Fodor's Expert Review La Iguana

Enjoy Vallarta's original dinner show Thursday nights at 7 pm. Large troupes of professional mariachis entertain, beautiful women dance in colorful costumes, couples cut a rug, kids whack piñatas, and fireworks light up the sky. The simulated cockfight is supposed to be painless for the roosters, and nearly so for alarmed foreign visitors. There's an open bar (domestic Mexican beer and well drinks only), and the buffet has 40 selections. Most folks deem this party worth the price of $57.50 per person (about half that for kids). Reservations are generally made through tour operators or streetside vendors; employees at La Iguana rarely answer their phone except around show time.