Shopping
Tourist-friendly Acapulco caters to shoppers with everything from lively markets to high-end shops competing to pry away your pesos. Be prepared to haggle – your bargaining skills will surely be put to the test, but persistence does pay off – expect discounts of anywhere from 25% to 40% off the first asking price. Acapulco and its surrounding Guerrero State are particularly known for local items like silver, beachwear, hand-painted ceramics, embroidered textiles, and leather goods.
Most traditional shopping areas are found in the outdoor markets near Old Acapulco's zócalo. The daily Mercado Municipal (Calle Diego Hurtado de Mendoza & Av. Constituyentes; daily 7am-7pm), the main market of the port, bustles with locals perusing the densely packed stands that overflow with fresh produce and other eats – it's a great spot to pick up picnic fare. Wandering the stalls at the Mercado de Artesanías El Parazal (Velázquez de León, near Calle Cinco de Mayo; daily 9am-9pm), a nearby crafts market, turns up finds like silver jewelry, sandals, handicrafts, pottery, coconut masks, artwork, hand-embroidered dresses, hammocks, and more.
La Costera, meanwhile, is lined with endless souvenir shops (think t-shirts and straw hats), as well as intermittent boutiques selling resort wear and handicrafts. The air-conditioned malls here, like the multi-level Plaza Bahía (Costera M. Alemán 125; 744/485-6939) and Le Gran Plaza (Costera M. Alemán 1632; 744/486-6478) are chockfull of shops, movie theaters, eateries, and more. Also on the strip is Mercado de Artesanías La Diana (Costera M. Alemán at Av. Farallon), which offers similar wares to those at the El Parazal crafts market.
If you can't make the drive north of Acapulco to the colonial mining town of Taxco (See Day Trips), scope out a reputable store like Linda de Taxco (at La Quebrada), for an impressive selection of authentic silver jewelry that's meticulously handcrafted and often set with semi-precious stones.
For travel staples from toiletries to magazines, head to Sanborn's, a chain of local department stores/drugstores that operate along la Costera – there's one located across from the boat docks, off the zócalo (Costera M. Alemán 209; 744/482-6167).
