Puerto Vallarta

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Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican resort city. Situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas, the city is a popular destination for tourists, including students on spring break.
The 2005 census reported Puerto Vallarta's population as 177,830 — and about 5 million overnight stays by tourists — making it the fifth-largest city in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

The city is located at 20°40′N, 105°16′W. The municipality has an area of 1,300.67 km² (502.19 sq mi) adjacent to the southwestern tip of the state of Nayarit. It includes the northern suburban town of Ixtapa, which is not to be confused with the better-known tourist resort of Ixtapa in Guerrero.

Shipping traffic consists of cruise ships, which arrive almost daily (in season), and occasional visits by U.S. Navy frigates. The Mexican Navy maintains a base at the port, as well as a well-known naval hospital in the city center, which is now a Naval Museum.

Vallarta is considered the jewel of the state of Jalisco. Tapatios, or residents of the state capital of Guadalajara, visit for weekend trips, or vacations such as semana santa and Christmas; the city is used as as a local getaway. Like many resort areas, the city's attraction lies in its relaxed atmosphere and natural splendor, offering tropical plants and sinuous rock formations.

Some English language speakers call the city P.V. for short, due to the difficulty some have in pronouncing the double "L" in "Vallarta", (IPA pronunciation: [puɛrto væ'jɑrtə]). When speaking, the name is often shortened to "Vallarta."

History

Unlike Cancún (another leading Mexican tourist destination), Puerto Vallarta was a traditional village before gaining worldwide recognition as a travel destination.

The village was originally founded on December 12, 1851, by Don Guadalupe Sánchez Torres, who named it "Las Peñas de Santa María de Guadalupe" ("the rocks of Saint Mary of Guadalupe"). The name was eventually truncated to "Puerto Las Peñas" ("Port Las Peñas"), meaning "Port of the Rocks" or "Rocky Port." The original reason for the port was to enable the transshipment of silver from nearby mines.

In 1918, the village was elevated to municipality status and renamed after former state governor Ignacio L. Vallarta. In 1963, it became famous worldwide after director John Huston decided to make a movie version of Tennessee Williams's play The Night of the Iguana in what was then a quiet fishing village.

During the filming, the paparazzi had a field day covering Elizabeth Taylor's scandalous affair with Richard Burton, as well as the constant tension between Huston and the film's four stars. The subsequent publicity helped to attract foreign investors in the 1970s, which resulted in the massive expansion of Puerto Vallarta to its current size.

Today, there is a statue of Huston in the park on La Isla Rio Cuale in the center of the city. A nearby plaque dedicated on the 25th anniversary of the film's release honors Huston's contribution to the city's fame.

Puerto Vallarta's outer jungle areas, is also the location where the movie Predator (starring California governor and former actor Arnold Schwarzenegger) was filmed.

Free encyclopedia

Population (2005) 177,830 (city)

220,368 (municipality) hab

Altitude 7 m (23 ft) msl

Coordinates

- Latitude:20º 40' N

- Longitude: 05º 16' W

Mayor Lic. Francisco Javier Bravo Carbajal

Political party

Time zone: UTC -6

Demonym Vallartense

Postal code
Area code 322
Website: www.puertovallarta.gob.mx