The Ultimate Riviera Nayarit Travel Guide (2024)

Want to find out why Riviera Nayarit is slated to be the next big travel destination in Mexico? The white sandy beaches, great surfing spots,and delicious tacos are just the beginning; there’s so much more to discover in this tropical destination! Check out this ultimate travel guide to Riviera Nayarit, Mexico.

For living in two U.S. states that border Mexico for most of my life, I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I haven’ttrulystarted exploring this diverse and beautiful country until this year.But the more I learn about Mexico, the longer my travel bucket list gets. After visiting ancient Mayan ruins and swimming in stunning freshwater cenotes during our trip to Tulum in May, we couldn’twait to plan another visit to Mexico.

Since we’d just spent some time on the east coast, we decided to give the west coast of Mexico a try and travel to the increasingly popularRivieraNayarit.This gorgeous stretch of coastline boarding the Pacific Ocean has been flagged as the next “it” destination in Mexico. The white sand beachesof the Riviera Nayaritarelined withsmall, colorful pueblos, set to a backdrop of lush jungleanddramatic mountains. There are a dozen or more good surfing spots, the food is delicious (best street tacos ever!), and you can do everything from waterfallrappellingto horseback riding. We’ve gathered all the information you need for your trip in this ultimate travel guide to Riviera Nayarit, Mexico!
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How to get to Riviera Nayarit

The Riviera Nayarit stretches 200 miles along Mexico’s Pacific coastline, starting just north of Puerto Vallarta. The Puerto Vallarta International Airport is 20 minutes away from the southern edge of the region.

This is alarge airportthat services most major USairlines.We took a quick and easy nonstop 3-hour flight from LAX to PVR with Southwest for about $250 per person.

If you plan on spending more time in the northern area of the region, there is an airport in Tepic, which is about one hour inland from San Blas. Tepic is technically an international airport, but flights are always routed through Mexico City or Tijuana City. Only Aeromar Airlines and Volaris Airlines fly to Tepic.

Transportation Around Riviera Nayarit

Rental Car

For the flexibility to explore the Riviera Nayarit on your own, the best option is to rent a car. We found the roads safe and easy to navigate. Similar to our experience of renting a car in Tulum, Mexico, the rental car companies list a rock-bottom daily rate that does not include the required third-party insurance. We rented a car from Hertz at the Puerto Vallarta Airport; the daily rate was about $27 USD, third party liability insurance we paid at the counter was $13 a day, and with $50 in taxes, our total added up to 235 for 5 days. We also booked with my Chase Sapphire Reserve card that allows me to decline the CDW and rely on the insurance the credit card provides.

While some websites or rental car companies sometimes offer insurance booked ahead, we’ve found that we always have to pay for third party liability insurance once we’re at the counter. I wish rental car companies were more transparent about the pricing and needed insurance, but often times it seems like the quoted number are below what we have to end up paying. You can check out rental cars on booking.com to compare companies and rates.

Taxis

If you do plan on spending most of your time in one place, like an all-inclusive resort that providestransportationto and from activities, it may be more economical to take a taxi. You can find a list of PVR airport taxi rates here.

Buses

There is also a cheap and fairly efficient bus system in the area, but the routes are limited. All fares are one way, and there are no transfers.

The ATM (AutostransportesMedina) bus line runsbetweenNuevo VallartaandPunta de Mita, making stops atBuceriasandDestiladeras Beach. Fares range between $13 and $23 Mexican pesos depending on your stop.

The Compostela-Pacifico bus line makes stops further up the coast to Sayulita, San Francisco (usually called SanPancho) and Rincón deGuayabitos. They are the green and white buses, and fares range from $30 to $35 Mexican pesos.

Golf Carts

Once you reach some of the smaller towns along the coast, golf carts are available to rent for about $55 – $75 for localtravel. Most towns are small enough that you can cover the area on foot, so I’d skip this expensive option or rent a car if you plan to venture farther.

Weather in Riviera Nayarit

If you’re looking for 75°F (23°C) and sunny, then Riviera Nayarit is your place. The area has a mild tropical climate; it’s on the same latitude as Hawaii, so the weather is pretty similar. The hottest months are July, August and September when the highs can reach into the 90s (32°C).

