Photo by Nadine Markova, courtesy Mexico Tourism Board Playa La Ropa, Zihuatanejo

MEXICO – PACIFIC COAST

Punta Mita
Puerto Vallarta

25 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, 52-329-291-6000,
fourseasons.com/puntamita/

As beaches go, this one has it all: pristine white sand, incredible views, whale-watching adventures and a Four Seasons resort.

Theoretically, we could have ended it there, but let’s flesh out the details. Punta Mita brackets the northern end of Bahía de Banderas, one of the largest and deepest bays in the world and the third largest in Mexico (which kind of says something about two of Mexico’s other bays, doesn’t it?). The bay is so big that it straddles the border of two Mexican states, Jalisco and Nayarit, which are not part of the drug-related violence and kidnappings circuit outlined in the U.S. Department of State’s pending Mexico travel alerts.

Legend has it that Spanish explorer Francisco Cortés landed at Bahía de Banderas in 1524, and that 20,000 warriors belonging to the region’s pre-Hispanic tribes went to greet him. The bay allegedly got its name – which translates to “Bay of Flags” – from the brilliant decorations attached to their weapons.

Today, the Four Seasons is the crown jewel of the Punta Mita area. The resort occupies a 1,500-acre nature preserve that mixes sandy beaches with lava rock formations. It’s an ideal spot for snorkeling, scuba diving and spotting humpback whales, which come here to breed.

nd every spring, the region hosts a massive boat race called the Banderas Bay Regatta. The nonprofit event is sponsored by the local yacht club.


Playa La Ropa
Zihuatanejo

6 miles north of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport,
zihua.net or zihuatanejo.net/beaches.html

If your day-to-day drudgery feels more like a prison, follow Tim Robbins’ lead from The Shawshank Redemption and head to Zihuatanejo in central Mexico’s coastal state of Guerrero.

“Zee-wah” boasts pristine beaches, clean coastal waters and more of a fishing village vibe than its sister city, Ixtapa, which is more developed and touristy (picture condo towers and tourists riding yellow water weenies just off the shore).

Even the Mexican tourism authority acknowledges this, calling Zihuatanejo a “picturesque town… with a traditional rural feel” and Ixtapa a “modern tourist resort.”

Playa La Ropa is on the Zihuatanejo side. It features small waves ideal for swimming, bodysurfing and windsurfing. Coral reefs nearby offer colorful scuba diving and snorkeling. The sailfish population promises good deep-sea fishing – so much so that the town has built an international fishing contest around sailfish each May. Playa La Ropa is one mile long and has conveniently located restaurants, bars and services (try the one-hour massage for $20).

For lodging, consider The Tides Zihuatanejo at the neighboring beach, Playa La Madera (tideszihuatanejo.com). This slick and secluded resort offers cabanas, lagoons, waterfalls and amazing views of the ocean and jungle.

It has received top honors from several international travel publications, such as Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler. And if that’s not enough, author Patricia Schultz included it in her best-selling book, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.

But perhaps the best part of Playa La Ropa is its proximity to our other fave, Playa Las Gatas.

Accessible by foot from Playa La Ropa or by water taxi, this beach sits in a secluded cove on the southern tip of Zihuatanejo Bay. The entry is a great surfbreak, the sheltered reef inside is a snorkler’s dream, restaurants serve cold drinks and fresh fish, and visitors can hike up a groomed path to an old lighthouse.

Clearly, Tempe Beach Park has a long way to go.