When you think of the Mexican Riviera, with its palm-fringed beaches, luxuriant jungle vegetation and posh resorts, many places come to mind. But no destination better typifies the classic Mexican beach vacation than Puerto Vallarta. From its sleepy, seaside village roots, it has grown into one of Mexico's most loved destinations.

As you arrive by plane, Puerto Vallarta's romance and beauty begin to take hold and a blanket of lush tropical jungle surrounds the quaint colonial city as it climbs away from the blue Pacific, into the Sierra Cuale mountains.

Nestled on the shores of Bahía de Banderas (Mexico's largest natural bay) and spread between the states of Jalisco and Nayarit, Vallarta traces its history back to the 1500's when it was first visited by Spanish explorers. It later became known as a respite for pirates plying the Pacific coast.

Puerto Vallarta remained a small village until 1963. That is the year that director John Huston decided to film his movie, "Night of the Iguana" starring Ava Gardner & Richard Burton, in Puerto Vallarta. Elizabeth Taylor flew down to be with Richard Burton in one of the most famous Hollywood affairs of the time. Both actors purchased homes in Puerto Vallarta, thus beginning its reputation as an international getaway.