What to buy... and how to know if you are getting a good deal!

There are so many wonderful shops in Puerto Vallarta where you can find a variety of items to take back home with you or buy for friends and family. People love to bring home tequila but Mexico does have more to offer. For the baker, bring back some Mexican vanilla, it is heavenly! Coffee drinkers, get excited because some of the local coffee is amazing! Mexican blankets work wonderfully for when you are back home having a picnic. There are lots of places you can get pewter, whether it is a picture frame or a serving platter. You may want to check out Mundo de Cristal for Mexican glassware (there is more than just margarita glasses!), adorable drink stirrers, and beautifully painted ceramic dishes. There are some nice hand tooled leather items like sandals to be found as well. Hand painted tiles are beautiful and full of color and could be something fun to bring home to friends. Something guaranteed to make you smile are the small hand painted bobble head animals. If you love art, don’t miss the phenomenal galleries in PV, you’ll always remember you purchased the piece while on your trip, and if it is too large to carry on the plane, the galleries will ship it back to the states for you. Your typical souvenirs are also available in PV so if you have a magnet, t-shirt, or shot glass collection back home you need to add to, fear not, you’ll have hundreds to choose from. Check out the flea market and you can shop until you drop!

Most stores have set prices just like in the US or Canada. If you are making a big purchase (for example a piece of artwork) you may be able to get a slight discount. If you are with a big group of people and you have multiple people purchasing the same thing, you can always ask to see if they will offer any discount, sometimes you get lucky.

When buying items or services from beach/street vendors you can usually get items at least 30% off of the original price they tell you, many times even more depending on how busy of a day the vendor is having or how much of an expert negotiator you are. If you aren’t happy with the price, you can always walk away, and sometimes that can work to get a lower price as well. You’ll know when you have hit their rock bottom price because they will let you keep walking. Several places do sell very similar items but if you fall in love with a specific item, it is best to just get it then! The other thing to remember when negotiating is that $1 off you are working so hard to get will probably make a much bigger difference in their lives than yours so consider it your good deed for the day and pay a little extra. Ultimately if it is something you love and you are happy with the quality and price, then you got a good deal!