Good Mercado in Puerto Vallarta?

mackenzie · June 17, 2008

I'm going to PV in a few weeks for my first scouting trip. I wanted to check out a local market to see if I can find anything to put in my OOT bags. I'm thinking of mesh shopping bags, talavera shot glasses, hand-painted maracas, etc. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good marketplace that has textiles and ceramics? Thanks!!

Mishka Designs · June 17, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by mackenzie

I'm going to PV in a few weeks for my first scouting trip. I wanted to check out a local market to see if I can find anything to put in my OOT bags. I'm thinking of mesh shopping bags, talavera shot glasses, hand-painted maracas, etc. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good marketplace that has textiles and ceramics? Thanks!!

For talavera shot glasses you need to go to the Old Mercado/Flea Market which is located up against the Rio Cuale. Somewhere around the street Guerrero and Cuauhtemoc (I provided a map in another post somewhere - just go to where you see two rivers entering the ocean - north will say "encino" in red letters - past the arches). I don't know how to explain to you how to find the people who do really good deals on this because the market is fairly big. But there is a merchant in there who sells a lot of Talavera - it should cost you around $30-$40 pesos per shot glass UNLESS you are buying shot glasses from Puebla. Puebla talavera is THE MOST $$ and those shot glasses sell for around $50-$60 pesos - Puebla talavea is gorgeous. The other talavera is nice too, but there is a definite difference.

For maraccas ... the best deal downtown (IMO) is a shop located on the malecon. I don't know the name of it but I know it's close to Hard Rock cafe. They have a big bin of maracas outside their store. I can't get them much cheaper than that, unless I go to Pitillal - and I really don't recommend you go there until you've made a few trips down here and have a really good command of Spanish. So, for the tourist areas, that store has the best buys on Maracas. About 3 blocks down from there, there is another store that has a selection of maracas that is also not terrible and the price is decent.

Mesh shopping bags ... I know I've gone out tramping for those before but I just run across them, haggle - I don't remember the prices on those (although I think around $20 - $40 pesos). You're going to get a better price if you buy these OFF of ANY main drag - it's just a matter of footwork. I WOULD NOT recommend that you get those at the Flea Market (old mercado) nor any other store that's off the malecon - they will charge you too much and more than likely won't negotiate.

that's my 2 pesos worth!!