Puerto Vallarta, Introduction

Puerto Vallarta was a vibrant Mexican community long before it became an international tourist zone. Because of the climate, scenery, tropical beaches, and rich cultural history tourism has become a major economic activity. Puerto Vallarta's proximity to the agricultural valley of the Ameca River, the Bay of Banderas and the important mining centers in the Sierra have given the town a more interesting past than most Mexican tourist destinations.

During the first part of the 19th century, at the mouth of the Cuale River - at that moment in time, inhabited mostly by crocodiles - there were practically no human dwellers. Between the rugged sierra, the ocean and the powerful Ameca River, this beautiful piece of Mexican geography remained isolated from the rest of the world. The hubs of economic activity were up in the mountains, in the towns of Cuale, San Sebastian and Mascota, where silver mines abounded but where salt, an essential element for the metal processing, wasn't found, we'll return to that further on.

Today, visitors to Puerto Vallarta Mexico can enjoy a breathtaking view from any of the hills that surround the city of Puerto Vallarta Mexico. Puerto Vallarta is located on the Pacific Coast on one of the largest bays in the world (member of "The Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club".) Banderas Bay measures 42 kilometers from north to south. The northernmost limit of the bay is at Punta Mita which is the end of the Sierra de Vallejo mountains and, to the south, the bay ends in Cabo Corrientes, part of the foothills of the Sierra del Cuale range.

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For more tourist information about Puerto Vallarta see a great visitor, vacation guide including Hotels, Restaurants, Bars, Shopping, Places, Health/Beauty, Art Galleries, Culture, Classes, Tours, Services, Real Estate and more Puerto Vallarta Guide