Located in the rapidly growing resort region of Riviera Nayarit, Punta de Mita was once a small fishing village, but it now teems with palapa-roofed, beachfront seafood restaurants.
Punta de Mita still has authenticity: Fishermen head out to sea in their brightly colored pangas every morning from the village port, dogs nap on the edges of cobblestoned streets, and the calls of local vendors selling fish and other staples to local housewives echo through the streets. And it's got just the right amount of polish.
Locals are not allowed to sell their wares in the restaurants, so they patrol the beach in a steady stream, showing off embroidered dresses, beach wraps, woven hammocks, shell jewelry and the like.
Adventures in the area include horseback riding, canopy tours, swimming with dolphins, surfing, safaris, and cultural and entertainment tours.
This area has become one of the top spots in Mexico for luxury resorts, which join million-dollar mansions and two golf courses in the gated (and branded) Punta Mita complex that takes up most of the peninsula.
Just to the north, off Libutu Beach, are more high-end resorts that keep raising the bar even higher.
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