 * . One short and interesting hike is: Take a water taxi to Yelapa. On the main beach in Yelapa, walk to the right and cross the creek. Hike upwards a few meters to the cobblestone trail. Turn right, and then follow the trail over a ridge and up the adjacent valley. After hiking about 1½ km through a tropical deciduous forest, your persistence will be rewarded. The waterfall is about 10 m high, with a pool for bathers at the base. The falls are more impressive during the rainy season (northern summer). Furthermore OsmAnd or Mapy.cz show some hikings paths near Playa Estaca, Playa Palmares and Mismaloya.
 * . One short and interesting hike is: Take a water taxi to Yelapa. On the main beach in Yelapa, walk to the right and cross the creek. Hike upwards a few meters to the cobblestone trail. Turn right, and then follow the trail over a ridge and up the adjacent valley. After hiking about 1½ km through a tropical deciduous forest, your persistence will be rewarded. The waterfall is about 10 m high, with a pool for bathers at the base. The falls are more impressive during the rainy season (northern summer). Furthermore OsmAnd or Mapy.cz show some hikings paths near Playa Estaca, Playa Palmares and Mismaloya.
 * . One short and interesting hike is: Take a water taxi to Yelapa. On the main beach in Yelapa, walk to the right and cross the creek. Hike upwards a few meters to the cobblestone trail. Turn right, and then follow the trail over a ridge and up the adjacent valley. After hiking about 1½ km through a tropical deciduous forest, your persistence will be rewarded. The waterfall is about 10 m high, with a pool for bathers at the base. The falls are more impressive during the rainy season (northern summer). Furthermore OsmAnd or Mapy.cz show some hikings paths near Playa Estaca, Playa Palmares and Mismaloya.

Further destinations

 * and – Bucerías lies 25 km in the north-west. By bus it's M$20 (Nov 2021). Punta Mita is 45 km in the north-west and costs M$36 (Nov 2021). The easiest way to both towns or points in between is to catch a city bus to Walmart/Sams. Walk 100m in the driving direction to the
 * – It's 15 km in the south and famous for being the location for the movie The Night of the Iguana, directed by John Houston. You can tour the location. For M$10 (Nov 2021) take one of the The bus departs from the Zona Romantica at the intersection of the street Basilio Badillo and Calle Constitucíon. The ride is beautiful. These buses offer you change and depart around every 10 minutes.
 * . A wildlife park in Mismaloya.
 * . Adventure park with canopy zip lines in the jungle, a river and natural swimming pools.
 * – 25 km in the south. A river valley with rock formations and picnic/restaurant.
 * – 86 km in the south. It is a lovely little beach town that time forgot, near the southwest corner of Banderas Bay. It's a long and bumpy bus ride from Puerto Vallarta, or if the fishing business is slow you can usually hire a local charter boat to take you over there.
 * – 70km in the east. For a trip back in time to the 1600s and 1700s; a day-trip up to the old silver mining town is worth the time.

Buy
ATMs are available throughout the city. In the airport is Santander. In the Zona Romántica is a. And in the centro are (citi)banamex and Santander.

 * La Playa liquors and wines. At least two outlets - one in the old town and one in the centro. This is the place to go for reasonably priced tequila. Most of the flashy tequila shops are either factory stores or time-share gimmicks. Neither are good options for buying tequila at a decent price/quality ratio.
 * Manta Maya a shop selling contemporary variations on traditional Mexican cotton clothing. The clothing is made in their shop in Zapopan, on the outskirts of Guadalajara. Basilio Badillo at Ignacio Vallarta.
 * Galeria Indigena a shop specializing in Huichol art as well as art from other indigenous peoples. You'll see bead art everywhere, but this is one of a few shops that sell something at least a little more authentic than colorful beaded lizards and such. Juarez 628.
 * Arte Mágico Huichol another Huichol art shop. In addition to the usual bead art and yarn art they also sell piece of more traditional Huichol handicrafts. Coronoa 179.
 * La Casa del Habano Vallarta's best selection of real Cuban cigars. They also have a cigar bar. Aldama 170, Zona Centro. habanospv@yahoo.com

Eat
The rich cultural diversity of Puerto Vallarta is reflected in the cuisine that its many restaurants have to offer. From the most casual taco stands, to tropical beachfront palapas, to upscale rooftop restaurants with panoramic views, there are literally hundreds of restaurants serving exactly what you are hungry for.

However, care should be taken to avoid travellers' diarrhea. There are many beachside restaurants to tempt you with tropical drinks, but bottled beer is a much safer option.

When taxi drivers, water taxis or other guides seamlessly hand you off to their "amigos" at a beachside restaurant, do not be bashful about seeking other options, or just order a bottled beer to be opened in front of you. Do not trust that your guide has made a good decision, he will be gone with your tip (or that of the restaurant owner for bringing you) long before you show any symptoms. Any restaurants listed in reputable guidebooks and/or are popular with locals are a fairly safe bet.

