Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

One of the most beautiful places in the world is Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. But don't just take my word for it... Go take a look for yourself!

If you decide to go, you will have plenty of company. Puerto Vallarta draws over two million tourists a year, from Mexico and from many other countries. The first airplane landed there in 1931, and with the famed filming of Night of the Iguana in the 1960s, the world heard of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Unlike Cancun, the city wasn't designed to become a resort... it just happened naturally over the years. So there is still a lot of the old Mexican flavor throughout the city, though newer buildings dominate the prime beachfront real estate.

Puerto Vallarta is the second most visited beach resort in Mexico. It wasn't always this way. In 1993, for example, Mexican tourists were more likely to go to Cancun, Acapulco, Mazatlan or Veracruz. But then efforts were begun to really put Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on the short list of top world beach resorts.

The success of the promotional efforts means that Vallarta is no longer a laid-back small city. But it's still a wonderful destination. One warning: in this tropical paradise, there are many salespeople wanting you to buy a timeshare, and many vendors. I try to recognize that they may be doing the best they know how to make a living. Often I find that looking directly into their eyes with a friendly smile while saying a firm No, thanks or No, gracias makes them give up on me and go seek a more likely prospect.

With more accommodating at all price levels, with electrical wires being buried underground in the center of the city, with plenty of water in the region, with a bay that protects the city from the worst of hurricanes and other storms, the future looks good for glorious vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.