Mexican Riviera...Pesos needed or US cash ok?

[swimfin]

Hello!
For the Mexican Riviera ports, do you need to have Pesos on hand or is US cash ok?
Cheers!

 

[Smugpugmug]

I was just in Cozumel (more specifically an excursion in Tulum) on Celebrity and everyone accepts USD. You do have to specify that you want USD as change rather than pesos. Someone in my tour group bought a poncho and received pesos as change instead of USD despite paying in USD.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hello!
For the Mexican Riviera ports, do you need to have Pesos on hand or is US cash ok?
Cheers!

While you can use US dollars, you're going to get a very bad exchange.
I've found vendors that say "20 pesos or 20 dollars, same thing" Yeah, right.....

 

[DonMacGregor]

If you're talking about the actual Mexican Riviera (IE the Pacific Coast and Baja), then I would stick with US dollars. There are a TON of US tourists, ex-pats, and Californians with second homes south of the border, so it's a bit different than the Caribbean side of the country. In my nearly 60 years living in So Cal, and literally dozens of trips into Mexico, as far down as Acapulco, by car, plane, and cruise ship, I've never once purchased a peso. Everyone takes dollars and gives change in US currency. They aren't selling to locals, they are selling to Americans.

They actually want dollars over pesos regardless, and will (contrary to an earlier post), actually give you a better deal in dollars (just have an idea of the actual exchange rate because, no, it's not 1:1). Dollars are more stable, and they spend better north of the border. Beyond that, I wouldn't buy anything from anyone that wasn't legitimately within the port of call, or in a recommended shopping area, as you're not going to "negotiate" anything and will pay what they wanted to get from you anyway no matter how hard you pat yourself on the back, and you really do risk being ripped off.

 

[swimfin]

While you can use US dollars, you're going to get a very bad exchange.
I've found vendors that say "20 pesos or 20 dollars, same thing" Yeah, right.....

Lol! yeah... right!

 

[swimfin]

If you're talking about the actual Mexican Riviera (IE the Pacific Coast and Baja), then I would stick with US dollars. There are a TON of US tourists, ex-pats, and Californians with second homes south of the border, so it's a bit different than the Caribbean side on the country. In my nearly 60 years living in So Cal, and literally dozens of trips into Mexico, as far down as Acapulco, by car, plane, and cruise ship, I've never once purchased a peso. Everyone takes dollars and gives change in US currency. They aren't selling to locals, they are selling to Americans.

They actually want dollars over pesos regardless, and will (contrary to an earlier post), actually give you a better deal in dollars (just have an idea of the actual exchange rate because, no, it's not 1:1). Dollars are more stable, and they spend better north of the border. Beyond that, I wouldn't buy anything from anyone that wasn't legitimately within the port of call, or in a recommended shopping area, as you're not going to "negotiate" anything and will pay what they wanted to get from you anyway no matter how hard you pat yourself on the back, and you really do risk being ripped off.

We are going to Cabo, Mazatlan, and PV, so I'll stick with USD. THANK YOU!

 

[DonMacGregor]

We are going to Cabo, Mazatlan, and PV, so I'll stick with USD. THANK YOU!

Cabo is like San Diego South. PV is also very tourist-friendly and far enough down the coast that you're getting away from the desert and into greener country. Some really nice all-inclusives that the cruise lines have deals with for day trips. Mismaloya is beautiful. Sayulita too, if not quite as nice. Mazatlan, well...

 

[MillauFr]

We just stick with credit cards. We never use cash. If they don't take credit cards we don't buy.

 

[Carohs]

They prefer USD but they also give you less than favorable exchange rates. If Google says 17/18 pesos to the dollar they'll round down to 15/16. I think of it as a tourist tax. Pay attention to the math if you're paying cash but use a credit card whenever possible.