Content warning: This story contains a mention of suicide.
24.08.2023 - 15:59 / lonelyplanet.com
I’m a traveler who embraces stark contrasts. Take, for instance, my recent trip to Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit.
Just north of Puerto Vallarta, this 200-mile stretch of coastline is home to some of the most luxurious beachfront resorts in the world. Yet just down the road, you’ll find lower-key, more bohemian-feeling villages with a decidedly local flair. Native communities, including some Huichol Indigenous people, reside here among the passing tourists (like me).
My journey began in the gated, five-star community of Punta Mita. While I loved the opulence there, coming to Riviera Nayarit and not exploring the towns beyond would have been a missed opportunity. So the latter half of my trip took me to Sayulita and San Pancho.
While it’s true that these enclaves are no longer hidden gems, they both provide a taste of Mexican village life. I wandered through colorful plazas, devoured freshly grilled seafood at bargain prices and hiked through the local jungle to a virgin beach.
A boutique hotel with a jungle-like setting. This part of Riviera Nayarit doesn’t (yet) have the mega-resorts or all-inclusives you might find in Puerto Vallarta or Punta Mita. Instead, boutique accommodations abound. I stayed at Casa Selva, which has 14 individual bungalows on a sloping hillside in the north part of Sayulita. The location was ideal: less than 15 minutes on foot to the center of town but a world away from the late-night commotion. Beach access is across the street, and the start of the hike to Playa Malpaso was just two minutes from my door.
My guided tour through the jungle. While its eclectic spirit and thriving nightlife is a major draw, Sayulita has plenty of nature-filled activities in town, too. My mornings started off with a walk up to the northernmost section of town, on Avenida del Palmar (less than 15 minutes from the town center). From there, a winding trail weaves its way through the jungle to Playa Malpaso, a secluded beach less than two miles from town. My guide, Alejo, accompanied me and expertly shared his knowledge of the flora and fauna along the route.
I sampled a number of dishes in the Riviera, and a resounding highlight was the seafood at El Jakal, a homey, unassuming restaurant in the north part of Sayulita. My favorites included the smoked marlin tostada and grilled mahi-mahi with pineapple stew. The house-made salsas – like passionfruit, habanero and blueberry blend – are punchy and flavorful. Ask for Angelica when you’re there.
The charm of San Pancho. First, let’s be clear: with a population of only 5000, Sayulita isn’t a huge city. Its main thoroughfare is busy, however – and thanks to an abundance of golf carts and oversized margaritas, it has a certain Disney-for-grown-ups vibe. Yet just
Content warning: This story contains a mention of suicide.
I have quite dry skin and eyes, so I need all the moisture possible. I use a Neostrata Matrix Support day cream and Intensive Eye Therapy; then when I shower, I use Dermafix DermaPolish + Activated Charcoal. I feel like I have great skin now, but it’s been a journey to maintain it. Dr. Fatima Bhabha, my doctor in Johannesburg who specializes in aesthetic medicine, really got me thinking that I need to follow a routine and use sunscreen. I use this Italian brand, BioNike Defence Sun 30 Mineral Cream. On my body, I use Nivea Men All Seasons Moisture Body Cream, and because I have such dry skin I always use aloe vera to moisturize. My grandmother always had the plants outside and would slather me with aloe.
Labor Day weekend traditionally marks the close of the busy summer travel season, but, with consumers’ travel intent continuing to run remarkably high this year, who’s to say that this approaching autumn won’t be just as epic?
Whether it’s a Moroccan-influenced Chicken & Shrimp Kefta with a Vietnamese-style Nuoc Cham dipping sauce, or a Green Thai Curry Hummus with both English and Wasabi peas, Chef Jason Neroni of the newly-opened The Desmond restaurant has California Cuisine speaking with a lot of different accents. “We’re buying everything we can from the area,” says Neroni, “then we craft it with global influences. That gives us no boundaries — we’ve got a lot of different palates traveling through here and we can make them all very happy.”
Every traveler worth their salt knows that Egypt is not the only country in the world to have pyramids, there are plenty of them in Sudan, Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico, among other locations. In fact, the largest pyramid in the world, The Great Pyramid of Cholula, also known as Tlachihualtépetl, is in Mexico, just 80 miles southeast of Mexico City. And it’s not even the closest pyramid to the capital: The Archeological Site of Teotihuacán, just 27 miles northeast of the city is home to three of them. Actually, Mexico City itself has a few.
When it comes to vacationing in Mexico, most head straight for the busy tourist hubs of Cancun or Tulum. But why not give Akumal a shot on your next trip? This quiet little beach town is located about an hour and a half from Cancun. Its name alludes to what makes it so special, as Akumal is a Mayan word that translates to “place of the turtles”.
Semi-private air carrier JSX is jetting off to Mexico for the fall and is offering big discounts on tickets to make for a luxe travel experience.
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Mexico is launching its army-run 'Mexicana' airline in September.
As long as people have been traveling, they’ve sought mementos and souvenirs. Ancient Egyptians and Romans brought spices, animal skins, and gold back from foreign trade missions or conquests. Modern travelers hunt for handicrafts or traditional art, tangible reminders of other places to use in their own lives at home: a Moroccan rug splayed across the living room floor, a gleaming Venetian glass vase to fill with wildflowers.
Mexican hotel operator FibraHotel said on Wednesday it is looking to buy resorts and all-inclusive hotels in the coming years while shedding some under-performing properties, aiming to seize on what it described as a boom in beach travel by U.S. tourists.
More than a dozen U.S. air marshals plan to refuse deployment to the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a group representing them, a sign of challenges facing U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration as it grapples with record migrant crossings.