I have worked remotely from Puerto Vallarta and spent plenty of time handling normal errands in Amapas. My honest advice is simple: plan your trips around the hills, combine several tasks whenever you go downhill, and keep a few backups ready for workdays.
Amapas is the best place to rent when you want a quiet home base with Old Town and Zona Romantica close by. The neighborhood sits on a hillside, so daily life is easy once you understand the layout.
This guide explains how we handle groceries, laundry, pharmacy visits, transportation, drinking water, and work-related errands without wasting a whole day.
Start by learning your route
The first thing I do after arriving is walk the route between our condo and the main streets below. I look for the easiest path, the nearest convenience store, and the places where taxis or rideshare vehicles can pick us up.
Amapas has steep streets, stairs, and cobblestones. The walk downhill can feel simple, but the return trip takes more effort, especially with groceries or laundry.
If you are travelling with another person, one person can carry the small bag while the other checks the route and keeps the phone ready for a ride. If you are a solo traveller, a small backpack is much easier than carrying several loose bags.
Good walking shoes make a real difference. I also keep a compact umbrella in my day bag because tropical rain can arrive quickly.
Use small shops for daily needs
For quick errands, we usually walk downhill to small tiendas and convenience stores in and around Old Town. These shops are useful when we need bottled water, coffee, snacks, bread, toiletries, or one missing ingredient for dinner.
A convenience store is not the best place for a full grocery shop, but it saves time when we are between video calls. We often make a short list before leaving so we do not turn a ten-minute errand into a long wandering trip.
Small produce shops are also helpful for fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs, tortillas, and other basic foods. Shopping this way lets us buy only what we plan to use over the next day or two.
That is especially useful when we are staying in a condo. We avoid filling the refrigerator with food that may go unused before our next outing.
Plan one larger grocery trip
Amapas is excellent for smaller daily errands, but we usually plan a larger supermarket trip once a week. We buy pantry items, cleaning supplies, drinks, coffee, and anything difficult to find in a small shop.
The best strategy is to make the trip before work begins or after the workday ends. We write the list together, check the refrigerator first, and then use a taxi or rideshare for the return journey.
I do not recommend carrying a full shop up the hill. Even a short trip can become uncomfortable when you are holding heavy bags in warm weather.
If we are arriving for a longer stay, we ask our host which supermarket route works best from the building. The pickup point matters because some hillside streets are easier for vehicles than others.
Buying drinking water is another part of the grocery plan. We use filtered water when the condo provides it, but we still confirm how the system works when we arrive. If bottled water is needed, we add it to the larger trip instead of making repeated walks.
Keep pharmacy errands simple
Pharmacies are easy to find in the busier streets below Amapas. I recommend handling pharmacy errands during the daytime, when it is easier to compare products and ask questions.
Before travelling, make a list of any regular medication and write down the active ingredients. Bring important prescriptions from home, and do not assume that a familiar brand will have the same name in Mexico.
For basic personal-care items, sunscreen, insect repellent, stomach remedies, and other everyday needs, a nearby pharmacy is usually convenient. We keep a small personal kit in the condo so we do not need to leave during a busy work call.
If you need a specific medication, ask the pharmacist directly and confirm the instructions. For anything urgent or unfamiliar, contact a qualified medical professional.
Make laundry part of the weekly routine
Laundry is one of the easiest errands to overlook when we are focused on work. I prefer to check the condo’s washer before unpacking so I know whether we can manage everything in the unit.
Some rentals have in-unit laundry, while others may have shared equipment or a drop-off lavandería nearby. Drop-off service can be very practical: we leave the clothes in the morning and collect them later, depending on the shop’s schedule.
Before using a laundry service, ask whether clothes are washed separately, when they will be ready, and how delicate items are handled. We keep swimsuits, lightweight clothing, and towels in a separate bag so sorting is simple.
A fixed laundry day works well. We usually do it after the larger grocery trip, then return to the condo and continue working while the clothes run.
Protect your workday with internet backups
A reliable internet connection is one of the most important parts of a remote-work stay. Before booking, I ask the host for a recent speed-test screenshot and confirm whether the connection works well for video meetings.
When we arrive, we test the Wi-Fi from the exact place where we expect to work. A connection can feel fine in the living room but weaker in a bedroom or on a balcony.
I also prepare a backup plan. A local SIM card or eSIM with hotspot data can help if the main connection fails. A power bank is useful during a long errand day, and a compact surge protector keeps our work equipment organized.
If you are travelling with another remote worker, agree on a simple backup routine. One person can take a call from the bedroom while the other works at the dining table. Headphones help, but a condo with separate areas is even better.
Choose errands that fit your meetings
I try not to schedule errands between important calls. Instead, I group them into two types.
The first is a quick downhill run for coffee, a few groceries, or pharmacy items. The second is a planned trip for a supermarket, laundry drop-off, or coworking session.
On a meeting-heavy day, we use delivery for food and household basics when available. This keeps us at the condo and prevents a short errand from turning into a long break.
On a lighter workday, we walk down into Old Town, complete several tasks, and return by taxi or rideshare. Old Town and Zona Romantica are the same area, so you can combine errands with a café stop or a walk near the beach without making separate trips.
The key is to check the weather, your meeting schedule, and how much you plan to carry before leaving.
Keep cash, apps, and addresses ready
I keep small amounts of Mexican pesos available for buses, small stores, and situations where a card may not work. I also use a rideshare app and save the condo address in both English and Spanish.
Hillside buildings can have entrances that are difficult to describe over the phone. Before the first ride, I save the exact entrance point, building name, and nearby landmark.
When ordering delivery, I include clear instructions and stay available by phone. If the building has a security desk, I let the staff know that a delivery is coming.
A local SIM or eSIM is useful for more than work. It helps with maps, translation, delivery calls, rideshare updates, and messages from the host.
What to look for when choosing your condo
For remote work, I look for a proper table, comfortable seating, dependable Wi-Fi, good lighting, and a kitchen where we can prepare simple meals.
Filtered water, in-unit laundry, air conditioning, and a backup workspace also make daily errands easier. These details reduce the number of times we need to leave the condo during a busy week.
Sueño and The Nest are examples of the kind of modern condo setup we like to consider when planning a stay. Amapas remains our top choice because it gives us a peaceful place to work while keeping everyday services close enough to reach.
A simple weekly errands plan
Here is the routine that works best for us:
- Arrival day: Check the Wi-Fi, water system, laundry setup, and nearest store.
- First morning: Buy water, coffee, breakfast items, and basic toiletries.
- Midweek: Walk downhill for fresh produce, pharmacy needs, and a café break.
- One lighter workday: Make the larger supermarket trip and use a ride back.
- Laundry day: Wash in the condo or drop clothes at a nearby lavandería.
- Before departure: Replace basic supplies, wash towels, and confirm transport details.
This routine keeps errands from taking over the trip. It also gives us time to enjoy Amapas instead of constantly running back and forth.
Final recommendation
Amapas makes remote work in Puerto Vallarta practical when you plan around the hillside. We walk for small errands, use rideshare for heavy bags, keep a mobile-data backup, and combine several tasks into one trip.
If you are a digital nomad or working remotely with a partner or friend, Amapas is highly recommended. It offers the quiet, modern condo setting we want, with Old Town and Zona Romantica close enough for everyday needs.
Related resources
- puerto vallarta old town condo rentals
- apartments for rent in puerto vallarta
- our longer guide to settling into Amapas
- why Amapas works so well for remote stays
- Follow us on Instagram
About the Author
