With a population of nearly 350,000, this coastal destination on the Pacific Ocean has become one of Mexico's top tourist destinations. Nine different airlines fly into Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport, which handles 450 weekly flights and is 4 miles from the downtown area. Getting through the airport and from the airport to the city can bit a bit tricky, especially for first-time visitors, but following a few guidelines will help you do it easily.
Travelers who arrive at Puerto Vallarta's airport will need their passport and customs form when they reach the customs inspector. Claim your bags and head for the exit area, where you must push a button to exit. A green light allows you to pass. A red light means you and your belongings will be searched. Villaencantada.com recommends that a family or group stay together in the gate because usually only one person from family/group is searched when they get a red light.
The locals call it the "shark tank," and it's full of official-looking people who camp out in the main concourse of the airport asking people if they need a taxi ride. Usually, they're with a tour company or a time-share company. Do not engage their services; simply head for the taxi stand. Villaencantada.com recommends mastering these phrases in Spanish: "No thanks," "No thanks; I live here," or "No thanks, I own a villa in Conchas Chinas." These phrases will get you through the shark tank unscathed.
Obtain your pesos at the airport, not the exchange houses in the city. You will get a better rate at the airport. Also, use your debit card for pesos rather than a credit card, as the latter can incur cash advance charges plus possible currency conversion charges.
Taxi stands are located at each exit door. Taxis in Puerto Vallarta do not have meters; rather, they charge fees by city zone. Zone 1 is approximately $13 to $15; Zone 2, $18 to $20; Zone 3, $23 to $25; and Zone 4, $60. (Van rates are about double that.) Taxis are federally regulated, and the white ones are the only ones allowed to operate from within the airport. These cost almost double the normal zoned rate. Instead of using the airport taxis, turn left from the airport exit and walk over the footbridge that crosses the highway, where you will find yellow (normal) taxis. Some cabbies will try to overcharge, but offering 60 percent of the normal airport rate is usually sufficient to get you into the city.
Write down your cab number when you leave the airport. If you lose an item in the cab, you have a much better chance of recovering it if the cab company can track it down via the cab number.
