FAQ
12/21/21
Given the news of the omicron variant, we would really appreciate it if all of our guests are fully vaccinated and boosted before the wedding. If you are not able to do so, please bring at-home tests with you to test yourself throughout the weekend and take appropriate precautions.
Testing
U.S. travel is now requiring a negative test 24 hr prior to entering the U.S. Prior guidelines required a 72 hour test prior to re-entering the U.S. Please note that a negative test is not required to enter Mexico.
If you are not staying at Hyatt Ziva, there are numerous clinics around PV to have your test taken. Most Airbnb or VRBO hosts can also coordinate a physician to take the test at your location. We will list our recommended locations to take your test closer to our arrival to PV.
Guests Staying at Ziva
Hyatt Ziva has in house physicians that will take your test on site and will have them readily available for your departure. Please coordinate the testing date with the Hotel concierge upon arrival. It would be best to schedule the appointment upon check in because appointments fill up. Results are sent via email.
Hyatt is also offering insurance to guests for around $35 per person. This guarantees that if you get covid during your stay, you can stay for the duration of your quarantine free of charge. This is only offered at check in and is not available for purchase after check in.
Here is a link with some very helpful information.
We felt like Puerto Vallarta was extremely safe the last couple times we traveled there. Everyone wears masks, and you will be greeted by a staff member with a thermometer to take your temperature and sanitizer when entering any store or restaurant.
Making your way through customs:
Shortly before you land, you will receive a form to fill out. It will ask questions like whether you have anything to declare, where you are staying, and how long you will be in Mexico. You do not have to have this fully filled out before deplaning, but you do have to fill it out before going through customs.
As you go through customs, they will tear off a portion and hand it back to you. THIS SLIP OF PAPER IS REQUIRED TO RE-ENTER THE US! We have both seen people turned away from boarding their return flight because they didn't have the slip, and it can take hours to go through the process to replace it. We typically place the slip in our passport and leave it there. You will not need your passport once you are in Puerto Vallarta.
Covid:
After landing and before going through customs, you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire on the Vuela Seguro Mexico website. The questionnaire asks you to confirm that you do not have Covid-19 and ask a couple other health related questions. QR codes will be available on signage throughout the airport after you deplane.
You will need to create a profile through the website, but only one person per family group needs to complete the form. You will answer the questions for the other people in your group. You will have to show that you completed the form before attempting to go through customs. The airport does have wifi, but it is very slow and not secure.
The Button of Fate:
Once your passport is stamped, you will be asked to press a button (yes, a button). This button will decide whether your luggage will be scanned and/or searched. The button is pressed once for each group/family. So we highly recommend nominating your most lucky travel buddy to press the button.
Credit Card can be used everywhere in Puerto Vallarta, however if you plan on using taxis, buying from street vendors or eating late night tacos we recommend having some pesos to spend. We do not recommend the airport as they tend to short you on the currency. Below are the two recommended ways to exchange.
Withdraw from US bank in Advance
- Your bank can do a currency exchange in advance. Most have pesos readily available at most branches, but if not we recommend you call in advance and schedule an exchange.
ATM Withdrawal (Cajera)
- The fastest and easiest way is to withdraw from the ATM's also called a "Cajera". If your bank waives international withdrawals this is a no brainer, however even if you do not have that option withdrawal fees range from $3.00- $5.00 per withdrawal.
Travel From Airport- Please note, when giving directions of your destination, state the area you are going into and name of hotel or street. For Hyatt Ziva guests, you will be in "Conchas Chinas".
We recommend this transportation company if you would like to book your transportation in advance.
Pro trip- If you find difficulty communicating where you are going, map your location and give the driver the closest restaurant or store to where you are staying and navigate the driver when approaching.
Taxi
Taxis are regularly available when you leave the airport and are moderately priced. Be prepared to pay Cash. USD is accepted.
Uber
Ubers are fairly easy to catch from the airport and are the cheapest option. Due to city regulations, you have to leave the airport area and walk approximately 5 min across the connecting bridge and catch the uber along the side of the road. Depending on your luggage size, it may be an inconvenience to carry all of your personal belongings to the pick up point. Completely up to you!
Arrange Transportation with Accommodations
Many hotels, resorts, and host of airbnb's would be very happy to arrange transportation to pick you up at the airport. This is very convenient but a little pricier compared to a taxi or Uber. If you're interested, please arrange pick up with your hotel or Villa concierge and/or Airbnb host.
Transportation Companies at the Airport
When you arrive, transportation companies will be offering to arrange transportation for you. We do not recommend these options as it is over priced, however if you find yourself in a situation where you do not have another alternative, we recommend you let them know you have been to PV before and are willing to pay the cost of taxi to your location. Usually $10 per person is the maximum price I would suggest paying as the cost depends on how people riding with and how far you're traveling to. To give you an estimate, Zona Romantica is roughly a 35 min drive from the airport for that price.
Uber
Uber is the recommended option for transportation around Puerto Vallarta. The app you use in the States works in Mexico and is very reasonably priced.
