How Punta Mita Became Mexico's Most Upmarket Tourism Destination

In recent years, big-spending tourists have been looking beyond the crowded Mexican resorts of Cancún and Tulum. Many have turned west, to Punta Mita, a private peninsula in the state of Nayarit that is home to the Four Seasons Resort, a St. Regis Resort, and Casa Aramara, a private tropical villa. A favorite getaway for A-listers such as Beyoncé, Rihanna and Chris Martin, the peninsula offers unblemished beaches and gorgeous ocean views.

Punta Mita forms part of the Riviera Nayarit, a nearly 200-mile (321 km) stretch of coast that runs from the port city of San Blas to the resort of Nuevo Vallarta. Surfers have long been drawn to the area for its excellent waves, but the development of Punta Mita really took off 16 years ago, when the Mexican firm DINE bought property and began building a high-end resort.

Today, the bohemian surfer vibe rules no more – Punta Mita is a place of luxury hotels and two golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus.

Yet truly rich and famous visitors to the 1,500-acre (6.1 square kilometers) peninsula are keen to eschew other guests and rent private property in the area.

When it comes to these elegant seaside estates, Casa Aramara is the pick of the bunch. The property was built by the controversial media entrepreneur Joe Francis and has been available to rent since 2013.

The luxury retreat comes with its own world class chefs and a 35-person staff to wait on you hand and foot. Ranked as one of the world’s top tropical vacation homes by Forbes Magazine, the house has a prime location on the peninsula and top-notch security.

Of course, guests pay handsomely for the privilege. During the peak season the house costs $95,000 (€77,000) to rent for the week. Over Christmas, a week stay costs $125,000 (€101,000).

Casa Aramara has hosted celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Eva Longoria and the Kardashian family. In fact, the home was even featured on their reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. In June 2014, Casa Aramara also served as a honeymoon getaway for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

If Casa Aramara is a little out of your price range you can still visit Punta Mita and enjoy its splendid beaches and natural beauty.

The St. Regis Hotel offers day passes to their facilities. As this is Punta Mita, these are not cheap either – $340 (€275) for 2 people, not including food or drink. Yet the pass gives guests access to their own room, three different pool areas and a range of incredible and affordable restaurants.

Most visitors to Punta Mita fly into Puerto Vallarta, in the adjacent state of Jalisco. From the airport, it takes around 40 minutes to reach the peninsula.

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay, why not book into one of the best all-inclusive resorts in Mexico? You can now book your stay on Culture Trip. Alternately, check into one of the best resorts in Playa del Carmen, or one of the top resorts in Puerto Vallarta.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.