Bahía de Banderas in the context of Ameca River

Puerto Vallarta (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpweɾto βaˈʎaɾta] or simply Vallarta) is a Mexican resort city near the Bahía de Banderas on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalajara metropolitan area. The city of Puerto Vallarta is the government seat of the municipality of Puerto Vallarta, which comprises the city as well as population centers outside of the city, extending from Boca de Tomatlán to the Nayarit border (the Ameca River). The city is located at 20°40′N 105°16′W / 20.667°N 105.267°W / 20.667; -105.267. The municipality has an area of 681 square kilometres (262.9 sq mi). To the north, it borders the southwest of the state of Nayarit. To the east, it borders the municipality of Mascota and San Sebastián del Oeste, and to the south, it borders the municipalities of Talpa de Allende and Cabo Corrientes.

Puerto Vallarta is named after Ignacio Vallarta, a former governor of Jalisco. In Spanish, Puerto Vallarta is frequently shortened to "Vallarta", while English speakers call the city P.V. for short. In Internet shorthand, the city is often referred to as PV, after the International Air Transport Association airport code for its Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport.

Nuevo Nayarit (Spanish pronunciation: ['nweβo na.ʝaˈɾit̪]), formerly known as Nuevo Vallarta, is a residential-resort community located in the Municipality of Bahía de Banderas, in the Mexican state of Nayarit. By automobile, it is about fifteen minutes north of Puerto Vallarta's Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport. Nuevo Nayarit receives many tourists from both the United States/Canada and also the United Kingdom. It has many malls and stores that accept payment in Mexican pesos or U.S. dollars.

The Marieta Islands (Spanish: Islas Marietas) are a group of small uninhabited islands a few miles off the coast of the state of Nayarit, Mexico, located in federal waters approximately 7.9 kilometres (4.9 mi) southwest of the peninsula known as Punta de Mita, in the municipality of Bahía de Banderas.

The islands are a popular tourist destination because of the abundant marine life populations due to the islands being protected from fishing and hunting by the Mexican government. The ocean water depth around the islands is between 70 and 110 feet.