Easy to Get Buy in Puerto Vallarta

This quaint and popular city is known equally for sun, surf and shopping.

El Centro, however, has the most charming and reasonable shops.

They are clustered along streets that run parallel to the beach, mostly north of the Rio Cuale that runs through Puerto Vallarta.

On the boardwalk, Paseo Diaz Ordaz, there are dozens of shops with trendy, casual and beach attire.

Best are ACA JOE (No. 588) and Ruben Torres (No. 590), which have their own lines of attractive slacks (from $20 U.S.), shirts (from $15), shorts (from $15) and tank tops (from $8) in lightweight cottons and lively tropical colors.

At No. 880 is a small mall with several handcraft shops. Best of these is La Otra Galeria, with inexpensive watercolors and oil paintings by Mexican artists, plus signed prints by Lepe, a popular artist, for about $100.

The next street inland is Morelos. The Designer’s Bazaar (No. 500) sells Vercellino’s lovely and lavish cotton jersey clothing. There are dresses (from $60), plus mix-and-match skirts (from $40), shirts (from $35) and slacks (from $40) in a palette of plush colors.

Galeria Uno (No. 561) exhibits paintings, sculpture and prints by top Mexican artists. Canvasses sell from about $200 and up, although there are some less expensive prints and watercolors.

St. Valentin Boutique (No. 574) sells home furnishings, including rough-hewn Mexican country furniture, handwoven tablecloths (from $15) and wall hangings (from $25), earthenware tablewares (from $15 per five-piece setting) and handwoven rugs from Oaxaca (from $45).

The Rolling Stone Boot Co. (near Corona) sells cowboy boots in a full range of leathers and colors. Prices about $65 and up per pair, and you can buy a second pair (if it costs less than the first pair) for half price.

El Dorado (No. 586) shows the work of Mario Gonzales, an artist whose work is quite similar in theme and style to that of the surrealist-folklorist sculptor Sergio Bustamante. Pieces are made in limited editions of 100 and sell for about $50 and up.

Ocean Pacific (No. 660) has sports and casual separates from $15 up, and outlets for Ralph Lauren/Polo, Calvin Klein, Guess, Ellesse and others, on Morelos between Aldama and Abasolo, sell sportswear for less than U.S. prices.

A little farther north, Puerto Vallarta Arts and Crafts Center (No. 779) specializes in heavy carved dark wood furniture, including sofas (from about $600), dining room sets (from about $800) and chests (from about $300), plus wood and leather equipales dining room sets (from about $275) and smaller home decorating items such as carved santos (from about $60) and ceramics.

On Calle Juarez, La Reja (No. 201) features colorful papier-mache animals, figurines, fruit and vegetables (from $3 per item).

Ric (No. 207) has a selection of distinctive gold and silver jewelry set with semi-precious stones. Earrings sell for as little as $30.

Azteca (Nos. 244, 360 and 422) sells typical silver jewelry from Taxco as well as its own line of distinctive super-heavy silver (from about $200), 14- or 18-carat gold necklaces and bracelets. This is Puerto Vallarta’s oldest and best established jewelry store.

Casa de la Artesania Jalisciense (corner of Zaragosa) is a government-sponsored outlet for the craftspeople of the state of Jalisco. The shop offers a selection of handcrafts made locally or in Guadalaraja, Tlaquepaque, Ajijic and other regional crafts-producing towns.

Best are the ceramics, from earthenware birds or frogs (from $5) to full table settings (from $20 per five-piece setting), lamp bases (from $35) and vases (from $10), and there also is a display of glassware and jewelry.

Bustamante, the surrealist and folklorist sculptor, has a gallery at No. 275. Decorative pieces show large rabbits emerging from chicken eggs, lizards ensconced in houses and figures that are half human half mythic creature. Fascinating and fun. All in limited editions, with prices about $200 and up.

Huaracheria Lety (No. 478) is the source for Mexican-style woven leather sandals (called huaraches ) that come in the traditional neutral or blond leather, and all colors of the rainbow, for about $20 a pair.

Irene Pulos (No. 479) sells this designer’s colorful handwoven cotton dresses (from about $185) and separates. The clothes are loose and comfortable, often adorned with appealing embroidery or applique for a sophisticated folk look. The shop also carries lovely accessories and jewelry.

Max (No. 487) features designer Max Reinhard Jager Bussow’s silk-screened cotton jersey clothes (from about $45 and up), plus wonderful capes made from handwoven wool (from $140), as well as handwoven ponchos and huipiles (from $80) from Guatemala and Oaxaca.

Ole (No. 500) sells typical handwoven woolen rugs and blankets from Oaxaca, as well as embroidered textiles and clothing. A good quality rug the size of a blanket costs about $180 and up.

Galeria Pacifico (No. 519) shows Mexican contemporary art, including collectible works by Montserrat Aleix, Lucia Maya, Guadalupe Sierra and Jose Estaban Martinez, plus the soft-cloth constructions of Rudolfo Morales and Alvaro Santiago’s intriguing painted metallic furniture. Somewhat pricey, but the work is excellent.

L. B. Martin (No. 524) offers silk-screened cotton fabrics in bolts (for about $8 per meter) or stitched into charming sun dresses (from $25).

Casa Josefa (No. 533) sells clothing designer Josefa’s fashions. Based on traditional Indian attire, Josefa’s handwoven cotton caftans, dresses and separates are beautifully embroidered and trimmed with ribbons of contrasting colors.

Ever since Josefa was “discovered” by the film crew who came to shoot “Night of the Iguana” in Puerto Vallarta in 1963, her glorious fashions have been adorning the rich and famous. Prices about $250 and up per long dress or caftan.

Gucci (corner of Iturbide) has fashionable shoes, handbags, golf bags, briefcases, wallets and other accessories. Prices are reasonable, but these are Mexican-made unauthorized copies or facsimiles of Gucci products.

In the heart of El Centro, Cuale Island (in the middle of Rio Cuale) has dozens of outdoor selling stalls and the colorful Mercado Municipal. This is the place to find inexpensive handcrafts of all sorts.

Prices quoted in this article reflect currency exchange rates at the time of writing .