Rainy season is from late June to early November, which usually means rain in the afternoon.

PracticalTips forTraveling in Mexico

• Save your tourist card from immigration – Before you get off the plane, a flight attendant will usually hand you a tourist card to fill out, also called an FMM (FormaMigratoriaMúltiple). The immigration authority that stamps your passport will take the top half and give you back the bottom. Make sure to keep this to hand back in when you return to the airport.
• Only use ATMS inside the bank or the airport – Most of the roadside ATMs we found didn’t work, and apparently, there’s a problem with people skimming debit and credit card info from them. The safest option is to use the ATMS inside the bank or the airport.
• Pay in Mexican Pesos – While many places will still take or charge your card in US dollars, you’ll get the best rate by paying in Mexican pesos. Either pull pesos out of an ATM, or use a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees (anotherplugfor the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card – we use it whenever we travel because it doesn’t have any fees and Visa typically has the best exchange rate). Restaurants or shops that allow you to pay in USD give you a higher exchange rate.

• Tipping in Mexico – Tipping between 10% to 20% at a nice restaurant is the norm in Mexico. Most people eating at a small, local eatery tip 10%, and typically no tip is required for street food.
• Don’t drink the tap water – Water straight from the tap isn’t safe for consumption. Many hotels will providebottled or filteredwater, and we usually pick up a few large containers of water from a local convenience store to use throughout our trip.
• Don’t flush your toilet paper – Most of the pipes in the area can’t deal with toilet paper, so don’t flush it. At least this was the case in the smallerhotelsandAirbnbswe stayedin. A larger resort may have some sort of way to filter or break it down, but don’t flush it unless there is a sign that says it’s okay.
• Pack reef-safe, biodegradable sunscreen –Many of the national parks and preserves within Mexico require that you only use reef-safe sunscreen. Check out what to look for when buying reef-safe sunscreen and a list of our favorites here.

Hotels inRiviera Nayarit– Where to Stay

Hotels inSayulita

Sayulita, asmall coastal pueblo, has been popular with surfers since the late 1960s for itsriver mouthsurf break. The town has added plenty of trendy eateries and hotels in recent years to accommodate the increasing number of tourists visiting. There are no large resorts or chain hotels in the area yet, but there are plenty of fun and unique places to stay.

• Villa IguanaVerde – While we were in Sayulita, we stayed in a one-bedroom apartment at Villa Iguana Verde, just a 10-minute walk from the town center. This apartment could have everything you want and more for along-term stay, including a fully stocked kitchen, beach gear, and a huge patio.
• Petit HotelHafa– This little hotel near Sayulita town center looks designed with Instagram in mind.Even amidst the colorful streets, the freshly painted red façade is striking,the walkway inside is decorated with painted hearts, and there’s a cute rooftop terrace with comfortable seating.
• Don Bonito Hotel – This modern, minimalist hotel recently opened just a few feet from the beach. It also features a plunge pool and outdoor garden.
• Casa Love – This is another hotel just of the beach in the heart of Sayulita, with a palapa roof, hammocks on the patios and a beautiful rooftop terrace with an ocean view.

Hotels in San Francisco (SanPancho)

San Francisco (called SanPanchoby locals) is a sleepy town just up the street from busy Sayulita, and Hotel CieloRojoprovides a charming escape. SanPanchohas an incredible foodie scene, and the restaurant at Hotel CieloRojoserves some of the best meals in town. There are only a few hotels in town, so check Airbnb for more options.

Hotels inPunta Mita

For the ultimate in luxury, look no further than Punta Mita, a small peninsula jutting into the Banderas Bay featuring high-end resorts, pristine beach front,and twoJack Nicklaus Signature golf courses. There’s currently only a handful of large resorts in the area, but based on the rising popularity of the region, there are many more on the way.

