Is it safe to buy drinks in Mexico?

Years ago, I cruised on the Mexican Riviera (30 years) and they told us to be careful buying drinks in port because of the water there and the drinks had ice from their water.

Is it safe now?

I would like to find some beautiful beaches and enjoy some nice Tequila Margaritas! :D

Don

I guess it depends on what you call "safe." We live in Puerto Vallarta for two months a year, dine out at over forty restaurants and probably by hundreds of drinks (not to mention drinking the tap water in our condo). We have been known to stumble after a few drinks (a friend of ours even fell off a sidewalk) and at times have had this strange dizzy light headed feeling :).

So, I an speak for Puerto Vallarta and say that you have nothing to worry about if you order drinks (with or without ice) on our beaches. But we would warn you not to drink too many Margaritas and then think you can swim all the way to Hawaii. We would also feel safe having drinks anywhere in Cabo. And last year we enjoyed a few drinks (and lunch) at a beach bar in Huatulco and lived to tell about it.

Hank

Things have improved a bit in the last 30 years.

Puerto Vallarta’s Tourism Board Maintains Highly Awarded Infrastructure

Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board, July 14, 2014

The first six months of 2014 have granted Puerto Vallarta a number of awards and recognitions, celebrating the destination and its infrastructure high quality services and tourism offerings.

Tripadvisor’s consumer base of more than 2 million monthly users have once again voted Puerto Vallarta onto their list of overall best destinations, this year coming in at #2 overall best Mexican destination for the 2014 Traveler’s Choice Award. The Traveler’s Choice Awards are of great significance because each destination must earn the award as a result of maintaining at least a 4-star average score from consumers in both their hotels and restaurants over the course of 12 months. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You don't become an award winning tourist destination if the water isn't safe to drink. It is very rare for any bar/restaurant to make ice on site. They bring it in direct from the water purification plant. Ice from "the plant" will have a hole in the middle of it.

And I will have to give a +1 to Hlitner. Tourist gastric distress comes from too much booze, to much rich food, too much sun and too little water. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate . . .

Enjoy!

Things have improved a bit in the last 30 years.

 

Puerto Vallarta’s Tourism Board Maintains Highly Awarded Infrastructure

 

Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board, July 14, 2014

 

The first six months of 2014 have granted Puerto Vallarta a number of awards and recognitions, celebrating the destination and its infrastructure high quality services and tourism offerings.

 

Tripadvisor’s consumer base of more than 2 million monthly users have once again voted Puerto Vallarta onto their list of overall best destinations, this year coming in at #2 overall best Mexican destination for the 2014 Traveler’s Choice Award. The Traveler’s Choice Awards are of great significance because each destination must earn the award as a result of maintaining at least a 4-star average score from consumers in both their hotels and restaurants over the course of 12 months. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

You don't become an award winning tourist destination if the water isn't safe to drink. It is very rare for any bar/restaurant to make ice on site. They bring it in direct from the water purification plant. Ice from "the plant" will have a hole in the middle of it.

 

And I will have to give a +1 to Hlitner. Tourist gastric distress comes from too much booze, to much rich food, too much sun and too little water. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate . . .

 

Enjoy!

We do Hydrate.....and hydrate...and hydrate. Its not my fault all our water bottles are full of Tequilia!

Hank

Thanks Everyone for your very humorous and informative remarks. :)

I am certainly going to drink the drinks in Mexico on my upcoming Panama Canal Cruise....since it seems as though the Tequila down there seems to be a "Cure All!" :D :D

Don

Hank, I came into this late, and darnit, I just cannot improve upon your post.

One thing that I might add to the OP, however, is to be careful of the leg wrestling matches with the bar stools....and always demand a 3 out of 5 contest...

We do Hydrate.....and hydrate...and hydrate. Its not my fault all our water bottles are full of Tequilia!

 

Hank

LOL!:D:D:D

OP, it is safe to drink in Mexico. Perhaps I wouldn't recommend some off the beaten path, obscure bar but other than that go for it. I have had my share of great drinks in Mexico.

We've been on both the Caribbean and Pacific sides of Mexico and Central America several times and had no problems ... BUT we were never off the normal beaten path.

LuLu

Great Information and Humurous Posts...thanks so much!! :)

Tequila...here I come!! :D

Don

For almost ten years now whenever I am in Puerto Vallarta I have been drinking the tap water and have consumed far too many Cazadore Margaritas to count. If the water there was bad I would have been flown home in a pine box.

Countdown is on till late Oct early Nov. :D

Hank, I came into this late, and darnit, I just cannot improve upon your post.

One thing that I might add to the OP, however, is to be careful of the leg wrestling matches with the bar stools....and always demand a 3 out of 5 contest...

Sorry to bump up an old post, but after reading this I just had to. ;) Reminds me of a tee shirt I bought in Alaska that reads on the back...upside down..."If you can read this please put me back on my bar stool".:D

The Leg wrestling bar stool thing made me laugh. There is too much truth which makes me laugh even more. Our little crowd of friends are all seniors who live in PV at least 2 months a year (some are there year round) and just about everyone enjoys adult beverages. At one point or another just about everyone we know (except DW) has been fooled by PV drinks and found themselves having difficulty coping with gravity (and bar stools). The problem in PV is that everyone makes their Margaritas with their own formula...some of which have a lot more alcohol. But it can be nearly impossible to tell when drinking the things, so there are times when 4 or 5 drinks will put you on the floor, and other times when it might take 10. Of course part of the fun in PV is trying to discover the limits in each bar :)

Hank

The Leg wrestling bar stool thing made me laugh. There is too much truth which makes me laugh even more. Our little crowd of friends are all seniors who live in PV at least 2 months a year (some are there year round) and just about everyone enjoys adult beverages. At one point or another just about everyone we know (except DW) has been fooled by PV drinks and found themselves having difficulty coping with gravity (and bar stools). The problem in PV is that everyone makes their Margaritas with their own formula...some of which have a lot more alcohol. But it can be nearly impossible to tell when drinking the things, so there are times when 4 or 5 drinks will put you on the floor, and other times when it might take 10. Of course part of the fun in PV is trying to discover the limits in each bar :)

 

Hank

Hank --- I will defer to your experience and limit myself to TEN. Troy and crew at the Monkeys may have to help me with the count, but if I only take ten dollars with me, that should help maintain the limits !!

Wait --- That won't work. I need another dollar for the bus back to the dock !!

I have a T-shirt that has a line across the chest and instructions "Fill to this line with MARGARITAS".

The Leg wrestling bar stool thing made me laugh. There is too much truth which makes me laugh even more. Our little crowd of friends are all seniors who live in PV at least 2 months a year (some are there year round) and just about everyone enjoys adult beverages. At one point or another just about everyone we know (except DW) has been fooled by PV drinks and found themselves having difficulty coping with gravity (and bar stools). The problem in PV is that everyone makes their Margaritas with their own formula...some of which have a lot more alcohol. But it can be nearly impossible to tell when drinking the things, so there are times when 4 or 5 drinks will put you on the floor, and other times when it might take 10. Of course part of the fun in PV is trying to discover the limits in each bar :)

 

Hank

We survived Hank´s margaritas......and lots of other drinks in various places in Puerto Vallarta.

Hank, we will be there for 10 days during Halloween week. Love Sea Monkey...no bar stools....that, and the chairs on the beach on are on the sand...much softer landing.

Wow.

I remember high tables and bar stools at Sea Monkey, outside, but across the walk from the beach tables.

gary