With all your travel planning, from booking flights and accommodations to choosing your tours and daily itineraries, sometimes the hardest part of preparing for an international trip is deciding what to pack. Bring too much, and you’ll be lugging stuffed suitcases through the airport and won’t have room for souvenirs; forget something essential, unavailable, or expensive at your destination, and you’ll be out of luck.
Travelers headed to Puerto Vallarta may wonder about what to pack for Mexico, as well as what to wear in Mexico and its unique climate. To help you out, we’ve put together this packing list for Mexico: the essential must-haves to bring so you can get the most out of your trip to Puerto Vallarta.
Sunscreen and Bug Spray
Sure, you can buy these in Mexico, but they’ll be cheaper at home, and you don’t want to search out the nearest drug store after you’ve just arrived and are longing to hit the sandy beach or hotel infinity pool. Make sure you buy brands that are biodegradable. Some ingredients in sunscreen and bug spray are toxic to marine life, so choosing biodegradable options helps protect the local environment. Plus, some snorkeling and sea adventure tours only allow biodegradable sunscreen.
Bathing Suit and Cover-Up
OK, a swimming suit is an obvious choice for your packing list for Mexico, especially Puerto Vallarta. If you plan to spend plenty of time in the water, you might want at least two or three so you can have one drying out or in the wash and one to wear the next day. A cover-up is a must-have too—bathing suits are fine around the resort or beach, but it’s nice to have something comfortable to cover up with so you can stroll from the sand to the city streets or head to a restaurant. Men can easily transition from beach to shore with a classy T-shirt.
Shirts and Tank Tops
Puerto Vallarta is warm and humid, so come prepared—pack T-shirts and plenty of tank tops to stay comfortable on outdoor adventures on land and during shopping and strolls. Pack a few nicer shirts for dinner, and more casual shirts than you think you’ll need so you can change if you get sweaty. If you’re planning a sunset sail or late dinner, a sweater will be nice, especially in the winter months.
Skirts and Shorts
If you’re wondering what else to wear in Mexico, pack some shorts and skirts so you can stay cool and comfortable and feel classy. If you’re a woman, shorts and skirts are simple to pair with your swimming suit and a cover-up. And if you’re headed into town to party, pack an outfit or two fit for the club, keeping in mind that dancing in a crowd combined with the humidity will make you grateful for something cool to wear.
Water Shoes
It´s highly advisable to bring a pair of water shoes if your feet are sensitive. Sometimes you may find irregular rocky formations, branches, and sticks along through the coasts. So to avoid any possible pinch and enjoy the warm waters of Puerto Vallarta, don´t forget to bring them.
Medications and First Aid
Speaking of staying healthy, don’t forget your prescription medications. It will help to pack along some over-the-counter medicines as well, such as a pain reliever, antacid, and dramamine to fight stomach issues and motion sickness. You can find these and more in Mexico, but it’s helpful to have some ready to go in your bag. Bring along some bandages and moleskin for minor scrapes and blisters.
Waterproof Day Bag
For day trips out on a yacht or snorkeling adventure, an afternoon at the beach, or even just lounging at the resort, you’ll need a reliable bag to tote along with you. Pick one that’s waterproof, so if it gets splashed in the boat while you’re snorkeling it’s not a big deal. Depending on your adventure for the day, you’ll want to pack along water, snacks, a towel, swimsuit cover-up, and extra cash.
Coin Purse
In Mexico, many vendors take only cash. It helps to have an extra small purse or pouch that you keep stocked with small coins and bills as you go out and about. Some tourists in Mexico prefer to keep their cash and other valuables in a pouch around their necks and under their shirts to protect it from pickpockets.
These essentials will help you get your packing list for Mexico started. If you’re worried about forgetting something, remember that Puerto Vallarta isn’t a fishing village in the jungle; it’s a world-class destination that hosts thousands of international guests. Chances are, you can find what you need.
See our blog for more Puerto Vallarta travel tips. To explore more of Puerto Vallarta, check out the tours Vallarta Adventures has to offer.
