Puerto Vallarta, Mexico has been rated the top Mexican Riviera and South America Destination by the Cruise Critic's first-ever Cruisers' Choice Destination Awards.

Cruise Critic is the leading cruise reviews and information site which hosts the largest cruise community in the world. 2016 Cruisers' Choice Destination Award rankings were based on consumer ratings in published reviews of port calls made on sailings between August 1, 2015 and July 31, 2016 in destinations across 15 world regions.

Puerto Vallarta was ranked number one in the region, followed by Buenos Aires and Cartagena. The port city is one of Mexico's leading tourism destinations because of its stunning Bay of Banderas surrounded by the lush Sierra Madre mountains and rich colonial architecture of its city center.

Today the 98-year-old Mexican city is a world-class destination where cruisers are welcomed with Mariachi bands and can enjoy a wide array of activities.

Puerto Vallarta's Cruise Port Terminal is currently undergoing an extensive three-year renovation with an investment of over 320 million pesos (about 17 million USD.) Construction will be done during off seasons and new to the port will be a Tequila Factory, an aquarium and a Welcome Center.

From January to August of this year, 83 cruise ships have made calls upon the destination compared to 72 port calls for the same period in 2015, and 199,565 cruise passengers have visited Puerto Vallarta so far this year, compared to 2015's 173,978. It is estimated that Puerto Vallarta will receive over 350,000 cruise passengers by the end of 2016.

One of the most popular activities in Puerto Vallarta for locals and visitors alike is strolling along the destination's Malecón, a lively pedestrian-only boardwalk that connects Puerto Vallarta's Downtown area with the Romantic Zone and is surrounded by many shops and restaurants.

From October through May, visitors can enjoy the Centro Historico ArtWalk. At any time of the year, there are many other art galleries to explore, such as Sergio Bustamente's, the artist who made many of the statues located on the Malecon, and places to shop, like the arts and crafts market, ceramic and tequila stores and high-end boutiques located along El Centro's cobblestone streets. For lunch or dinner, there are over 360 restaurants in the downtown area to choose from.

Adventure seekers will find that Puerto Vallarta has it all, from paddle boarding to rappelling down a waterfall. Tour Operators such as Canopy River offer unique opportunities to Zipline across rivers and ride mules down the Sierra Madre Mountain range, while others can speed down the country side with Wild Treks Adventure's ATVs. Vallarta Adventures incorporates cultural, adventure and ecological activities in its tours, which range from visiting a ghost mining town in the middle of the jungle, sailing across the bay to a secluded cove where you can relax on a beautiful beach, and flying through the treetops on the fastest zip-line in Mexico.

Those looking for a more relaxing time can opt for a day at one of Puerto Vallarta's many high-end beach clubs, including Mantamar Beach Club and Casa Velas' Ocean Club, or obtain a day pass to enjoy the beach or pool at many of Puerto Vallarta's hotels, including Secrets, Westin or Fiesta Americana. Spa treatments at CasaMagna Marriott's Ohtli or Villa Premiere's Spa are also great ways to relax.