Punta Mita

Punta Mita has been our go to beach vacation for the past 5 years. My husband and I first came here back in 2014 when we were engaged and in the throws of wedding planning hell. We desperately needed a break from it and time to reconnect. I randomly found out about Punta Mita while I was playing around on Trip Advisor and we decided to book the trip the day after I discovered it. It has become more popular in recent years thanks to being featured on a few Real Housewive’s shows. You fly into the Puerto Vallerta airport and it is about an hour drive from there. The best time of year to go is November-April.

Why? This is a place to come to relax and unwind. There is not a whole lot to do and that is the point. Excellent beach front dining, giant margaritas and fun shopping all make this a great destination choice. Punta Mita is also safe. I am comfortable enough to walk around the town by myself.

Who? Punta Mita is great for couples and families. There are major resorts in the area, boutique hotels and vacation rental homes. It is a laid back and low key atmosphere. This is not a great destination for a girl’s trip or if you are looking for nightlife because there is none. Punta Mita was the first time I really felt that I got to experience more traditional Mexican culture and that has what has been keeping me coming back.

Drawbacks? It is really hot and nasty here in the summer. I would avoid Punta Mita entirely. There is not a lot to do and you are far from other points of interest in the area. The town also literally has a taxi mafia and it is very expensive to take a taxi out of town. I found a work around to this but more on that later.

Hotels

Every time I have visited Punta Mita, I have stayed at La Quinta Del Sol. It is a small boutique hotel that is right on the beach.

The two inn keepers live on site and are very helpful and invested in guests having a memorable experience. They will do taco crawls, arrange massages and site seeing and we even participated in a Thanksgiving dinner celebration with them one year. La Quinta Del Sol is not fancy. There is no pool. However, the property is well maintained, very clean, across from the beach and a quick walk into town.

There is a private, roped off section of beach with hammocks and lounge chairs. The little beach restaurant down the way will bring you margaritas and tacos if you wish!

There is a Four Season Resort and St. Regis in Punta Mita. I have been on both properties and they are both spectacular.

Food

There are many fun restaurants in town that are right on the beach. Nothing gets me in vacation mode faster then dining in the sand. The hands down best restaurant is Si Senior. I avoided coming here my first two visits because every one goes here and felt cliche. However, during my last visit I broke down and tried it and then went back again the next night. It was that good. The atmosphere, the service, the food…they are all perfect.

Another great option is The Blue Shrimp. It is right on the sand and the food, drinks and service are all excellent.

The mango margarita matches the sunset!

La Cabana is the best beach front budget option. You will get haggled by locals selling trinkets but the giant plate of lobster for $15 makes it worth it. They do have top shelf tequllia so you can avoid a margarita hang over.

My favorite taco place is Tacos y Papas. It is not on the beach but up the hill close to the main shopping area. I love the tacos but will often get their version of a loaded baked potato. It is really good!

The best hidden gem is Naef Cafe. It is tucked away in a more residential part of town and is a little oasis.

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Naef has food for every preference and diet. The food is just so good. Healthy, thoughtfully prepared and tasty. The guys who own Naef worked at the Four Seasons in town and decided to start their own place. I am glad they did! When I have been in the area over the Thanksgiving Holiday Naef always has pumpkin pie and it is the best pumpkin pie ever.

There are also numerous taco stands in town. If you are feeling adventurous, ask your hotel what they recommend and they will point you in the right direction. It is smart to stick to what the hotel suggests, when we have gone rogue and picked random street stalls we have gotten sick every single time.

Things to Do

The best thing to do in Punta Mita is relax at the beach. Bring a stack of books and enjoy!

You can get a massage for relatively inexpensive. I have had amazing massages for $50 an hour. There are a lot of pop up massage tents that have showed up on the beach in recent years.

Shopping! Punta Mita has an abundance of cute boho beach shops. I love the jewelry!

If you are interested in outdoor activities, you can easily access these from Punta Mita. Surfing, sailing, zip lining, fishing….the options are endless.

Day Trip

The best day trip from Punta Mita is Sayulita.

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Sayulita is where Bachelor in Paradise is filmed! My reality TV show obsession aside, this is a colorful and fun town that is worth visiting.

So, how do I avoid the taxi mafia to get to Sayulita? I pick up a bus from the Oxxo for about $1.00 and take it to the town of Bucerias. From there I get a cab and it is one third of the price of getting a cab from Punta Mita.

Sayulita has the best shopping. Anything bright, colorful and beautiful can be found here. There is also a vibrant farmers market where you can find all of the locals. The best coffee I have ever had in my life was at this very farmers market.

Staying consistent with the hippy ex-pat vibe that Sayulita has to offer, there is tons of great, healthy food options that make both carnivores and vegans happy.

Punta Mita is an ideal location to slow down, eat great food and enjoy margaritas. Salud!

Have you been to Punta Mita? Thinking of going? Leave your comment below!