Street Food
You should not be far away from a taco stall. Just ask a local where you can find one. Some are open only around lunch time, others only in the evening. Prices are around M$20 for a normal taco and around M$55 for a normal sized quesadilla. (updated Nov 2021)

Centro (Downtown) along the beachfront walk

 * La Dolce Vita-Live Music
 * Stars-Disco/Dancing

Sleep
Accommodations around the Bay of Banderas range from well-known international hotel chains and upscale villas and condominiums in the hotel zone, Marina Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta, and Punta Mita to moderately priced hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, apartments villas, and condominiums in Old Town Vallarta. The south end of Old Town has a number of gay-friendly hotels.

Emergency numbers

 * Emergency, Police and Fire: 060
 * Fire Dept: 223-9476, 223-9478
 * Police Dept: 290-0507, 290-0512
 * Red Cross & Ambulance: 222-1533
 * Motor Vehicle Dept: 224-8484
 * Consumer Protection (Profeco): 225-0000
 * Immigration Office: 221-1380
 * American Consulate: 222-0069, 223-0074 - After hours: 01-333-268-2145
 * Canadian Consulate: 293-0098, 223-0074 - After hours: 01-800-706-2900

Hospitals
 * Ameri-Med: 226-2080
 * CMG: 223-1919
 * Cornerstone: 224-9400
 * I.M.S.S.: 224-3838
 * Medasist: 223-0444
 * Regional: 224-4000
 * San Javier: 226-1010

General safety
Puerto Vallarta is a beautiful holiday destination, but this is not an excuse to leave your common sense at home. You should not treat the city as if it is a huge beach resort existing solely for your pleasure.

Exercise caution here as in any place that you are unfamiliar. Keep an eye on your possessions (purses, cameras, etc.) at all times.

Do not flaunt large amounts of cash and wear a concealed money belt to secure large bills and your passport. Make sure you always have small bills and coins on hand to pay for small items.

The beaches and hotels have security people who are familiar with the area and tend to ward off most undesirable characters. As in many "tourist destinations", there are local "tourist police", who concentrate on keeping the area safe for visitors. They, and the locals, understand the value of visitors and make life very difficult for those who may consider preying on visitors.

Avoid confrontations with the police. In the event you do have a disagreement with them, expect to be treated poorly and expect to pay many a peso to regain your freedom. Respect and co-operation goes a long way with them, disrespect usually will not be tolerated.

For digestive issues, use Immodium. It is sold over the counter and works for most issues.

Beach activities
Unfamiliar waters can be dangerous. Observe the warning flags on public beaches as there may be a strong undertow. And never dive into unfamiliar waters as there may be rocks hidden below the surface. Leaving your valuables (cameras, purses, passport) alone on any beach in Puerto Vallarta is an invitation for theft.

Cope
Few places take credit cards. Some larger hotel complexes, high end restaurants and shops do, but most do not. It is very much a cash only economy with ATMs available in convenient locations and a bank downtown where in-person withdrawals can be made.

For the budget traveler - time your visit outside of peak holiday periods (e.g. Santa Semana/ Easter week). Accommodation prices during peak times can double or triple and the beaches become insanely crowded.

If you are traveling around Mexico leave your souvenir shopping until Guadalajara as prices in Puerto Vallarta are higher, sometimes bordering on exorbitant.

Consulates

 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Connect
Telcel has the best coverage in Mexico. A SIM card for the Telcel brand amigo express is for M$29 (Nov 2021) for example in an Oxxo store. You can activate the SIM card by recharging M$50 (Nov 2021) in the Oxxo store or online. All rates be seen here. WiFi is available in all major hotels and most restaurants and bars in town. Cell coverage throughout Puerto Vallarta is very good with 5G being the norm in town. Expect 4G (or less) as you get out into the countryside or explore the Nayarit coast or the Costalegre.

Go next
All of these towns have hostels and private rooms:

To the north or northwest

 * Bucerias – 25 km. A small coastal village with a long uninterrupted white sand beach
 * Punta Mita – 45 km. A relaxed beachfront village.
 * Sayulita – 45 km. You can do hiking into the jungle. The water at the beach is shallow.
 * San Sebastián del Oeste – 80 km. Colonial era mining town with boutique hotels and raicilla.
 * San Francisco (Mexico) – 50 km. At a beach, surrounded by a jungle and notable for its floral diversity.
 * Tepic – 175 km. It's the capital of Nayarit.
 * Mazatlán – It is recommended to take a flight into and out of the city.

To the south

 * Costalegre – hundreds of kilometers of rocky coastline punctuated with sandy beaches, sleepy fishing towns, surfing hot spots, and small unpretentious places to eat, drink, and escape reality

To the east

 * Guadalajara – 330 km. You can take an intercity bus, go by carpooling or take a non-stop flight. From there further to San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende or Querétaro.

