Puerto Vallarta Mexico's small town atmosphere, friendly local people, simple lifestyle, and lower cost of living attract foreign residents who enjoy the good life. Offering an unrivaled combination of simple pleasures and sophisticated charms, this captivating city is home to a lively community of more than 5,000 expatriates who came to visit, fell under the town's tropical spell, and stayed.

Puerto Vallarta boasts a modern infrastructure that includes the best water treatment facilities in all of Latin America, reliable electrical and communication services, and modern hospitals that use the most advanced medical technologies, in addition to the American School of Puerto Vallarta, the only US-accredited school on the western coast of Mexico.

Mexico's penchant for modernization and fascination with all things American is absorbed, sifted, and shaped in a unique Vallartense manner. Fine dining restaurants, art galleries, upscale shopping centers, internet cafes and nightclubs peacefully coexist alongside taco stands, street-side vendors selling Mexican handcrafts, traditional open air markets and strolling mariachi bands.

Mexico's history and tradition are revealed in Puerto Vallarta's vibrant commercial and residential areas. White adobe houses with red-tiled roofs and flower-covered balconies add a distinctive cultural flair, while the clatter of donkeys' hooves on the cobblestone streets accentuate the town's traditional spirit.

A colorful blend of the old and the new, Vallarta's many residential areas from Conchas Chinas to Marina Vallarta offer real estate options for every taste and budget. Whether you plan on buying or renting, this area has many reliable and bilingual real estate professionals who can help you find exactly what you are looking for - from modest homes and traditional hacienda to luxurious mountainside villas and beachfront condominiums.

Nestled between the jungle vegetation of the Sierra Madre mountains and the crystal clear waters of Banderas Bay, Puerto Vallarta offers many fabulous natural attractions and a wealth of outdoor adventures and excursions that are hard to resist.

The Bay of Banderas is home to a wide variety of aquatic life that attracts snorkelers, scuba divers and sports fishermen. The 25-mile-wide bay is the perfect place to catch sailfish, mahi-mahi, dorado, marlin, tuna, roostertail and red snapper. Humpback whales can be seen every year from November to March, sea turtles nest on the beaches from May to October, and an amazing kaleidoscope of tropical fish, schools of dolphins and giant manta rays inhabit Banderas Bay year-round.

Your exploring does not have to be limited to just the bay. Puerto Vallarta and its surrounds offer you the opportunity to explore around 25 miles of absolutely stunning beaches - some secluded, others crowded and lively. For those looking for more active adventures, the lush tropical jungle is waiting to be explored while hiking, biking, horseback riding, or on an exciting jeep safari that takes you deep into the heart of the Sierra Madres.

Traditional sports, like golf and tennis, are unforgettable in this picturesque setting. This region is fast becoming Mexico's leading golf destination with seven golf courses designed by some of the world's greatest golf course architects including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf and Robert von Hagge. Vallarta is also a major tennis destination with a growing number of tennis clubs, classes, workshops and tournaments each year.

Boaters will enjoy Marina Vallarta, Mexico's most sophisticated marina and one of the most attractive and well planned developments in the country. With over 500 full service slips, 1/2 mile of beachfront, a wide array of hotels and residential accommodations, the American School, numerous shops and restaurants, an 18-hole golf course and a water park, Marina Vallarta is a favorite of residents as well as tourists.

Puerto Vallarta has seen a major growth in its exciting cultural life within the last few years. Hailed by critics as Mexico's Art Mecca, Vallarta is a major international art center with over 30 art galleries and museums featuring art in all mediums. Paintings, sculptures, pottery and folk art created by emerging artists are proudly displayed beside works by Mexico's celebrated masters and famous international artisans.

Vallarta has a unique international ambience where foreign residents and Mexican locals have developed a very special and seldom-found cultural acceptance. Traditional Mexican festivals and holidays blend in with Saint Patrick's Day celebrations, Canada Day and 4th of July picnics, and a wide variety of international events designed for the cosmopolitan visitor.

Yearly events in Puerto Vallarta encompass a broad range of interests and enthusiasms covering everything from Mariachi, Cultural, International Film, Fine Arts, and Gourmet Festivals to Fishing, Tennis and Golf Tournaments. Residents also enjoy seasonal Art Walks and live music and dance performances at the Los Arcos Ampitheater or the new Theater Centro Cultural Cuale. Workshops in art, music, etching, sculpting, clay, theater, painting or drawing can be found on the Isla Cuale.

In addition to the traditional Mexican celebrations and cultural activities, Puerto Vallarta offers a large number of active civic and social groups for foreign residents. Some of these organizations and charities include: The International Friendship Club, the Hope Foundation, the American Mexico Foundation, Make-a-Wish-Foundation, the Writers' Group of Vallarta, the Jungle Quilters, the Ecology Group of Vallarta, and several community theater groups.

Safe, clean and welcoming, Puerto Vallarta offers what permanent foreign residents seek. An unhurried refuge with friendly people, modern amenities, and cultural and ecological attractions that initiate a comfortable and relaxed lifestyle in a sun-blessed paradise.