Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - This time of year many so called 'snowbirds' are making plans to fly South for the Winter. But it is not just the part time expats from the U.S. and Canada that have chosen to live part of the year in Mexico, it is also people from around the world who are looking for an exotic winter vacation.

According to the annual report by the Integrated System on Migration Operations (SIOM), which monitors the number of foreign tourists entering the country by nationality, the UK ranks third among the countries from which most tourists come to Mexico, after the U.S. and Canada. In fact, 506,000 British tourists visited the country in 2015.

In a September 16 article, the UK Telegraph's Travel Editor, Oliver Smith, listed 21 reasons why Mexico should be your next holiday destination. Here, we share the Top 10:

1. It's the "aquarium of the world"

Jacques Cousteau gave this moniker to the Sea of Cortez, off the coast of Baja California, and "it has an almost legendary status among divers and marine naturalists," according to Telegraph Travel's Tim Ecott. He adds: "Some 900 fish species and 32 types of marine mammal gather to feed and breed here. Massive blooms of plankton mean that even elusive blue whales are seen here, along with the gnarled humpbacks and grey whales that sound and breach in the bay, to the delight of whale-watching parties."

2. There are more Mayan ruins than you can shake a stick at

Among the best are Chichen Itza, the crowning glory of which is the towering temple of El Castillo; Tulum, with its idyllic coastal location; Palenque, unknown to Europeans until the late 18th century; and Uxmal, a former capital that was once home to 25,000 people.

3. You can watch a colorful parade of the walking dead

The best thing about SPECTRE, the most recent outing for James Bond, was undoubtedly the opening sequence, with Mexico's Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) celebrations providing the striking backdrop. Nobel Prize-winning writer Octavio Paz wrote that, while death remains taboo around the world, "the Mexican frequents it, mocks it, caresses it, sleeps with it, entertains it, it is one of his favorite playthings and his most enduring love." To learn more about this annual event, held in November, click HERE.

4. Or stay in Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's love nest

Casa Kimberly, the former home of the couple, can be found overlooking Banderas Bay and is now a luxurious nine-room hotel. Jade Conroy writes: "The story goes that Burton bought Taylor a house opposite his own, the two being connected by a pink replica of Venice's Bridge of Sighs – and that Burton was banished over it to the other side of the house whenever the pair had one of their famously tempestuous rows. "The soul of the Burtons is still very much there: a bronze statue of the pair by the front door can be seen from the street; there's a painting of Taylor, her violet eyes staring at you as you ascend the stairs; vintage posters of the pair adorn the central, fountain-filled courtyard. Manna from movie-star heaven."

5. There's a hidden beach

A few miles north of Casa Kimberly at the Marietas Islands, there's a hidden beach that's only accessible by swimming through a tunnel. On the other side of this tunnel lies an incredible sight: Playa Del Amor.

6. And a spectacular sinkhole

The Ik Kil cenote, not far from Chichen Itza (and often included on tours to the ruins) is spectacular – and open to swimmers. It's also featured in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series (but don't try that yourself).

7. You can visit the "City of Flowers"

This name was bestowed upon high-altitude Xalapa, capital of the Mexican state of Veracruz, by the naturalist Alexander von Humboldt. Lush tropical flora thrives everywhere (spring is, unsurprisingly, a good time to visit). The town is also known for its great coffee, grown in the surrounding mountains, and (as you may have guessed given the town's name) as the home of the jalapeño pepper.

8.Or watch millions of monarchs

The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a Unesco World Heritage site, is where most of the eastern population of the monarch butterfly spends its winters. Millions pile onto pine and oyamel trees, turning it into a paradise for photographers. Sara Evans describes a visit to the region back in 2010: "Gentle as wood smoke rising, butterfly after butterfly leaves the safety of oaks and fir trees until the sky fills with millions of them. Moving closer to the sun, their wings – a deep orange filigreed with bold black markings – look like vast stained-glass windows and block out the blue of the sky. As the butterflies dip and soar, the sound of a million insect wings in motion rumbles like a distant waterfall."

9. There's the party town of Cancún

For sun, sand and margarita-fuelled fun, it's hard to beat Cancún, a popular spot for families, American youths enjoying "spring break," and everyone in between. For total indulgence (personal butlers, in-room hot tubs and ice cream at breakfast), try the Le Blanc Spa Resort, or else other major players offer more affordable packages.

10. Or the Pacific alternative, Puerto Vallarta

On the opposite side of the country lies Puerto Vallarta. It's undoubtedly a commercial holiday resort, albeit smaller than Cancún, but has an old town at its heart, where cobbled streets fan out from a colonial plaza. Venture from the main tourist areas and you'll find some of the most unspoiled coastline in Mexico. John Fisher writes: "Cove after isolated cove around the town is backed by forested mountains, while to the south along the Costalegre, the 'Happy Coast', spread more expansive, silky sands. Tropical lagoons and torpid villages, their beaches scattered with makeshift bars and studded with palms, are completed by heart-melting sunsets and a rich array of freshly caught seafood."

As mentioned earlier, Mr. Smith listed 21 reasons why Mexico should be your next holiday destination. See the other 11 reasons at telegraph.co.uk.