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Vallarta Questions & Answers
by Vallarta Online Staff | published: 5/20/2006
Have a Puerto Vallarta question?
| While we try to answer frequently asked questions in our information section, we can't always include everything our clients and readers ask us. Most are specific questions about a hotel, tour, or golf course. We are probably one of the few "hands-on" travel agencies that actually answer the questions our clients write in. Why? We know that for most people, Puerto Vallarta will be a completely new experience, and we are here to make sure your vacation experience with us is the best it can be. Sure, we field tons of questions, from difficult, to simple, even downright silly. While a few questions may seem silly, they actually do have an answer, and remember, there is no such thing as a dumb question. Below you will find a cross section of the most asked, most answered and a few funny ones that really do have answers. Q: What documents do I need to travel to Mexico? A: We have a complete section on travel documents in our information section, but in short, if you are from the United States or Canada, a passport is not required; but if you have one, it's always the easiest documentation to travel with. The documents section also answers questions regarding bring minors to Mexico. If you are not traveling with a passport, you will need proof of citizenship (an original or certified copy of your birth certificate with a raised seal, photocopies are NOT accepted) and a picture I.D. (your driver's license is fine, but voting cards are not accepted). Q: Is the water/bottled water safe to drink in Mexico? A: Here is the link to "water" in our website, which you may find useful. Q: Or can I only drink beer and soda/pop without ice? A: Hmmm…Ok, beer and soda pop contain water as well. So that leaves you to drink…? If you are staying longer than a few hours, you are going to have to drink something. I suggest beer or tequila. Actually, you can drink just about anything, and if you plan on being in the sun, drinking plenty of water will do you good! Bottled water is sold in every bar, restaurant and store. You will find bottled water just about everywhere you look. Most hotels either supply bottled water or have a purfied water filtration system on site. Q: Now that the airlines have cut down on baggage limits (70 pounds to 40 pounds) how are people packing bottled water for their trip? A: Most people are taking camels to Mexico since they can store water and go for days without drinking. *grin* Actually, fill your suitcase with your personal belongings and swing by Sam's Club or Wal-Mart, or any other store to stock up on Evian/Ciel/Bonafont water, or your hotel will definitely have purified bottled water and ice. Also note that you can also buy products such as Mountain Dew, Snapple, Dr. Pepper, Bacardi Breezers and Budweiser beer in stores here in Puerto Vallarta. Q: What hotels are best for…(children, couples, activities, handicapped, food,…)? We are always touring hotels and updating our site. Soon, we will be the only website with reservations and tours in Puerto Vallarta that contains our own photos of the hotels and rentals with BIG pictures! So you can see exactly what you are reserving. We are also updating the information and adding "Excellent for:" and other recommendations where we can. We also have a client comments section for each hotel which gives additional information from previous guests.(see the bottom of this page for a good example) If you need to know if a hotel offers a specific amenity, feel free to contact our concierge. Q: Is there a Taco Bell? A: No, there isn't a Taco Bell in Vallarta, but there is McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Dominoes Pizza and Outback Steakhouse. Most of the grocery stores also sell a huge variety of food you are familiar with, from Oreo cookies to Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (Kraft Dinner) and everything in between. Of course, Mexican food tastes even better in Mexico. Q: Are there bugs, snakes, scorpions…? Yes, but chances are you will never see them. It is natural to have such creatures in a tropical climate; in fact, they are pretty much everywhere in the world, maybe just a bit bigger as you go farther south. I can almost guarantee you will not come across any of these, but if you do, they probably won't bother you. All the hotels, restaurants and such fumigate and do whatever they can to keep them away. Q: I want to get married in Mexico! What do you suggest? A: I suggest plenty of homework! Actually, in Mexico, there are two steps to getting married and you need to spend a little time here before the big day to make it legal. To be married legally in Mexico, you need to do the "civil" which involves all the paper work, blood tests, translations, fees, which takes about four days to over a week to complete. The part you are probably dreaming of is the "ceremony" part of the wedding. This is the pretty part, but not legal, you have to complete the "civil", (which you can include with the ceremony), but you cannot have only the "ceremony" and have it be legal where you live. Our suggestion: Get married by a judge or justice of the peace where you live, don't tell anyone and then have the "ceremony" (can be complete with clergy) here on the beach, villa, hotel or at a church. No one will ever know, you will be legally married and you won't have any headaches, and…you can have a spectacular honeymoon right away! Oh, and our concierge can set all of that up for you. Q: Do people ride burros/donkeys? A: Yes, all the time, especially when they cannot hail a taxi! Truthfully, yes, some people who live outside of Vallarta still ride burros, donkeys, and horses as a means of transportation. If you want to see the outskirts of Vallarta, be sure to take the Ram Sierra Adventure. If you would like to ride a burro, check out Andale's on Olas Altas where you can ride the burro around the block and into the bar. No kiddin'. Q: Does this hotel have non-smoking rooms? A: Most hotels do not have specific non-smoking rooms, although a few do. To be honest, even hotels in the United States and Canada cannot guarantee their non-smoking rooms have never been smoked in. Luckily, since the hotels here do not have carpeting in the rooms, and they change the linens and clean thoroughly, you probably will not notice. Q: Why do the hotels not have carpet on the floors? A: Puerto Vallarta is in a tropical climate and carpet will attract mold and mildew. Besides, the tile and marble floors feel really cool on the feet! Plus, it is much easier to remove the sand that has been tracked in from the beach. Q: What is the drinking age in Mexico? A: The drinking age is 18 and you may need to show a driver's license or passport if questioned. If you look younger than 18, bring the necessary I.D. out with you so you don't have to go back to your hotel to get it. Q: Does (this) hotel allow dogs? A: Unfortunately, we do not have any hotels that allow pets. There are some hotels that will allow seeing-eye or service dogs for impaired guests. Please contact our concierge if you have questions or would like to reserve a room. Q: I am coming (the week of) will there be (hurricanes/sun/rain/)? A: They say meteorologists are correct only 50% of the time, so, I hesitate to even guess or attempt to predict the weather, although I really wish I could so I don't wear leather shoes when it rains! What we can offer you is our weather section, which, will be growing very soon with more info, and a few pages of additional weather info. Also, if it says thunderstorms are in the forecast; keep in mind they are usually in the late afternoon, evening or late at night giving you plenty of sunshine during the morning and daytime. Q: Are there nude beaches? A: This question is asked often on message boards and across the internet, and typically the people asking the question do not like the answer. In a nutshell, there are not nude or topless beaches per se, as they are not legal in Mexico, just as they are not legal in most areas of the United States and Canada. On the other hand, there are a few hotels, such as the Sun Getaway, that will allow topless sunbathing at the pool, and of course there are a few beaches in Mexico that are known for having topless or nude sunbathers. Doesn't mean it is legal, it just means that it happens. Can you get a fine? Yes. Will it happen? Who knows, but why chance it? Q: Drugs? A: Drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and such are 100% illegal here. To put it simply, jail is not pretty and that will be the first place you visit if you are caught using, buying, selling or soliciting drugs. Also remember that the law in Mexico is Napoleonic Law which means you are guilty until you prove yourself innocent. Not meant to scare you, but it is wise to know this before you ruin your vacation. Q: Where are you located? A: Believe it or not, we are located right here in beautiful Puerto Vallarta.(Rough life, huh?) We are in constant contact with the hotels, condos, tour companies and golf courses, so we are the only web based travel agency for Puerto Vallarta that has the absolute most up-to-date information about everything in Vallarta. Also, if you really need to know something, you can always contact us. |
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