Mexico Shopping Trip

Puerto Vallarta
El Gato Gordo
Citrus-hued both inside and out, this tiny shop ("the fat cat" in English) is hard to miss. Pop in for a dose of affordable items that make great gifts: handwoven scarves in rainbow stripes ($6 to $12) and tons of elaborately painted wooden figurines from the state of Oaxaca ($10 and up). 226 Calle Ignacio L. Vallarta, 52-322-223-52-82

Odaones (previously called: Hecho a Mano)
The amount of rustic, Mexican-influenced home decor and furniture at this popular shop is nothing short of amazing. Work your way from room to room (the place is huge) in search of weathered punched-tin star-shaped lanterns (from $45) and other similarly traditional items. 160 Calle Zaragoza, 52-322-223-14-55

Jades Maya
Semiprecious jade is known for its protective powers. Here, find an abundance of jewelry made with this pleasingly green-hued stone. 226-A Calle Leona Vicario, 52-322-222-03-71

Mar de Suenos
This swimwear and lingerie store just a few doors up from Jades Maya (see no. 3) draws a loyal following among repeat tourists for, among other things, its stellar La Perla selection: Nearly the entire line is available. 230-C Calle Leona Vicario, 52-322-222-26-62

Mercado Puerto Vallarta
In the typical mercado format, this market has a mix of items both manufactured, like woven plastic tote bags ($3 to $8) and handmade, such as leather sandals (from $8). On Calle Agustín Rodriguez, right off the bridge

Mosaiqe
Look for sarongs, glass bead necklaces, and vividly hued silk pashmina scarves at this Balinese import shop. (Other locations are in Cancun; see that section—we're fans of each and every one.) 277-A Calle Basilio Badilllo, 52-322-223-31-46, and 279 Calle Juarez, 52-322-223-31-83

Peyote People
The ancient Huichol tribe dwells in the Sierra Madre mountains and is known for its technique of covering objects with thousands of tiny beads. Find a great selection of their crafts here, along with barrels of fragrant Mayan Moka coffee. 222 Calle Juarez, 52-322-223-23-02

Poinciana
Located next to its sister stores Serafina and Sirenas (see nos. 10 and 11), this Mexican handicrafts boutique always tops our list. It carries a plethora of items awash in color, like bright embroidered pillows (from $40) and intricately painted talavera ceramics (from $8). 252 Calle Basilio Badillo, 52-322-222-29-88

Querubines
This shop is a hotbed of expertly handcrafted items for the home, including punched-tin heart and cross ornaments (from $6) and hefty handpainted platters ($20 and up). 501-A Calle Juarez, 52-322-223-17-27

Serafina
Allow yourself to be lured in by the bevy of plastic tote bags, many screened with obscure Mexican advertisements, that dangle in clusters from the entryway. Once inside, peruse the outstanding selection of jewelry and clothing, like the antique embroidered tops and tunics-some are more than 100 years old. 260 Calle Basilio Badillo, 52-322-223-45-94

Sirenas
Its corner location allows for much-needed breezes to float through (Puerto Vallarta is perpetually hot and humid), so consider lingering over the chaotic-in-a-good-way collection of clothing, scarves, and more, all with a hippie-ish, Mexican bent. 252 Calle Basilio Badillo, 52-322-223-19-25

Viva
More than 650 lines of jewelry from around the world are found here, along with gorgeous (and hard to find) 14K and sterling-silver Oaxacan filigree earrings, which take three days per pair to make. Equally great is the shop's own line of Spanish-made espadrilles. 274 Calle Basilio Badillo, 52-322-222-40-78

Cancun
Mercado Coral Negro
Easily found at the fork in Boulevard Kukulcan, this market is perfect for travelers who don't have time to head into the town of Cancun for requisite souvenirs: sombreros, silver jewelry, cotton hammocks, replicas of Mayan relics. Blvd. Kukulcán, km 9.5, no phone

Mercado 28
Located in the center of Cancun proper, Mercado 28 is a mazelike half-indoor, half-outdoor market with everything from colorful woven blankets to rustic leather handbags, most at negotiable prices. At the intersection of Aves. Tankah and Xel-Ha, no phone

