Puerto Penasco

[rob88]

First time visiting this area. Would you recommend using U.S. dollars or Pesos for most purchases while visiting?
As well, can anyone recommend a place in Gila Bend to purchase Mexican insurance?
Thanks again!

[rehless]

We were in Puerto Penasco this January and will be again next January.
Got American dollars at a bank atm.

[rocmoc]

rob88 wrote:
Thanks for all the helpful advice, looking forward to the crossing, but first, the NASCAR races in Phoenix!

I will be watching on TV, one of the better races. Are you going to be in the stands or on Rattle Snake Hill?

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[rob88]

Thanks for all the helpful advice, looking forward to the crossing, but first, the NASCAR races in Phoenix!

[Selkie]

As mentioned earlier, there are several places in Ajo to buy insurance. You will see big signs on the right side of the road as you enter town. If you want to get pesos, I found it best to use the ATM at a Mexican bank.

[Dave_From_AK]

We spent last winter in Puerto Peñasco. Virtually every store and street vendor would take US dollars, but the exchange rate at every place except the big stores and Pemex stations varied so wildly that we paid for almost everything in pesos. Sometimes, though, the street vendors give a great exchange rate. They are more interested in making a sale than in eking a few percentage points out of the exchange.

Leys supermarket has electronic cash registers that will automatically provide the total in dollars. The ATMs in Leys supermarket in town and at the banks gave us a very good exchange rates. The ATM in Walmart gave a very poor exchange rate.

There is now a Sam's Club in town. They had signage telling how much they would take in US currency. I think it was $100. I always used my credit card there.

[applecart]

I think you mean money' laundering. I guess if you laundered the drugs they'd not be any use 😉

I'm a full time resident in Mexico. As soon as you get away from the border, Mexican pesos are the only acceptable currency. A few stores will
accept US dollars but, as the other poster indicated, they are reluctant to take too much due to the Mexican money laundering laws and the charges that banks make to accept US dollars.

I'd be careful about using NOB credit and debit cards at Pemex stations. They have the same scams here as NOB. e.g readers on the machines , etc.

[The_Texan]

Tequila wrote:
The new US dollar rules are to prevent drug laundering.

And the government is NOT differentiating between the Narco and the merchant. This is the reason that most merchants are no longer taking dollars, but require pesos.....

[Tequila]

The new US dollar rules are to prevent drug laundering.

[MK2]

We have been going to Rocky Point since 1999, you will be able to use either US dollars or Pesos, some take credit cards, most of the Pemex stations will take credit cards. Also you can use your debit card at the banks for exchange to Pesos.
We use pesos a lot because everybody has different exchange rates and it seems easier not to get confused when they try and make change.
Most of the street venders will give you their price in dollars, so go and have fun.
Don't know about insurance in Gila Bend but you can purchase it in Ajo 43 miles south of there which is 38 miles north of the border.

[Trackrig]

The reason the toll booths won't take the US $ is because they're officcial Mexican government locations. Everyone else are businesses and they'll take Mexican, US and most likely Canadian - but you may have to negotiate with them on the exchange rate.

I haven't been to PP in a few years, but if you go into the larger stores in PV, Maz or Cabo, you tell them what currancy you want to pay with and the cash registers automatically do the conversion for them on US and Canadian.

Bill

[The_Texan]

I see a lot of folks are not current on the Mexican banking regulations.....There is a very STRICT control on the deposit of dollars by merchants and Mexican nationals, so MOST merchants will no longer take dollars, UNLESS they have easy access to an American bank.

[Altern]

Look at it this way. If this is a far south as you are going, dollars will be just fine.
The restaurants, fuel, vendors, etc will accept and/or make any conversion necessary.

[Graydon]

Most stores and businesses, unless they are right on the border DO NOT accept U.S. dollars.. only Pesos.
Many of the Toll Booths have large signs "NO US Funds Accepted)
Another way to look at it is: "would you expect stores and businesses in the U.S. to accept Mexico Pesos?" of course not.
ATMs in Mexico only give Pesos.

[kalynzoo]

Unless things have changed a whole lot, everyone prefers US dollars. Many if not most store owners are/where US retires.