• Four Seasons Punta Mita – The Four Seasons features casita-style rooms with traditional Mexican décor and sweeping ocean views. The property has three pools, including a heated infinity pool, smaller plunge pools, and a lazy river. This resort has several amenities gear towards families, including a kids’ club, and children’s pool and separate kids’ menus at the onsite restaurants. Check rates and availability here.
• TheSt.Regis Punta MitaResort – the St. Regis sits on 22-acres of beautifully maintained ocean-front property. The casual, spacious rooms feature exposed wood beams, Mexican clay tile floors, and aspa-style bathroom. The staggered reflection pool that goes from the top of the resort to the beach is stunning, especially at sunset.
• Imanta – For something a little more unique than yourtypical luxury chain resort,act fast to book up one of the eleven unique rooms atImanta. Each room isitsown separate house, offering you all the privacy and solitude you could want. The natural, jungle landscape was left as untouched as possible, even leading to a large boulder being carved into a bathtub instead of being removed.
• W Punta de Mita – The W creates a hip, happening atmosphere with bright, funky décor inspired by local Huichol art, poolside DJs and a restaurant that gives off strong nightclub vibes. Rooms are light and airy with neon-colored design accents. One of the most unique features of this ultra-modernproperty isthe Camino Huichol, a460-footwalkway created from bright green and blue mosaic tiles that runs through the center of the resort.

Hotels inBucerías

If you’re looking for a relaxed beachfront resort that’s reasonably priced, then check outthehotelsorAirbnbsinBucerias. This areais just south of Punta Mita, and while the resorts aren’t as large or as luxurious, you can get a nice room with an incredible ocean view for a fraction of the price. It felt like we were the only ones atourresort for most of the time, the beach was beautiful (and empty), and there are some delicious little eateries in town. Don’t miss the tacos, horchata and chocolate flan at La Takeria! The locals go here for their special hot sauce which is scorching. We stayed in a recently renovated Junior Suite at Vista Vallarta All SuitesOnThe Beach for around $100 a night and enjoyed the beach in the photos below.

Things to do in Riviera Nayarit

1 BestBeaches in Riviera Nayarit

The towns and beaches around the Banderas Bay,andPunta Mita, as well as the southern towns along the Nayarit coast,includingSayulita and Rincon deGuayabitos,arethe busiest and most developed.

If you want virgin beach with no umbrellas orcoconut stands, you’ll find places that are practicallyuntouchedthe further north you go.

• LitibúBeach –Wevisitedthis beach on a horseback ride with Vista Paraiso and watched the sunset behind Punta Mita in the distance. Therearea few resorts around, but a long open stretch with nothing but soft sand and clear water
• CareyerosBeach –At PlayaCareyeros, the sand is white, the water is a mesmerizing blue, and the sea cliffs make this place feel like you’re the only one around.
• Pátzcuaro SurBeach – Head to PlayaPátzcuaro Surfor some boogie boarding or climbing around the cool rock outcroppings.

• PlayaDeLos Muertos – Sayulita can be pretty packed, but you’ll find significantly fewer people at Playa De Los Muertos, a shortwalk to thesouth. It’s named for the graveyard nearby, but don’t let that deter you! This little cove is a great spot to swim and snorkel.
• Playa Las Cuevas and PlayaMalpasos – These beaches are sandwiched between Sayulita and SanPancho, but you’ll hardly find anyone there. At low tide, you can even climb through a rocky passage that connects Las Cuevas toMalpasos.
• Playa Novillero – Novillero Beach is located on the very northern edge of the state of Nayarit. It’s huge; it’s more than a third of a mile wide and more than 56 miles long, making it the longest and widest virgin beach in Mexico.

2 Surf the wavesof Riviera Nayarit

La Lancha – We were initially going to wait until we reached Sayulita to go surfing, but we met a fewpeoplethat had just spent the lastsevendays surfing the area, and their favorite spot was La Lancha. We took their word for it and headed over to thisreef break.

There’s a shop calledWildMexlocated right on the side of the roadthat rents boards and alsoofferssurf lessons.Cost is about $20 a dayfor a longboard, whichincludes a rash guard and booties.

Afterparkingin front of theWildMexshop, cross the street and takethe10-minutetrail through the trees to reach the beach.It’s nothing but pure beach and surf here!

