Cabo San Lucas has been dubbed the Cozumel of Mexico's West Coast, and is duly replete with duty-free shops. Located at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, Cabo San Lucas -- together with its more elegant and much quieter sister town of San Jose del Cabo and the stretch of coast that connects the two is an ideal spot for adventure-oriented pursuits. If conditions are right, the clear waters make for great snorkeling, and the white sand beaches are perfect for swimming.

This top vacation destination has some of the best sportfishing in the world, and it is the quest for marlin that put Cabo San Lucas on the map. After World War II and the advent of private planes, Bing Crosby and John Wayne arrived to fish. In the 1970s, a highway was built to connect California to Baja, and the travel industry began in earnest.

One of the downsides for most travelers whose ships sail here: All must anchor and tender passengers in to the port itself. That means -- especially for those folks sailing on 2,000-plus behemoths -- you'll need to factor in extra time getting to and from your ship. Even odder in this quite multi-faceted place is the fact that some ships only stop for half-day visits, which means that actual on-land time can be extremely limited

At first glance this might appear to be a working-class port city with a very touristy Golden Zone (Zona Dorado) serving up Diamonds International and souvenir shops, beaches, bars and eateries. But take a closer look, particularly at Old Mazatlan, and you'll be surprised.

This port of call is a nice sampling of the "real Mexico." Located just below the Tropic of Cancer, Mazatlan has a population of 600,000 and a history that includes pirates, who probably stashed their booty here to hide it from Spanish galleons. Spanish explorers used the port in the 1600s. German immigrants put the place on the map in the 1800s as they developed the city as a port for shipping cargo, and Mazatlan continues to be one of Mexico's major cargo ports (exports include some 40 million pounds of shrimp per year).

The city was incorporated in 1806. Riches came thanks to a silver and gold rush (the ores were discovered in the Sierra Madre outside of town). Mazatlan has been a tourist destination since the 1960s, thanks mostly to an abundance of trophy fish and to its beaches, which attracted first spring breakers and later a more diverse vacation crowd. From the city stretching north are 14 miles of white sand beaches and blue lagoons that have gained the city the nickname "Pearl of the Pacific."

The small, quaint fishing community of Puerto Vallarta, with its cobblestoned streets that seemed to climb straight up to the jungle behind it, was recognized as a city of Mexico in 1918, but was largely unknown to the rest of the world. In 1963, during the filming of John Huston's "Night of the Iguana," the sleepy town was invaded by reporters hoping to catch a glimpse of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, who were carrying on their illicit love affair -- and a tourist industry was born.

The colonial "old town" is a favorite of history buffs, photographers and bargain hunters, while burgeoning areas such as Marina Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta attract beach-goers, boaters and those looking for an all-inclusive resort or a reasonably priced time share. These areas, north of the city, are also where visitors can kayak through lagoons and swim with dolphins. The southern coastal areas of Mismaloya, Yelapa and Las Animas Quimixto are scenic wonders of coves and gullies, ideal for snorkeling; the latter two are reachable only by boat.

Because of its warm waters, the Bay of Banderas is a breeding ground for hundreds of humpback whales during the winter months. Pacific dolphins can be seen year-round, jumping alongside the bow wake of the many cruise ships that call here. Many tour operators offer eco-tours and photo safaris to take advantage of the abundance of marine life in the region; jungle tours, horseback treks and visits to tequila factories are some of the other excursions offered. But for those who choose to just wander around the city during a day in port, Puerto Vallarta offers a rich, rewarding experience.