Here's some random facts and tips gathered over several trips to PV, the most recent being in May for our wedding at Buenaventura Grand Resort (see my separate review if interested) Here we go:
* AIRPORT: as soon as you get your bags you go through an area where someone in your group presses a button and if its a red light, you get your luggage QUICKLY looked through (for the obvious stuff you shouldnt have in your bags). If green, lets move on...YOU WILL BE BOMBARDED BY TAXI DRIVERS trying to take you someplace. Negotiate a better price if you want, but if you keep going to the taxi stand you pay $20-22 to mostly any hotel in old town or the hotel zone. (the return ride from your hotel will likely be only $10)
* HOTELS: all-inclusive will keep you shackled to your hotel, BUT if you are a boozer, you can have whatever you want. The cost of A/I is usually 2x the normal or so..If you are savvy, you can eat local(great restaurants and street tacos and beers at the store are less than a buck!!!) Some places make you wear a band, but that will peg you as a tourist if your walking around town (shimmy it off your wrist if you can, but careful if you break or lose b/c you'll likely have to pay!!)
* STREETS: as soon as you leave your hotel you may be hit on by all sorts of folks trying to sell you things like tequila or tour tickets or the dreaded timeshare. The timeshares are sneaky in that you might buy something and they'll ask if you want it for free..the catch:just a few short hours at our new resort. Dont fall for it...it will be much longer than whatever they say. A reminder: they are not your friends and they do want to make money. The easiest way to get away is to say that you live there now or that you are broke or something clever. You dont have to be rude, unless they're jerks....
BOOZE: booze is available at any corner store (OXXO, SIX) and they are like 7-11's that sell liquor...beer is everywhere for less than a buck. Save $$, buy your beer, keep it in your room fridge and take it to the pool deck in a cheap cooler. As for tequila stores, take a few tastes for free, but you really have no idea where the TQ in your fancy bottle comes from (Don So & So..etc.)
Your best bet is the liquor store or the duty free on the way home, because these tequila stores will try to get $50 a bottle from you.
Hey, if you can get them down to $20 a bottle have fun. You can drink in the streets, but I would not carry a bottle around because of the unwanted attention of the law.
FOOD: Do not fear the street taco!!! They are some of the best things you will eat. So very fresh with great choices of ingred. VERY IMPORTANT POINT: Watch to make sure that the person making the food is not the person handling the $$, then you're good. Most of the ladies can speak English, but you can also point and say dos, tres, etc.. ADOBADA is seasoned pork (great)
AL PASTOR is the gyro like meat you'll see on an upright rotiss. and it is pork with some pineapple(also great) ASADA is steak.
CHORIZO or LINGUICA is sausage(iron stomach??) TRIPA is cow stomach lining and SENCILLO is brains..no thanks.
RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS: Barcelona Tapas(up on the hill, great sunsets (between 8 & 8:30pm)) La Bodeguita del Medio (Cuban food and great Mojitos!!) El Arrayan (authentic old Mex dishes like Cochinita Pibil...yum) or La Equina de los Caprichos (Corner of Wishes..Tapas, but smaller scale and very delicious!!) ask your concierge or internet for directions.
Do have a fried banana (20pesos/$2) or a crepe for desert on the Malecon that runs for a few miles along the coast. Nice stroll at night with frequent concerts or fireworks or people watching.
ACTIVITIES: Do go on a boat ride!! Go to Yelapa or Mismaloya or any of the other beaches by way of water taxis or private charter.
You can grab a boat at the pier in Old Town (Playa de los Muertos) or sometimes they are just right off shore and you can wave them in to take you anywhere. If you have many in your group, get the boat for a day or half day, go wherever and they will wait for you until you're ready to go back. Pay them at the end of the day. Short trips are $$ up front. Yelapa is great and a cool hike up the falls...lots of food choices on the beach where the boat pulls up. Look for Chelly and her container of pies on her head..good stuff!! Remember that most everyone there wants to make a buck, so you often have go-betweens that will sell tix to activities...buy direct if you can.
SHOPPING: The best souvenier prices are in Bucerias (a bus ride)..also a little more quiet and less-crowded beaches. Also the vendors at the Malecon are pretty cheap (bracelets or necklaces should be jus $5-10. Beach vendors walking around can be the most expensive, just bargain as best as you can..MOST IMPORTANT: who cares what you pay, as long as you are happy with what you paid.
Finer stores will usually give you a "cash discount" of 10-30% if you ask... Some stores just don't bargain at all. Cigars can be fakes too, the only guaranteed Cuban is at La Bodeguita del Medio. Beware the cheap Cuban, the avg should be about $20 or more..if less than that, or not in a humidor...dont buy it. Not a huge deal through customs, unless you're bringing back 50 boxes...just be smart. Take the paper rings off if you're scared.

Sorry this was long, but I hope you can benefit from my experiences...have fun. Write me if you have ?? that are reasonable.