Sayulita – Sayulita gained popularity among surfers because itsriverbreakis so consistent; however, it just happened that when we were there it was a literal lake. Despite our experience, so many people have said the surf at Sayulita is pretty good. WildMexalso offers surf lessons and rentals in Sayulita.

San Blas –If you’re looking for some majorly long waves, San Blas held the record for longest recorded wave at one point—almost a kilometerlong!

Here’s a full list of the surfing spots in the Riviera Nayarit, but the swells change by the day, so it’s always to check the forecast on Surfline, or just ask a few people around town once you arrive.

3ShoppinginSayulita

Walk through Sayulita’s tiny town center and it seems like every door is to a vibrant boutique selling colorful crafts made by or inspired by the Huichol people, or a taco shop. Wecouldn’tresist all the fun and playful pom poms and artwork, so we had to pick up a few pieces to bring back home.

While there are plenty of street stalls where you can barter for goods, there are also high-end shops and art galleries. The uber bright pom poms, beach bags and Mexican blankets atRevoluciondel Suenoalmost glow in this bright, open shop. Evoke the Spirit offers a bit of a reprieve from all thefluorescentwith its pastel, beachy vibes. This shop includesaninteresting display of cow skullsdecoratedby the Huichol people.Even if you’re not buying, these places are still fun to browse.

4 Visit Sleepy San Francisco (usually called SanPancho)

Fun Fact:Panchois a commonnicknamefor Francisco.So,if you have a friend everyone callsPancho, his given name might just be Francisco! This is why San Francisco is called by SanPanchoby pretty much everyone that lives there.

From walking the streets of SanPancho, you’d hardly know it was only 15 minutes away from the buzzing roads of Sayulita. If you really want to relax and live life at a slower pace, SanPanchois the place to go. The beach isn’t as busy and there are some great restaurants in town, just not as many people!

5HorsebackRidingin Riviera Nayaritwith Vista Paraiso

Horseback riding from the stables at Vista Paraiso and down to the beachwas a magical experience from beginning to end. Our guides helped us saddle up atMontalbeñaRanch; me on a beautiful brown horse named Colorado, while Aaron and Hudson shared a horse appropriately named The Big One.

We headed off onto a short jungle trail before getting to a road lined with open fields where we sawa lady carrying an armadillo home for dinner. The view of mountains covered with dense jungle in the distance made for apicturesquebackdrop to our ride. We then trotted through asmall townbefore wereachedLitibúBeach just in time for sunset.

Our guides were very friendly and accommodating and let us stop to take a few pictures at the beach. The sun setting behind Punta Mita was the best viewofour whole trip to Riviera Nayarit! On the ride back to the stables we were surrounded by glowing fireflies and serenaded by Hudson singing his version of Toby Keith’s“Should’veBeen A Cowboy.” Initially, he had been a little hesitant to hop on the horse, but it seemed like The Big One quickly won him over.

You can book a small group sunset horseback ride with VistaParaisofor $120, or schedule your own private tour.Vista Paraisoalso offers ATV and Zipline tours.

6Participate in aSeaTurtleRelease

The beaches of Riviera Nayarit are a popularnestingground for sea turtles. Of the 20,000 eggs a female sea turtle can lay in her lifetime, often only two of them will make it to adulthood. That is why there are a number of volunteer organizations in the area that protect the nests and the hatchlings, and create a sea turtle release program to give this tiny sea turtles a better shot at survival.

A number of the hotels and resorts in the area have programs that charge fees to take part in the release, but community-based ones, likethe Sayulita Turtle Camp, are looking for volunteers to help relocate nests and make their journey to the sea. The Sayulita Turtle Camp is open year-round, but most hatchling releases take place from the end of October through January.

7Visitthe Mercado del Mar, a large Fish Market

In La Cruz deHuanacaxtlethere’s a huge marina and a fish market. Like most markets, go early for the best selection from local vendors. They also sell anything else you might need to accompany your meal, like bread, pasta, cheese, and fruits and veggies.

8Get an adrenaline rush with a ziplining,rappellingor ATV tour

There’s so much to explore beyond the beach, so book a tour that will take you deep into theSierra Madre Mountains. We loved our experience with Vista Paraiso for the horseback ride, so we’d recommend them if you’re looking for a ziplining or ATV tour. We wish we could’ve done a few more adventures, but Hudson’s still too young based on most companies’ age restrictions.

