Shopping on Puerto Vallarta
The city has hundreds of shops where visitors can purchase, designer fashions, trinkets, sombreros, collector crafts and art from all over Mexico and beyond. Everything is available -- from the exquisite yarn and
intricate bead work of the
Huichol Indians to upscale Nuevo Mexican home furnishings. Since Mexico is the worlds largest producer of silver, you will find excellent values on jewelry of every description. (Sterling silver will always have .925 stamped on it.) Bargaining over prices is expected, but be cautioned, the Mexicans are experts at this.
Choose your venue: a bazaar-like flea market, the quaint shops of Viejo Vallarta ("Old Town") or the slick boutiques of the malls - Marina Vallarta, for instance. Bartering is expected in local markets, but not in the stores.
The Mercado Municipal ("Flea Market"): On the Rio Cuale, just north of town, you'll find the two-story marketplace crammed with vendors. Test your bartering skills for leather goods, silver jewelry, souvenirs, and local handicrafts.
Downtown Shopping: Shops can be found on most every street and alley but they're concentrated on Juarez and Morelos Streets. Look for silver, blown glass, pottery, arts and crafts, and sandals. Resist the hand-made furniture and home furnishings unless the shop can arrange shipping for you.
Malls: Villa Vallarta, Plaza Marina, and Plaza Neptuno are just a few of the shopping plazas and malls around town. Expect to see much of what you'd see at home.
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