In May, Lindsay and I went south of the border to Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit—a southwestern state located on the Pacific Ocean—for some fun in the sun. Never heard of Riviera Nayarit, Mexico? Neither had we. We knew Puerto Vallarta—its famous neighboring resort town—but were intrigued to check out a region of Mexico both of us had never been before.
And we’re so glad we did. We discovered hip, bohemian surf towns, like Sayulita, and posh private enclaves, like Punta Mita. And of course, we indulged in plenty of fresh seafood, like ceviche and octopus sashimi, and exotic cocktails with agave spirits, such as mezcal and sobol.
In honor of #beachthursday, we wanted to share a few of our best beach photos from Riviera Nayarit that will make you want to drop what you’re doing and hop on the next plane to PVR airport. Whether you like to simply relax, with toes in the sand or with lux spa treatments, or you like adventure, such as swimming to a hidden beach or oceanside golfing, Riviera Nayarit has what you’re looking for. Plus, it’s a lot less crowded than Puerto Vallarta (technically part of the neighboring state of Jalisco). And that’s always a major bonus when we’re looking for a place to chill.
Here are our 10 favorite sand n’ surf photos:
Four Seasons Punta Mita: Coolest beach lounge chairs. Ever. Although, Lindsay was not a fan of being spun around in them! Ha ha. Sorry, Lins. Couldn’t resist.
Punta Mita Golf Course: A Jack Nicklaus designed course and the world’s only single hole on a natural island. AND they have amphibious carts to get there!
Stand-up paddling with Vallarta Adventures, near Ranchos beach— where Lady Gaga learned to surf.
Matlali Hotel: Beautiful sunset views from Matlali Hotel’s infinity pool, plus a stunning, Bali-style spa with treatments inspired by indigenous Huichol methods and herbs.
Jumping for joy to see Marietas Island’s Hidden Beach. An absolute must-do when in Riviera Nayarit. You swim through a cave to get here. Tip: go early in the morning when it’s less busy.
The Shack Bar, Las Cuevas Beach: The best cocktail we had during the whole trip: Hibiscus caipirinha made with raicilla (an agave spirit similar to tequila). YUM!!
Want to spice up your relationship? Snuggling in these beach beds on Las Cuevas Beach at Four Seasons Punta Mita will do the trick…guaranteed.
St. Regis Punta Mita: Ahhhh. No better way to watch a sunset than swinging from the trees in a hammock.
Riviera Nayarit, Mexico delivers technicolor skies in spades.
And this one is included just for kicks. Apparently, part of our sailing excursion to Banderas Bay included Eskimo kissing? #accidentalopticalillusion
For more ideas on where to play and stay in Riviera Nayarit (and YES, it’s IS safe to visit), head to rivieranayarit.com.
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