While you won't find "Nuevo Vallarta" on any older map of Mexico, be prepared to see it on all the future versions.

As Cancun's popularity ignited the sprawl that is now termed the Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta is now sprawling north & and west into the neighboring state of Nayarit. The first enclave in what is to be known as the Riviera Nayarit is called Nuevo Vallarta.

While the two vacation hot spots share an airport and a coastline on Banderas Bay, the similarities stop there. Puerto Vallarta is the city, Nuevo Vallarta is the suburbs. In Puerto Vallarta you walk on cobblestones, in Nuevo Vallarta you walk on sand (one of the longest walking beaches on the coast). In Puerto Vallarta, you take a cab to dinner and sample the multitude of restaurants the city has to offer. In Nuevo, you're more than likely in an all-inclusive hotel and will have dinner at your resort. In Puerto Vallarta, after dinner you can "club" until the early morning. In Nuevo Vallarta, you'll have to take a cab to Puerto Vallarta to "club" until the early morning.

Nuevo Vallarta offers quiet and "elbow room". It's a place to unwind which offers the open space that allows for golf courses, a protected marina, a waterpark and an air-conditioned shopping mall. If you have decided on one the many deluxe or budget priced all-inclusive resorts for your stay, you REALLY can relax knowing all your needs are taken care of (and paid in advance)!

An added benefit of a stay in Nuevo Vallarta is your proximity to other laid-back beach towns along the coast. In fact, if you're staying on the western edge of Nuevo Vallarta, you'll be able to walk to the neighboring town of Bucerias for a taste of a less commercialized Mexico. Fish tacos under a palapa on the beach never tasted so good.

For help in choosing the right hotel, www.NuevoVallartaReviews.com is a good place to start. The site offers hotel and sightseeing reviews and gives the opportunity to compare vacation package pricing with various top notch vendors.

Author's Note: Enjoy reviews, tips, discounts, and "book-ability" with top vendors on vacations to Nuevo Vallarta at http://www.nuevovallartareviews.com . Deluxe vacations, budget vacations, all-inclusive hotel & resorts, sightseeing, charter airfare and more.