Sayulita | Punta Mita

Punta Mita is a 1,500-acre private peninsula that is home to upscale properties including the Four Seasons and St. Regis on the north end of Banderas Bay in the Mexican state of Nayarit, about 10 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Sayulita, on the other hand, is a Pueblo Magico about 30 minutes away on Mexico’s Pacific coast backed by the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains, and it has become a surf destination. Here is our guide to Punta de Mita and Sayulita.

HOTELS

FOUR SEASONS Situated along Mexico's stunning Riviera Nayarit, this resort offers multiple pools, multiple private beaches, and access to some of Mexico's best snorkeling, scuba diving, and surfing. There's also whale watching in Banderas Bay and a great spa, as well as plenty of locally-sourced seafood, and live music at Dos Catrinas.

ST. REGIS The beauty of this 120-room St. Regis resort is in its idyllic locale. Sprawled out over 1,500 acres along the Riviera Nayarit, the hotel is steps from the water and within driving distance from Puerto Vallarta’s colonial streets and the Marietas Islands. Outdoor showers, sun beds, and spacious terraces are standard with every guest room, while the residential-style Suite Sueños boasts a private pool and kitchen. We especially love the signature St. Regis bloody mary served at the ‘Mita Mary’ seaside bar.

IMANTA RESORT Iman means magnet in Spanish, and Imanta really does draw you in. Located in a perfectly remote area outside Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Gold Coast, where the softest sand beach meets 250-acres of dense tropical rainforest on the ocean. It’s the kind of place where you can horseback ride through the jungle and end up on the beach. Fish dishes are based on what is caught fresh that day, and alll the rooms have floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors that open up to beautiful outdoor stone bathtubs and showers.

HOTEL BASALTO An all-white, modern, chic boutique hotel in Punta de Mita with two infinity pools, a restaurant, a rooftop terrace bar, and beach access.

CONRAD A beachfront resort with activities including ziplining, horseback riding, three swimming pools, a spa and temezcal, and an adjacent Greg Norman 18-hole golf course.

CASA KOKO A private villa designed by architects Juan Collignon and Manolo Mestre and interior designer Karen Collignon, utilizing materials like slate, stone, softwoods, and sand— perfect for walking barefoot. The property blends seamlessly with its natural surroundings, offering gentle transitions between the interiors and exteriors for indoor/outdoor living. The on-site chef will prepare food to suit any diet, and specially prepared playlists will be ready for your arrival, and staff is available 24 hours to offer wine pairings, yoga classes, bespoke tours, and spa treatments.

HOTEL AMOR A boutique hotel on a hidden beach with private villas off the beaten track from the cobblestone streets of Sayulita.

SIRONA A week-long health spa is the draw at this retreat in bohemian hot spot Sayulita. The menu for the week is planned to ease you in and out of two days of a liquid diet so it helps to have a packed schedule with yoga, massage, hiking, pilates, acupuncture, and clay treatments with breaks built in for juices, snacks, and meals.

DINE | DRINK

TUNA BLANCA A seaside restaurant by Chef Thierry Blouet serving fresh seafood that follows a farm-to-table model, seeking out and highlighting the freshest ingredients from regional fisheries and farms in the Nayarit region of Mexico. The guava crème brûlée dessert is worth saving room for!

CAROLINA This AAA Diamond-rated restaurant by chef Jesús Durón offers a unique take on contemporary Mexican cuisine, with options such as the much-talked-about nixtamalized beet topped with seafoam. Visit on a Friday night at sunset and you will be treated to the The St. Regis champagne ritual before dinner.

KUPURI BEACH CLUB Guests and residents of Punta Mita have access to four beach clubs, one of which is the Kupuri Beach Club that sits overlooking the tranquil shores of Litibu Bay. The menu has a mixture of fresh seafood and meat dishes, plus sushi— perfect for lunch.

ARTS | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES

LA PATRONO POLO CLUB La Patrona Polo Club is in the town of San Pancho, a short drive from Punta Mita. The club boasts two full-size fields as well as a so-called indoor field — named for the material underfoot as opposed to being enclosed, in this case — and the entire club is surrounded by lush green mountains and tropical forests. Spend a day learning how to play with coach Martin Harriague, or sign up to play a match. On Sundays from November through April, you can enjoy the polo brunch with matches, live music, and delicious food by chef Hugo Ahumada.

TAIL OF THE WHALE With two 18-hole Jack Nicklaus golf courses and ocean views, golfers are in for a treat. The Pacifico course boasts the world’s only natural-island hole, known affectionately as ‘The Tail of the Whale,’ which attracts some of the world’s leading golfers to try their luck. The Bahia course is slightly undulated, making it great for more advanced golfers, and the 17th hole right next to El Faro surf beach provides amazing views to accompany your game.

MARIETAS ISLANDS The Bay of Banderas is one of the few places in the world that is a natural sanctuary for a profusion of natural land and sea life. Within the Bay of Banderas, there are few areas lusher in life than the waters surrounding Islas Marietas National Park. During the winter months, it is common to see humpback whales in the bay, since this is a centuries-old breeding ground and respite following their annual migrations. Dolphin encounters are also a regular year-round occurrence. Make sure to visit Hidden Beach or the famous "Lover's Beach.”

MONKEY MOUNTAIN A hiking trail in Sayulita immersed in the jungle and forest, and when you reach the top expect to find stunning views of the Nayarit countryside and the Pacific Ocean in all directions.

SHOP

FOUR SEASONS BOUTIQUES Within Punta Mita Resort, and located just off the main lobby of the Four Seasons Resort, the Boutiques at Punta Mita features four boutiques with unique hand-selected merchandise including surf & beachwear, men’s resort & swimwear, resort wear for women from top international designers and Mexican artisans, and gourmet food & wine shop.

EVOKE THE SPIRIT The products in this shop are lovingly handcrafted over many hours, following traditional indigenous techniques. The animal skulls hanging on the wall are particularly interesting – they are made by wrapping yarn in an almost meditative state around beeswax-covered skull-shaped ceramics. The shop also sells textiles, such as knotted curtains and wall-hangings, as well as clothing and jewelry made from Huichol beads.

SAYULITA TIANGUIS
On Sundays, an open-air market – known as a tianguis throughout the country – sets up stalls along two blocks of Calle Gaviotas. You can find clothing, handmade jewelry, woven tablecloths, artwork by local artists and handicrafts from craft centers such as the villages of Tlaquepaque and Tonalá, as well as from the local Huichol community.

MERCADO DEL PUEBLO Sayulita’s farmers’ market is well-known in the region for offering high-quality food including cheese, pickles and baked goods, as well as organic soaps and lotions. Its ethos is to provide local, sustainable products for people to enjoy at home. It opens every Friday from 10am to 2pm, from November to April, in line with the coast’s growing season.

Photo: Slim Aarons © Getty Images Text: Veronica H. Speck