Like I said in previous posts about Puerto Vallarta that we have our favorite place to eat, we also have our favorite stores to shop. Those cover a variety of different merchandise that we want.
Looking for Deals
If you are looking for deals and like to haggle, there are several places to shop in Puerto Vallarta. Most of the ones listed in this section don’t have set prices. The price they start with can vary on the day of the week and the time of the day. Days that cruise ships are in port are days that the prices tend to be a little higher. Days without cruise ships tend to be a little lower. Ships used to port primarily on Wednesdays and so those were the days we didn’t like to go down town. Now cruise ships may port any day of the week. Not only were prices higher, but the shops and restaurants were crowded. However, the last couple of trips seem to have a variety of days those ships ported. I am not much if a haggler. I want to know the price, let’s pay it and be done. Kim likes to haggle so these are some of her favorites.
Cuale Island Flea Market
There is an island in the middle of the Cuale River – Ok calling it a river is generous for most of the year. For most of the year it is a small stream that sometimes runs on both sides of the island. It is below the surrounding streets so you will need to go down some stairs to access this area. When you walk along the island, there are shops set up on either side with all kinds of merchandise for sale. There are several restaurants there too, but this post is about shopping. All these shops are open to haggling so be prepared for variable pricing on all their wares.
Mercado Municipal Rio Cuale
This “flea market” is on the north bank of the Cuale. It is a two-story shopping area that has many of the same goods you would find down on the island. If you were to ask a taxi driver to take you to someplace where you could shop for souvenirs, you would probably end up here. There are stalls inside the mercado (market) for each of the vendors. Again, we had our favorites, but there have been changes here too. New vendors in and old ones out. Again, haggling is the name of the game here.
Real Market
This is located west of Mercado Municipal Rio Cuale and is like the mercado. You can find similar merchandise here as in the mercado or on the island and put your haggling hat on for here too. Prices in all of the will probably be about the same, but you may find what you are looking for in the color you want one place but not at the others.
Picis Artesanias Mexicanas
This store is not for haggling but usually has some nice art pieces probably created in Mexico, not China. We will go in here if we are looking for something special as a gift for people at home. Prices here are usually firm
Señor Talavera
Talavera tile and pottery are special/unique finds. The true Talavera comes from the town Dolores Hidalgo, just outside of San Miguel de Allende and is handmade and hand painted. If you think of Mexican tile or pots or dishes or sinks, you are probably thinking about Talavera. This shop is located just west of the Mercado Municipal Rio Cuale. This is one of several different places to find Talavera – I will talk about our favorite a little later.
The Opal Mine Puerto Vallarta
There is a lot of opal mined and worked into jewelry (especially with silver) in Mexico. There are several locations in Puerto Vallarta, two of which are on the Malecón. Prices will be firm here and the pieces will be more expensive tan you want to pay.
Tierra Huichol – Galería Malecón, Puerto Vallarta
The Huichol are indigenous people, tribe, from the area around Puerto Vallarta, Nayarit, Jalisco, and other states on the west coast. They are know for the bead works of art. Again, if the art was truly made by the Huichol people, it will be expensive. This gallery is on the Malecón and if you are lucky, you may see someone in the gallery creating a piece while you watch.
General Items
Market Place
There are several markets/stores/supermarkets available for general merchandise. We tend to shop at these when we are staying at a villa, a time-share, or someplace with a kitchen. We also go there for water and if we forgot to pack something. Speaking Spanish is a plus, even at Walmart.
Those include:
- Walmart
- Sam’s Club
- Mega/ Soriano
- Casa Ley
Farmacias
There are farmacias (pharmacies) on almost every corner and often in between as well. The quality and selection varies greatly so use your best judgement when shopping at these. Prices are fixed and English is ify.
OXXO
These are roughly equivalent to a Seven/Eleven or CircleK in the states. Again, a wide variety of what you will find in these. Prices are fixed and English is ify.
Looking for Specialty Items
Mundo de Cristal/Mundo de Pewter/Mundo de Azulejos
The Mundo stores are all located in the same area of old town. If you are looking for truly unique gift items of souvenirs made of glass, pewter, or Talavera, this is where you need to go. They do wrap things very well for you to take with you and offer shipping on many items. We never go to Puerto Vallarta without at least stopping in to one or all of these. It’s fun to just browse even if you don’t buy. These are so popular that cruise ship tours often stop at one or more of these on their tours.
Tequila stores
Tequila originated in this area of Mexico and the true tequila, not what you buy in the States, is smooth and needs no lime or salt to drink. It is just fine to sip it and enjoy. There are many tequila shops in Puerto Vallarta that will be happy to let you sample – you just need to look around. If you try the tequila and it has a bite, say thank you and walk away because it’s not the real thing.