Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Puerto Vallarta, colloquially known as Vallarta, is a city on Mexico's Pacific Coast. While it is established as a modern resort town, the Old Town (the Zona Romantica district) south of the River Cuale is more of a traditional Mexican city.

Around the Bay, beautiful beaches, lush jungles, and sparkling waterfalls offer many opportunities for the adventurous, while five-star resorts, world-class shopping, and gourmet restaurants satisfy even the most sophisticated traveler. Stretching from the south end of Old Town to central downtown, a newly extended and refurbished boardwalk along the ocean, called the Malecon, passes by any number of shops, restaurants, and hotels, and often plays host to mimes, breakdancers, clowns and artists.