Where locals go

The island runs on tourism, but the people who work here eat and unwind a few blocks off the main strip, not on the Playa Norte beachfront.

Where residents actually go

• The taquerías and loncherías inland. A couple of streets back from the ferry and the north beach, prices drop and the food gets more honest. Look for small spots busy with staff on lunch break serving tacos, tortas and comida corrida at a fraction of beachfront prices.
• The east-side and colonia neighborhoods. Away from the tourist blocks, the residential part of town has family-run kitchens, marisquerías and the everyday shops locals use. It is plain, not scenic, and that is the point.
• Local beaches over Playa Norte. When residents want the water without the crowd, they head to quieter stretches down the island or go early before the ferries land.
• Evening in the plaza. After the day-trippers leave, the town’s central square and church come back to life with families, street food and a slower pace.

A friend’s advice

Follow the panga fishermen’s catch. The best cheap seafood on the island is at the small marisquerías buying straight off the boats, not the waterfront places charging for the view. Ask where the ceviche is fresh that morning.