PUERTO VALLARTA MEXICO CRUISES

It may have taken a few Hollywood gossip columnists to coax this small-time village into the international limelight, but the popular beach resort of Puerto Vallarta is now well and truly addicted to the dazzle of big-time tourism.

Considered one of Mexico's principal Pacific hangouts it attracts groups of domestic and international visitors alike to its bayside setting near the jungle-studded foothills of the Sierra del Cuale range. The resort has tried to hang on to some of its bygone charm by leaving some adobe houses standing for the sun to bounce off, and giving its cobblestones a good scrub, but the skyscraping penthouse suites of numerous luxury-stuffed hotels, the waterfront bars and restaurants, and the boat- and swimmer-filled bay define what Puerto Vallarta is really all about.

 Puerto Vallarta is located in the central west region along the beautiful beaches of the Pacific coastline of México known as "The Mexican Rivera". Built where the tropical lush jungles of the Sierra Madre Mountains meet the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean . The Bay of Banderas has acted as a natural harbor from hurricanes and tropical storms for the people and boats that, at one point or another, have inhabited and sailed in this part of the world. Puerto Vallarta is located on the tip of the State of Jalisco.

In the past five years Puerto Vallarta has achieved the status of being one of the most popular destinations in México. It is also probably the most visited city in Latin America amongst North Americans and Europeans. Its Marina is considered as one of the best in the whole continent. Today Puerto Vallarta has over 250,000 Mexican Residents, including close to 6,000 permanent Canadian, American and Australian residents. Its a small, quaint city which blends the tranquility and enchantment of a "Mexican Pueblo" with the cosmopolitan activities and breathtaking infrastructure of the modern resort area it has become. Puerto Vallarta has a unique architectural style, enhanced by cobblestone streets, white stucco houses topped with red terracotta tiles and highlighted with wrought iron balconies commonly adorned with colorful local flowers.

Not long after Alvarado first touched ground in this area, that bay was forgotten for almost 300 years. Puerto Vallarta was know as "Puerto Las Peñas" from 1851 until 1918 when it was designated as a municipally and received the official name of "Puerto Vallarta, in honor of Don Ignacio L. Vallarta, a reputable representative of the State of Jalisco at the time. For 30 years this small village remained a fishing village. International attention was first drawn to Puerto Vallarta after American director John Houston discovered the natural beauties of the town by reading written descriptions from travelers. This prompted Mr. Houston to visit Puerto Vallarta; the result was the filming of "Night of the Iguana" in nearby Mismaloya.  What is a Mexico cruise without a visit to Puerto Vallarta.