9Hikeamong ancient Petroglyphs to the Sacred Pools ofAlta Vista

This hike is a draw for both what you find along the trail and at the end. An Aztecan tribe lived along the LasPiletasriver over two thousand years ago; the only trace of their inhabitance of the area is thehundredsof images carved into the rocks along the river. You can try to guess the meanings of these petroglyphs, but there are also several signs posted along the trail that will give you some more informationabout the area. At the end of the hike, you’ll reach a beautiful natural pool, where you can cool off before the warm hike back.

Here’s a dropped pin in Google Maps to the start of the Alta Vista trailhead.If you don’t want to worry about the logistics of getting to the trailhead, book a guided hike to Alta Vista with theMexitreks.

10Snorkeling by Las IslasMarietas(Marieta Islands)

The Marieta Islands and the surrounding waters are a national park, so they are protected from fishing and hunting. We booked a boat trip with Ally Cat Sailing Adventures to reach the Marieta Islands, which you can read about here. The water has some of the best visibility I’ve ever seen, so we could easily spot all thebright yellow Mexican goatfish andBlacknosedbutterflyfish. We even saw a huge moray eel!

11 Visit La Playa del Amor in the Marieta Islands

Playa del Amor issupposed to be asecret or hidden beach, but with the way it’s blown up on the internet and Instagram, I’m pretty sure everyone knows about it. So many unregulated visitors started to destroy the ecosystem, so it was temporarily shut down, and now you’re required to have a permit to visit. Thereareonly 120 permits per day, so most tour companies only offer tours to the famous Lover’s Beach only a few times a month. You can see a list of companies that offerMarietasIslands tours here.Check their website for days they visit this La Playa del Amor.

12Whale Watching in Banderas Bay

If you book a boat trip like the one abovefromDecemberthroughMarch, you’ll probably get atwofor one and get in some great whale watching too.

Humpback whales leave the icy cold waters of the Arctic to come and birth their young in the warm, shallow and calm waters of Banderas Bay.

The crew on our boat estimated over 700 Humpback whales made passed through Banderas Bay last year, so they said you’re pretty much guaranteed to see at least a few whales every time you head out into the water. You can check out Whale Watching tours in Riviera Nayarit here.

13Birdwatching at the LaTovaraNational Park in San Blas

LaTovaraNational Park in San Blas, an estuary surrounded by mangroves, is home to over 500 species of birds. You can spot plenty of birds year-round, but thousands more migrate here for the winter.

Tours are offered on small motor boats to explore the mangroves, where you might also spot a few fresh-water turtles sunbathing or crocodiles barely visible above the waterline. If you want to get a closer look at a crocodile, add a visit to theKiekariCrocodile Farm rescue center. At the end of the estuary, there’s a freshwater spring where you can even hop in (no crocodiles here🙂).

14Hike to the Salto del Cora Waterfall

For something more adventurous after birdwatching,drive one hour outside of San Blas, where you’ll find a40-meterwaterfall calledSalto del Cora. Once you reach the village of El Cora, take a short hike down to the base of the waterfall where you can jump in for a refreshing swim!

15 VisitMexcaltitán, the Venice of Mexico

Mexcaltitánis a tiny town in northern Nayarit that is completely surrounded by water and only reachable by boat. During the rainy season (July – September), the streets flood and residents glide through by boat, earning this town thenickname“the Venice of Mexico.”

This little island is thought to be the birthplace of modern Mexico, with the ancient inhabitance setting out to find a promised land, foundingTenochitlán, or currentday MexicoCity.

Most locals make their living by shrimp fishing, so tuck into a fresh catch after exploring its ancient streets.

Note: The horseback riding tour with Vista Paraiso was sponsored by the Riviera Nayarit Visitors & Convention Bureau. We were hosted on the Marieta Islands tour by Ally Cat Sailing Adventures. As always, all opinions are honest and my own. I only recommend things on my blog that I would recommend to a friend.

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