Ok, so you want to go to Mexico. You need a breather from the stress of every day life and you're looking for something relaxing and spectacular, yet not too far away. Not only are you looking for beautiful beaches, water sports, great shopping, gourmet restaurants, outstanding golf courses, tennis, family activities, arts, music and nightlife...but you also want to experience the real culture of Mexico and stay in a luxury private villa with a full staff and all of the amenities. You deserve to be pampered...and to top it all off, you don't want to lose the intimate charm of true Mexican hospitality.

Sound like a tall order? Well, the answer is very simple...Puerto Vallarta. Vallarta (as the locals call it) is considered by many to be the undiscovered "San Francisco of Mexico" and the "Jewel of the Mexican Riviera". It has the same combination of pure relaxation tempered with a perfect touch of elegant refinement- a rare find just south of the border.

Steeped in history, Vallarta has certainly maintained the charm set forth by the Spanish explorers who stopped here in the 1500's. Wrought-iron balconies and red-tile roofs highlight cobblestone streets and stucco homes draped in vivid bougainvillea. Vallarta looks and feels like a storybook come to life, set in a tropical paradise, complete with mariachi music ringing in the background.

For 50 years Vallarta minded its own business as a fishing mecca and lazy little resort town. In 1964, with the filming of John Houston's famous Night of the Iguana, Puerto Vallarta made the map as a Hollywood hot spot. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor made headlines with an affair in this tropical paradise and suddenly Vallarta splashed into international notoriety.

Travel writers, artists, musicians and celebrities were not far behind. Almost overnight the focus of this sleepy village went from hideaway to hit. Suddenly, tourism was born and now Vallarta is unquestionably one of the world's most incredible beach resorts and golf destinations. And, as they say...the rest is history.

For more information on Puerto Vallarta and Mexico...please check out these suggested Travel Guides: Frommer's, Puerto Vallarta Handbook by Bruce Wipperman, and On Mexican Time by Tony Cohan