Sipping a mojito in my cushy cabana at Velas Vallarta while gazing at the cerulean sea, sure felt like paradise to me. Puerto Vallarta captivates with its sun kissed beaches against the backdrop of the Sierra Madre Mountains. This trendy resort town on Mexico’s Pacific Coast with a lively palm tree lined oceanfront malecon (promenade), offers a vibrant art scene, voguish boutiques, superb gastronomy and happening nightlife.

You might not have the town of Richmond, Rhode Island on your travel bucket list, but amidst this small town (where the population is barely over 8,000) lies a sprawling resort that has visitors coming in droves.