Depending on where you stay, some hotels and resorts do not allow ubers to pick up guests directly outside the lobby. So we would recommend you ask your hotel where ubers pick up, and they will point the way.
We've always felt that ubers are safe. Most of the drivers speak English too and can give awesome recommendations.
If you plan to exclusively use taxis, we recommend having the app on your phone and ready in case you need transportation in case there aren't any taxis around.
From Hyatt Ziva to Zona Romantica average cost per trip is roughly $0.30-$0.50 cents when converting to USD.
Taxis
Taxis are a safe and moderately priced option for getting around Puerto Vallarta. They are pretty easy to flag in most areas around Puerto Vallarta, and most hotels and resorts have taxis readily available outside the lobby.
One thing to note is that you will need to pay in cash. So keep pesos on you if you plan to use taxis.
Most drivers speak English as well.
We highly recommend using Vallarta Adventures! You can schedule any outdoor activity with them and in advance too! If you are staying at Hyatt Ziva you can coordinate directly with the representative at the information desk. If you are not staying at the Hotel, you will see their booths all around the Malecon and in Zona Romantica.
We highly recommend the day tour to "Las Caletas". An all inclusive island with outdoor activities including zip line, water slides, open bar and all you can eat lunch or dinner.
Here's a List of Our Favorite Restaurants
Fine Dining ($$)
This fun restaurant is on the beach in Zona Romantica. It has a lot of seating and can accommodate a group pretty quickly in our experience.
Big variety of food and a great brunch. We recommend the Chilaquiles and spicy mango margarita!
This is where we celebrated our first and third anniversaries!
Pro Tip: Ask to sit in the outdoor patio. It's a lush jungle vibe, and is absolutely beautiful.
Highly recommend having a reservation. You can do so on open table or Yelp.
This restaurant is best experienced during sunset. It has a stunning view of the main church in Puerto Vallarta. Almost no bad seat in the house, but closer to the balcony is better. Live violins play at 6pm to make the experience very relaxing.
Reservations can be made via open table or yelp as well.
A highly recommended experience! Tables are located in a 6 inch deep pool with a view of the beach and the sunset. Great place for appetizers and drinks to enjoy the view and the experience.
Other restaurants to try:
Fajita Republic
River Cafe
Panchos tacos
La Hormiga (late night street tacos)
Tips on buying tequila to bring back to the States
We highly recommend buying a bottle or two to bring back with you as you will likely note during your trip that tequila in Mexico tastes different than tequila in the states. This is because U.S regulates that 60% of Agave is allowed to be in tequila that is sold in the U.S. vs Mexico requiring 100% Agave (natural sugar). As such, Tequila in Mexico is naturally sweeter and tastier.
Alcohol percentage is typically 35%-38% in comparison to 40% in US as the Tequila in the states has a higher alcohol content to compensate for the sugar additives added to their bottles. That's typically the smell and taste of the burn you experience when drinking US tequila.
Prices are also more affordable as there is no import cost added to the price of the tequila bottle. For example Don Julio 1942 may cost you $140.00 USD in Costco vs. $72 USD at a Spirits store in Jalisco.
Why? The state of Jalisco is the origination and only state in the world where agave was allowed to be grown for Tequila. Given its recent popularity, the Country of Mexico recently allowed 5 connecting states to Jalisco to grow agave for tequila purposes but with restrictions. In other words, there is no better place to buy tequila in the world.
Tips on Buying
Edgar's recommended store in PV to purchase tequila is called Vinos América located on Basilio Badillo street. you can find it on google maps.
What to buy? We recommend purchasing a nicer quality tequila bottle from this store to take advantage of the cheaper price or a bottle that is still not sold in the US just yet. Edgar's recommended bottle to purchase is the Don Julio Reposado Claro bottle. It is not sold in the US and costs roughly $35 USD.
To purchase multiple Bottles Use Duty Free at the Airport
Duty free has the best deals to buy multiple bottles for a couple of reasons. Each person is allowed a max of 3 bottles to check in and claim so you will not have to pack them in your luggage in comparison to buying a bottle from a store in town. They also have 3 for 2 specials where you can save a good amount of money. You'll recognize a lot of the tequilas sold at duty free but keep in mind they are the Mexican versions as opposed to the US versions so same Mexico regulations apply and they're much cheaper.
We recommend Centenario "Plata" and Maestro Dobel Diamante for bottles to look for in the 3X2 specials.
There will also be some higher quality tequilas that you cannot find in the states. Those are always good finds, however we only recommend this if you really like drinking and or collecting tequila.
They also do tastings at duty free! Don't hesitate to ask for some testers. It can be a fun way to kill some time in the airport before your flight. Just be sure to not miss your flight!
Pro tip- If you have a layover on your travels back to the states, they will require you to check your tequila once you make it through customs and re-check your bags for your final flight. Be prepared to pack the bottles you purchased at duty free into some open space in your luggage. They typically do not re-weigh your bags just in case you're worried about going over the 50lbs weight limit.