welcome
Welcome to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit Here is some advice to make your trip a little easier and more enjoyable. TIME ZONE: The entire state of Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the southern part of the State of Nayarit starting from Guayabitos to the Ameca River and including Nuevo Vallarta. BUSES: A system of urban buses can bring you from one end of the bay to the other and all the spots in between. Current fare within Puerto Vallarta is $7.50 pesos per ticket and passengers must purchase a new ticket every time they board a bus. Hold on to your ticket. This is your proof and insurance should anything happen. Bus destinations are typically written on the front of the window. Those with a ‘centro’ sign will drive through downtown Puerto Vallarta and those with a ‘tunel’ sign will drive through the tunnel roads that go behind the city. TAXIS: There are set rates within defined zones of town. Do not enter a taxi without agreeing on the price with the driver first. Price is per trip not person unless there are more than four passengers. Take note of the taxi number on the outside door and where it picked you up. If you lose an item this information will be vital to attempting to get it back. MONEY EXCHANGE: To exchange money you will need your passport. Best option is to use your bankcard to withdraw funds from any ATM machine. ATM’s in the banks are the safest to use and generally charge lower fees. USING PESOS OR USD: Businesses must display their prices in pesos and they may also post the prices in any other currency they choose. They cannot refuse to accept pesos. Some service staff may appreciate being tipped in USD and others in pesos. If you are concerned, ask. TIPPING: How much and when you tip are personal choices and unless otherwise noted a 10-20%
tip on food and beverage and services is standard. Tip the kids and seniors who bag your groceries. They work exclusively for tips. Have change at the ready for musicians and clowns that ride the buses – typically tipping 5 pesos or less. Taxi drivers do not receive tips unless they go to extraordinary lengths. DRINKING WATER: Puerto Vallarta’s water (at the source) is certified pure enough to drink. For many who live here long term, we drink from our taps with no issues. For those on vacation, it may be better to stick to bottled water. EXPORTING PETS: Falling in love with a rescue animal is easy – and it’s easy to take them home with you. The process is quick and inexpensive. You need a certificate of health from a local vet with the appropriate inoculations, among other things. The time of year that pets can travel in the cargo hold of the plane may be your biggest challenge. Contact your airline to double-check their requirements. COMMON SENSE: Just as you would not walk around your hometown drunk and belligerent, it is not acceptable to do that here. While Mexicans are a forgiving bunch, basic politeness is appreciated. Pay attention to your surroundings. Pay your bills. Be courteous. And have fun! DRINKING AND DRIVING: First off – just don’t. The consequences are not worth it. Taxis are cheap and plentiful. Fines are as much as 15,000 pesos. You can be taken to jail and your vehicle impounded. There are many checkstops on the weekends and you will be asked to blow if they suspect you have been drinking. LEGAL SYSTEM: Not knowing the law is not a valid excuse in Mexico or anywhere. If you find yourself caught in a legal situation be aware that the system works much differently here than you are likely used to. Immediately contact your consulate for assistance. Director Noemi Zamora noemizamorareynoso@gmail.com Editor Lic. Madeline Milne mmilne@Vallartatribune.com Sales Team Information office ventastribuna7@yahoo.com Designer Cynthia E. Andrade G. cysandra@gmail.com cisandra@vallartatribune.com
April 20 - 26, 2017 www.vallartatribune.com
Calling in Mexico Calling phones in Mexico can be tricky. There are different codes you need to use depending if you are calling landlines or cellular phones and if they are local or long distance. LONG-DISTANCE CALLS FROM WITHIN MEXICO For national long-distance calls (within Mexico) the code is 01 plus the area code and phone number. For international long-distance calls, first dial 00, then the country code (U.S. and Canada country code is 1), so you would dial 00 + 1 + area code + 7 digit number. CALLING CELL PHONES (FROM A LAND LINE) If you are calling from a landline within the area code of the Mexican cell phone number dial 044, the 10 digit number. Outside of the area code (but still within Mexico) dial 045 and then the 10 digit phone number. Cell phone to cell phone only requires the 10 digit number. PHONE CARDS Phone cards (tarjetas telefonicas) for use in pay phones can be bought at newsstands and in pharmacies. Pay phones do not accept coins. When buying a phone card for pay phone use, specify that you would like a tarjeta LADA. CALLING TOLL-FREE NUMBERS Some toll free numbers work from Mexico to the US and Canada, but many do not. Those that do work are often not toll-free. You need to dial a different prefix. To call the following toll free prefixes, dial as follows: 800 numbers Dial 001-880-then the number 866 numbers Dial 001-883-then the number 877 numbers Dial 001-882-then the number 888 numbers Dial 001-881-then the number
Emergencies: 911 Red Cross: 065 Fire Department: 322.223.9476 Ambulance: 322.222.1533
Ahoy Cruisers! NAME PASS DATE PRINCESS CRUISES 2,600 04/04/2017 CARNIVAL 3,200 05/04/2017 NORWEGIAN CRUISES 2,240 05/04/2017 HOLLAND AMERICA 1,200 09/04/2017 PRINCESS CRUISES 2,600 11/04/2017 CARNIVAL 3,200 12/04/2017 NORWEGIAN CRUISES 2,240 12/04/2017 CELEBRITY 2,499 14/04/2017 CARNIVAL 3,200 19/04/2017 NORWEGIAN CRUISES 2,240 19/04/2017 CELEBRITY 2,499 20/04/2017 HOLLAND AMERICA 1,850 22/04/2017
Immigration: 322.224.7719 Consumer Protection: 01.800.468.8722 Tourism Offices Jalisco: 322.221.2676 Nayarit: 322.297.1006
Consulates American Consulate 24 hrs 01-332-268-2100 Canadian Consulate 322.293.0098 322.293.0099 24 hrs: 1.800.706.2900
In port this month
In the month of April Puerto Vallarta welcomes 38,666 passengers! CARNIVAL NORWEGIAN CRUISES HOLLAND AMERICA PRINCESS CRUISES
3,200 26/04/2017 2,240 26/04/2017 1,258 29/04/2017 2,400 29/04/2017
Vallarta Tribune is an activity and entertainment guide and merely publishes information as it is provided by the advertiser or event host. We do not assume responsibility in errors or omissions other than to correct them as soon as they are made known to us regarding event schedules, locations and/or prices. In addition, we do not assume any responsibility for erroneous inclusion or exclusion of information except to take reasonable care to ensure accuracy, that permission has been obtained to use it, and to remove it as soon as is practical upon receiving your notification of error. We recommend you always confirm prior to attending or visiting an event or establishment. Weekly publication edited, printed and distributed by Ediciones y Publicaciones Siete Junio, SA de CV Grupo Editorial Tribuna Calle 21 de Marzo # 1174 Col. Lomas del Coapinole Del. El Pitillal, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco México CP 48290 Tel. 226-0800 editor@vallartatribune.com * www.vallartatribune.com * www.facebook.com/vallarta.tribune
Cut out and put near your phone for handy reference
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