Plaza Caracol
The most expansive indoor mall in Cancun amply rewards shoppers who traverse its floors. There's Envy, which carries designer labels like D&G and Polo; Sybele, an upscale retailer purveying clothing and offbeat items; and Majolica, a tiny shop that sells reproduction portraits of Frida Kahlo. Blvd. Kukulcan, km 8.5, 52-998-883-29-61

Plaza Forum by the Sea
This airy and highly strollable mall has its fair share of boutiques worth visiting, including mod home-decor shop Bassik (we love the giant bowls made from Mexican tzalam wood) and Tequila House, a trinket shop that offers strikingly accurate clay figurines made in your likeness—with a short turnaround time ($35 and up). Blvd. Kukulcan, km 9, 52-998-883-44-25

Plaza Flamingo
A trio of squawking parrots greets shoppers at the main entrance to this mall. We're especially fond of Wayan Natural Wear, a local chain that carries imports from Indonesia, lots of Mexican crafts (other locations are throughout Cancun), and a number of sterling-silver jewelry stores. 11.5 Blvd. Kukulcan, 52-998-883-29-45

Plaza Kukulcan
This sprawling mall-one of Cancun's most popular-is home to Silver Factory, a great place to load up on affordable silver jewelry (prices are based on weight), and Mare, a swimwear shop full of styles by a range of lines including D & G Dolce and Gabbana, Ritchie, and Onda de Mar. Blvd. Kukulcán, km 13, 52-998-885-22-00 x309

La Isla Shopping Village
The open-air layout and many outdoor cafes make a visit worthwhile, not to mention the sheer volume and variety of shops—from Zingara, a swimwear boutique filled with an eponymous line of bright mix-and-match separates (from $20 per piece) to Zara, a trendy Spain-based fashion boutique chain. Blvd. Kukulcan, km 12.5, 52-998-883-50-25

Tulum
Mixik
This is the best—and most fun—shop we found in our travels. We love Mixik's treehouse-like exterior almost as much as the entirely ungimmicky and enormously eye-pleasing items found inside, which include prettily packaged incense and painted paper-mache skulls. On Avenida Tulum in Tulum Pueblo, 52-984-871-21-36

The Tulum Ruins Market
At the entrance to Tulum's not-to-be-missed Mayan ruins—they hug the Atlantic shore; you can even snorkel around the base of the main temple—is a comprehensive cluster of gift shops competing for tourist dollars. Here you'll find all the necessary trinkets (Mexican blankets, silver jewelry) to bring home. At the Tulum ruins parking lot, no phone

Acapulco
D.S. Jeans
With locations all over Mexico, this much-loved chain sells cute, affordable jeans and clothing (like the blousy, bohemian strapless top we spied for only $22). This is the place for guilt-free impulse buys. 711 Ave. Costera Miguel Aléman, 52-744-484-00-90

La Gran Plaza
Acapulco's largest shopping mall (it's big enough to serve the 1.5 million local population) is filled with trendy, affordable clothing boutiques, many of them popular Mexican chains. 1632 Ave. Costera Miguel Aléman in the Golden Zone, 52-744-486-64-79

Mercado de Artesanias
It's easy (and fun) to get lost in this huge market, so take a couple of hours to wander around, comparison-pricing embroidered dresses and leather bags. Eventually you'll emerge back out on the sidewalk. In Old Acapulco Between Aves. Cuauhtemoc and Vicente de Leon, no phone

Mercado de Artesanias la Diana
Though smaller than the Mercado de Artesanías (see above), this market is easier to get to from the major strip hotels. Bonus: It's open late to accommodate night-owl shoppers. For their pure kitsch factor, we fell in love with the giant burlap yarn paintings of various Mexican tableaus, $30 (see above,). On Ave. Costera Miguel Aleman at Ave. Farallon, no phone

Plaza Bahia
Two floors of boutiques, most of them dedicated to summery apparel, make up this compact mall. Our picks: Il Mare, which sells XOXO swimwear; and Ciao, a purveyor of D&G and Moschino. 125 Ave. Costera Miguel Aleman in the Golden Zone, 52-744-485-69-39

Tennis
This Latin American sportswear chain sells fairly priced, sleekly cut sportswear—cargo pants at $25, and hoodies from $15—in a spare, modern environment. 244 Calle Reyes Catolicos, 52-744-486-26-77

Squalo
Surfers both local and nationwide love the board shorts, flip-flops, and rash guards by this Mexican surfwear company. 115 Ave. Costera Miguel Aleman, 52-744-484-18-15