Luxury hotels in Punta de Mita

Punta de Mita guide

Punta de Mita: whales, surf and the Marietas Islands

A private peninsula on Banderas Bay, with the Hidden Beach a short boat ride away.

Punta de Mita, at the northern tip of Banderas Bay, is a gated peninsula of resorts, villas and golf courses with water on three sides. The most cited excursion is the Marietas Islands, a protected park with a beach hidden inside a crater, which allows only a limited number of visitors a day.

From December to March, humpback whales come to the bay to give birth, and boat trips leave from the marina. The surf breaks around the point suit all levels, and the village of Sayulita is a short drive away.

Sayulita and San Pancho

Sayulita, a Pueblo Mágico about twenty minutes north of Punta de Mita, is the most cited excursion from the peninsula: a surf village of colourful streets hung with papel picado, a lively plaza, taco stands and boutiques, with gentle waves for beginners.

San Francisco, known as San Pancho, a few minutes further north, is quieter, with a long beach, a polo club and a community arts scene. Both are best visited in the dry season, from November to May, and in the mornings, before the crowds.

Golf and the Marietas Islands

Punta de Mita's two Jack Nicklaus courses are among the most cited in Mexico, especially the Pacífico course with its optional hole 3B, the Tail of the Whale, whose green sits on a natural rock island reached by amphibious cart when the tide allows.

The Marietas Islands, a protected national park a short boat ride away, hide a beach inside a crater, reached by swimming through a tunnel at low tide; daily visitor numbers are limited and permits are required, so we arrange them in advance.