Puerto Vallarta is a resort city on the west coast of Mexico situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas, in the state of Jalisco.
Puerto Vallarta is named after Ignacio Vallarta, a jurist and a former governor of Jalisco. In Spanish, Puerto Vallarta is often shortened to "Vallarta", and is pronounced 'vie-arta'.
It is believed that the area belonged to the Aztatlán culture which dominated Jalisco from approx. 900-1200 A.D.
In the early 1500's Spanish colonizers led by Hernán Cortés took control of much of the valley and named it Banderas (flags) after the colorful standards carried by the natives.
Puerto Vallarta (old name Las Penas de Santa María de Guadalupe) was a small fishing and pearl-diving village before it became an international tourist destination.
In the 1950's Puerto Vallarta had started to attract Americans and was made known and romantisized in classic Hollywood movies. In the 197o's and 80's Puerto Vallarta experienced rapid growth in the number of large luxury hotels and became a bargain destination for US tourists.
In the 1990's a new phase of Puerto Vallarta's expansion began, centered more on accommodating those purchasing condominiums or time-shares which led to a boom in the development of private residences, hotel and rental apartment construction.
The city is very popular with US and Canada residents looking to get away from the winter cold, and tourism makes the majority of all economic activity in Puerto Vallarta.
The high season for international tourism in Puerto Vallarta extends from late November through March and many tourists come on cruise ships, which arrive almost daily, as well as on a number of convenient flights between Puerto Vallarta and Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.
Puerto Vallarta has become a popular retirement destination for US and Canadian retirees. This trend has spawned a condominium development boom in the city and the area is one of the fastest growing regions in the Americas.
Mexico resorts Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas
