I recently had the opportunity to visit the Riviera Nayarit region in Mexico. Nestled in the center of the west coast of Mexico, between the Pacific Ocean and the emerald green Sierra Madre Mountains, Riviera Nayarit is nearly 200 miles of pristine coastline, luxurious beach resorts, quaint historic seaside towns, and stunning natural beauty. Mexico's newest and lesser-known beach destination, the region of Riviera Nayarit, is not only beautiful, but flavorful, and colorfully rich in culture, history, and art, and was exactly what I was hoping to discover in Mexico. There were two stops on our itinerary, the W Punta de Mita beach resort and the lovely town of San Blas.
Punta de Mita
Punta de Mita, Nuevo Vallarta's slightly more exclusive neighbor to the north, boasts the most luxury per mile along the Nayarit Coast. Home to high-end golf courses and upscale hotel chains such as the St. Regis, The Four Seasons, the Grand Palladium and the new kid on the block, W Punta de Mita, this area tends to be more low key and certainly caters to the more affluent crowd. With picturesque and pristine white sandy beaches surrounded by rolling green hills, Punta de Mita's stunning vistas are the ideal backdrop for a relaxing and luxurious retreat.
We stayed a the W Punta de Mita, which is just about as perfect as a beachside resort hotel can be and is a destination in and of itself. While in my experience, the W Hotel brand does an incomparable job of capturing their setting employing a luxuriously hip and edgy yet sophisticated approach, W Punta de Mita exceeded all of my expectations. Gloriously colorful and artistic with just the right amount of camp (one wall in our room displayed a lifesized image of Frida Kahlo in shorts and a ripped denim vest holding a skateboard), the W Punta de Mita is a relaxing sensory experience of local Mexican art, yet remains serene and cohesive with its lush seaside ambience.
The endless artist touches are emphatically influenced by local culture; the stunning lobby (or "living room" as it is known) is adorned with a gorgeous mosaic walkway consisting of over 7000,000 bright blue and yellow tiles. Inspired by the indigenous Huichol culture and depicting spiritual designs and creatures, this "Walk of Life" reflects the ups and downs of life by starting high, traveling over several sets of stairs until it eventually ends at the beach overlooking the sunset. The property also offers a gorgeous pool, several phenomenal restaurants, a fantastic spa, a kids clubs and several types of funky and beautifully adorned rooms located either oceanside with cabanas on the beach, tucked back into the jungle or in one of the many hillside villas.
Make sure you plan for one (or several) dinners at Spice Market at the W for an exceptional Mexican inspired innovative Southeast Asian cuisine. Served family style, food arrives continuously throughout the meal giving one the opportunity to sample one delectable item exploding with flavor after the next. For lunch, don't miss the vegetable tacos beachside at Chevycheria, served out of a 1950s Chevy truck turned tiki bar.
Relax at the stunning pool, take a surfing lesson at the beach, go on an excursion with Vallarta Adventures, and invest in yourself at the Away Spa.
San Blas
What may be one of the most historic and quiet of all of the Riviera Nayarit coastal towns, San Blas oozes history, natural beauty, and most notably, incredible food. Located about 90 miles north of the resort areas of Punta de Mita and Nuevo Vallarta, San Blas caters less to international travelers than the resort towns in the southern part of the region; and while it takes a bit of traveling to get there, a visit to this beautiful area is well worth the scenic drive.
Settled by Europeans in 1530 and an important port during the 18th-century Spanish colonial era, San Blas provides many examples of colonial architecture which offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of the region. A visit to the to the top of San Basilio Hill to Contaduría, a stronghold constructed in 1770, and the neighboring ruins of the Nuestra Señora del Rosario Temple (constructed in 1769), enables one to step back in time while presenting sweeping views of the coastline.
A peaceful boat tour down the San Cristóbal River in La Tovara National Park, one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the Western Hempishere, provides the opportunity to observe an impressive number of exotic bird species, the tropical flora including a variety of mangroves, crocodiles, and turtles. If you did not happen to catch a glimpse of a crocodile, a stop further down the river at a crocodile sanctuary will ensure you don't leave without viewing one of these prehistoric creatures.
Stop at the beach at Las Islitas for swimming and an excellent lunch under a thatch-roofed hut, with tables in the sand right on the beach sample some of the freshest seafood you will ever taste.
An absolute highlight of our trip to this region was a visit to El Delfin Restaurant Bar, the restaurant of world-renowned chef, Betty Vazquez. Trained at the prestigious Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts in Paris, Vasquez and then under a three-star Michelin chef in France, Vazquez uses Mexican ingredients fused with classic European cooking techniques. Vazquez is currently a judge on Mexico’s Top Chef but that didn’t stop us enjoying an exquisite meal at her beautiful family-run restaurant. This is a must for those wanting to experience the art of high-end Mexican cuisine. Truly a family affair, El Delfin Restaurant is located in the cozy Hotel Garza Canela and is staffed by her wonderful sisters and family. This quaint hacienda style family-run hotel, home to the renowned El Delfin Restaurant Bar (more on this below), is a five-minute walk from the beach, offers a charming pool area and small but clean rooms. You are sure to feel like part of the family during your stay.
Immersed in beachfront luxury, stunning vistas, authentic and vibrant cultural influence, colorful art and food that is as much art as it is an integral part of Mexican history and culture, somehow Rivera Nayarit has managed to stay off the radar, but we suspect that it won't be for long.
Disclaimer: The author was a guest of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitor Bureau for the purpose of this review. All opinions are those of the author.
