Puerto Vallarta: Electricity

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Electricity

For U.S. and Canadian travelers, electrical converters aren't necessary because Mexico operates on the 60-cycle, 120-volt system; however, many Mexican outlets have not been updated to accommodate three-prong and polarized plugs (those with one larger prong), so to be safe bring an adapter.

If your appliances are dual-voltage, you'll need only an adapter, too. Don't use 110-volt outlets marked for shavers only for high-wattage appliances such as blow-dryers. Most laptops operate equally well on 110 and 220 volts and so require only an adapter. Blackouts and brownouts -- often lasting an hour or so -- are fairly common everywhere, particularly during the rainy season, so bring a surge protector.