I have always wanted to travel to Mexico, but the idea of a stop on a cruise ship or an isolated trip to a busy beach resort, while appealing, was not what I had in mind. I wanted to experience Mexico, yes, definitely the beach resorts, but also the culture, the history, the food (which is such a big part of the history and culture), the art and small-town life. So when I was approached with the idea of a trip to an area of Mexico that I had never even heard of, I was intrigued.
Nestled in the center of the west coast of Mexico, between the Pacific Ocean and the emerald green Sierra Madre Mountains, 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 stunningly beautiful, but flavorful, and colorfully rich in culture, history, and art, and was exactly what I was hoping to discover in Mexico.
Nuevo Vallarta
Just 20 minutes north of the Puerto Vallarta international airport is Nuevo Vallarta, set on a stretch of beautiful white sandy coastline, in a breathtaking bay surrounded by rugged yet lush mountains that end at the sea. Banderas Bay is one of the largest tropical bays in the world and has to be one of the most beautiful. On a clear day, you can see the expanse of the large bay and just how impressive and green are the mountains, but at dawn, dusk or when it is a little bit hazy, the mountains fade into a chalky silhouette of exquisite blues and purples lending a luxuriously relaxing hue to the already stunning vista. Even though it is lesser known to American east coasters, Nuevo Vallarta has the second highest number of high-end hotels and resorts in Mexico and is an ideal location to not only have a few days at the beach but from which to explore the region.
What to See and Do
Hang out at one of the resort pools and spend time lounging on the beach is a must in order to soak up the spectacular views in this gorgeous bay. And if that isn't enough of a reason to visit, in December and January of each year, humpback whales arrive in Banderas Bay to give birth. While I, unfortunately, did not have the opportunity to experience this firsthand, I was told by many what an incredibly wonderful and unique experience it is to witness an abundance of whales and their calfs jumping and shooting water into the air all set against such a stunning backdrop.
Once your family has had their fill of beach time (or maybe before), an absolute must on any trip to this region is a tour with Vallarta Adventures, hands down the best tour company in the area, and maybe in any area. With hilariously entertaining and energetic guides (seriously the best in the business) and an impressive range of offerings, this tour company is sure to please every single member of your family. From snorkeling and sailing to off-road adventures and guided tours of coastal towns, you can see, do and learn about nearly everything this area has to offer. We had to the incredible opportunity to experience two of their tours, the Off-Road Adventure and a full day tour of Sayulita and San Pancho (more on these towns below). Each of these tours provided a glimpse into life in this region of Mexico and offered an fun and authentic experience. The off-road adventure tour we purchased and sampled hot and fresh tortillas from a local tortilla maker, purchased ingredients for salsa and guacamole in a little market, gazed upon a historic church in the small town of Mexico, hiked through the rainforest which resulted in a stop at a family-run farm where we were taught how to make and cook homemade tortillas and authentic guacamole and salsa. Our tour ended with an incredibly fresh meal grilled seaside on a private beach. Vallarta Adventures tour of San Pancho includes a stop at Entres Amigos a local community art and recycling center (more on this below), offers the opportunity to plant trees with other volunteers as part of the community center's reforestation project, shopping in Sayulita and lunch on the beach.
Where to Stay
Reflect Krystal Grand Nuevo Vallarta. Completed just this summer, the Reflect Krystal Grand is a beautiful, all-inclusive, 410 room five-star resort, including 26 swim-out suites. With three large pools, including an adult only pool, and an infinity pool with a swim-up bar overlooking the ocean, it is easy to spend your days in Mexico relaxing poolside. The Reflect Krystal Grand also has an Explorers club for kids with a small splash pad and water slide. There are five reservation-free restaurants on site, part of their Unlimited-Luxury program which includes top-shelf drinks, fruit juices, room service and more. The Reflect Krystal Grand also has a world-class spa, where treatment rooms are located in a thatch-roofed building surrounding a charming courtyard, replete with tranquil water features.
What to Eat
While all of the food at the Reflect Krystal Gran is exceptional, Ayami really stands out. Serving sushi and Mexican inspired Asian dishes that are creative and fresh, we opted for several meals at Ayami during our stay.
San Pancho (San Francisco)
San Fransico, (referred to as San Pancho locally) is known as the cultural capital of Nayarit, is home to gorgeous and tranquil beaches, an international polo club, dozens of art galleries displaying local art including indigenous Huichol handicrafts, as well as many small restaurants and bakeries. While San Pancho is authentically culturally Mexican, you will find surprising influences from as far away as Kenya, Pakistan, India, and Egypt.
What to See and Do
The best way to see San Pancho is by taking a tour with Vallarta Adventures. However, if a tour will not fit into your itinerary, relax on the gorgeous beach, stroll through the cobblestone streets, and visit Entres Amigos, a community center and educational facility dedicated to "increase learning opportunities for children and families through the implementation of educational programs based on principles of integration and collective community action. The vision of Entreamigos is to provide the children and families of San Pancho with the skills needed to contribute to their changing communities in a positive way." The center hosts a library, computer lab, classrooms, sports and exercise spaces, a gallery, a giant “fridge” cinema room, eco-design workshops, recycling center and resale shop. Hear their story, take a class or just check the place out, the building is full of art created with recycled materials, either collected locally, through the Entres Amigos volunteer-run recycling program or from building materials leftover from the building conversion. There are also stunning murals painted by local artists and workshops where one may observe how various crafts are made. True to their mission and significantly impactful and inspiring, Entres Amigos has not only changed the thinking and literal landscape of San Pancho, it has helped provide numerous children with opportunities that may not have been available to them without the assistance of their dedicated staff and volunteers and staff, wonderful and creative community center and generous sponsors. Warning, you might leave feeling quite a bit better about the world and your place in it, particularly if you help with their efforts by sponsoring a local child (or you may do so online).
Where to Eat
Stop into Mexicolate, located right across the street from Entres Amigos, for all things chocolate, including a frozen chocolate banana almond milk concoction that is perfection.
Sayulita
The seaside town of Sayulita, boasting some of the best surfing in the region, is charming and historic with a quintessential beach vibe; it is no wonder it is home to so many in-the-know expats. Colorful and exuberantly beachy, this is a town that is as fun and funky as it is relaxing and beautiful. Sayulita is an excellent day trip from Puerto Nuevo, however, plan to spend the entire day, because you will not want to leave.
What to Do
Rent a beach mat an umbrella on the beach and soak up some sun, or take a surfing lesson in the morning, and then stroll through the town browsing the shops filled with extraordinarily colorful Mexican art, fun beach gear and clothing and deliciously fresh seafood.
What to Eat
Sayulita is filled with Mexican flavor, grab a table at any one of the outdoor seaside restaurants, it is all sure to be fresh, and authenticly regionally Mexican. However, be sure to grab a drink and a snack seaside at the Frente al Punto beach club for flawless drinks and good vibes.
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 Rivera Nayarit for the purpose of this review. All opinions are those of the author.
