Getting sick on vacation is stressful. Here's where to go in Puerto Vallarta, from a stomach bug to a real emergency.
Minor problems: the pharmacy doctor
For a stomach bug, a cold, an ear infection or a bad sunburn, you usually don't need a hospital. Many Mexican pharmacies have a **doctor's office (consultorio) attached**, with a general practitioner who sees walk-in patients.
- How it works: you put your name on the list and wait your turn. The doctor examines you and writes a prescription, which you can fill at the pharmacy counter.
- What it costs: Farmacias Similares, the best-known chain for this, raised its general consultation to 60 pesos in central Mexico and 80 pesos in the north in September 2024. Prices vary by region.
- Language: don't count on English. A translation app on your phone helps.
Emergencies: the private hospitals
For a broken bone, chest pain, a bad fall or anything serious, go to a hospital emergency room. The main private hospitals:
Hotel Zone and Marina
Inland (Av. Francisco Villa and Av. Los Tules)
Private care is paid for, so ask how payment works when you arrive and call your insurer's assistance line as early as you can.
Insurance
Medicare usually doesn't cover care outside the US, apart from rare exceptions, and Medicare drug plans don't cover prescriptions bought abroad. Check your own plan before you travel, and bring travel medical insurance that includes emergency evacuation.
In an emergency, call 911
911 is Mexico's single emergency number for ambulance, police and fire. It works nationwide, 24 hours a day, free from any phone. Be ready to give your address, neighborhood and nearest cross street, and have a Spanish speaker help if you can.
Safety in Puerto Vallarta: advisories and alerts→ Can you drink the tap water in Puerto Vallarta?→