By plane
Puerta Vallarta has direct low-cost flights for example to:

 * Querétaro
 * Guadalajara
 * Mexico City

title: Puerto Vallarta


text:
Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas is a city on the southwestern shore of Lake Llanquihue in the Los Lagos (Lakes) Region. The city is famous for its German traditions, and its natural environment. It enjoys a scenic location close to mountains, lakes, forests and national parks.

The city had about 38,000 inhabitants in 2012.

Understand
Puerto Varas is 20 km (12 mi) from the city of Puerto Montt on the shore of Llanquihue Lake, the second largest lake in Chile. The conical Osorno Volcano and the snowcapped peaks of Mt. Calbuco and Mt. Tronador are clearly visible from the lakefront. Puerto Varas is the southernmost of a string of towns on the western shore of Llanquihue Lake that includes Frutillar, Llanquihue and Puerto Octay.

History
The history of Puerto Varas is based closely on its German founders, like Frutillar Bajo. Its history began with the arrival of the first German colonizers to the shores of Lake Llanquihue at the end of 1852. In 1853, a gradual settlement of the area began with immigrants coming mainly from Germany, Austria-Hungary and Switzerland. Most of the population is descended from these colonizers and other people of European origin. Among the German settlers include Sudeten Germans from present Czech Republic who settled the village Nueva Braunau, named after their origin Broumov, with its German name Braunau.

When strolling through downtown some signs and uses of symbols can be related to such origins.

Get in
Puerto Varas is connected to the rest of the country by Route 5, also known as Panamericana. The trip from the capital, Santiago de Chile, takes about 12 hours, during which time about 1030 km are traveled. During the tour there are ten toll plazas.

By bus

There is very frequent minibus service from Puerto Montt, and regular bus service from other cities. Tur-bus, Cruz del Sur, and Pullman offer overnight service from Santiago for a very reasonable price. Semi-cama seats lean back halfway, salon cama even more. Snack and breakfast included for a small fee.

By plane
The nearest airport is El Tepual in Puerto Montt, about 30 km from Puerto Varas, which has regular flights to Santiago, Punta Arenas, Balmaceda and other airports served by LAN Airlines, Sky Airline and Aerolíneas del Sur.

By train
There is a railway station in Puerto Varas, although no passenger trains run south of Temuco. There is no passenger train service to Los Rios or Los Lagos regions.

Other
You can take the Lake Crossing from Bariloche, Argentina. This is generally done via a tour agency.

See

 * Cultural institutions in Puerto Varas include the Antonio Felmer Museum, the Molino Machmar Art Centre, the Nativo Bosque Gallery[11] and the Pablo Fierro Museum.
 * Cultural institutions in Puerto Varas include the Antonio Felmer Museum, the Molino Machmar Art Centre, the Nativo Bosque Gallery[11] and the Pablo Fierro Museum.

Do

There are many options of day trips and adventures available from Puerto Varas. The Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, including the Petrohué falls and Lake Todos los Santos, is about 70 km from Puerto Varas. Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes are nearby. Mt. Osorno has a road to the base of a chairlift which is open all year round, for skiing in winter and sightseeing in summer. There are also good nearby destinations for trekking, flyfishing, rafting, kayaking and other adventures nearby.

 * Puerto Varas is the starting point for bus-and-boat crossings of the Andes, through spectacular forested mountains reflected in shimmering lakes, to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. The trip is best made west to east with an overnight at a hotel in the midst of the wilderness.
 * Puerto Varas is the starting point for bus-and-boat crossings of the Andes, through spectacular forested mountains reflected in shimmering lakes, to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. The trip is best made west to east with an overnight at a hotel in the midst of the wilderness.

Eat
Puerto Varas is known for traditional German dishes, especially Kuchen, which is celebrated on the annual Kuchen Day on the first Saturday of February. Craft beers, pastries, cakes, chocolate and marmalades can also be found in the town’s shops, restaurants and cafes.

Sleep
A good start to find a place to sleep is the Sernatur Office.

Respect
In 2018, there was a lady with a burnt face in town, usually wearing dark glasses and a hoodie. Do give her some pesos: she is having quite a hard time.

Go next
Close to this city are the waterfalls of Petrohue, take the bus to Ensenada, some of them continue via Parque Nacional Vicente Perez Rosales until to Lago todo los Santos from where you could take a boat. Or walk back for about 6km to visit the waterfalls. (in January there are annoying but harmless insects in that parque)

Another place to visit is the small city Frutillar; it has a museum of the first colonists in that area. (the city has to parts the part close to the lake is for most visitors

Puerto Varas is a great base for volcano climbing: there are numerous volcanoes in the vicinity including Osorno & Calbuco, a guide to climbing them can be found here

title: Puerto Varas


text:
Puerto Viejo

There is more than one place called Puerto Viejo:

Costa Rica

 * Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - A town on the southern Caribbean coast in the province of Limón.
 * Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí - A town in the province of Heredia, near La Selva Biological Station.

title: Puerto Viejo