Puerto Vallarta Region

Puerto Vallarta is located on the same latitude as Hawaii. The city covers 670 square miles and has a population of over 300,000. At the center of the coastline of Banderas Bay, the second largest bay in the Americas, it boasts 25 miles of sheltered beaches. It is bordered by the majestic Sierra Madre Mountains to the south and east and by the fertile Valle de Banderas (Valley of Flags) to the north. To the west is Banderas Bay and the popular malecon where residents and visitors stroll day and night.Just north of downtown are most of the hotels, the marina with slips for 550 boats of all sizes, the Maritime Terminal and the airport. Just down the coast to the south are villas, hotels, more beaches and the settlement of Mismaloya, where Night of the Iguana and Predator were filmed.

Puerto Vallarta, with its cobblestone streets winding lazily around mountainsides, its traditional white shops with red tile roofs and its sunny beaches with beautiful blue waters, where whales come to mate and give birth and dolphins frolic all year, has come to be the sixth most popular travel destination in the world. (It is becoming increasingly popular for weddings and honeymoons as well.) The downtown area is focused around the town plaza and the landmark Church of Guadalupe with its filigree crown. The area teems with shops, art galleries, restaurants and cantinas and local businesses as well as residences. Unlike several resort destinations in Mexico, Puerto Vallarta was not created for tourism, but has a history as a real town. It never really was the "sleepy little fishing village" described in some travel brochures. The United States and Canada maintain consular offices in Vallarta to assist visitors. There are ATMs that accept major credit and debit cards and pharmacies stock just about everything you could need and have many medications at discounted prices.

The spectacular natural beauty of Puerto Vallarta has become a focus for several ecological groups interested in preserving the many natural ecosystems found here: rainforests, tropical jungle, mountain forest, coral reefs and the diverse marine life found in the protected waters of the bay. In particular, the University of Guadalajara's Puerto Vallarta campus (Centro Universitario de la Costa) and private foundations are working to advance Mexico's studies and protection of marine mammals.