Friday, May 10, 2024
CitiesCountriesDestinationsHoliday TravelTravel Interest

Riviera Nayarit Resorts Welcome Travelers for the Holidays

Riviera Nayarit, Mexico invites travelers to spend the holidays abroad in the tropics as multiple luxury resorts in the region are offering special rates and unique events for the holidays. Guests can experience traditional Mexican traditions like tossing an Ojo de Dios towards the Christmas tree while making a wish or a traditional energy cleansing ceremony before receiving the New Year while also sticking to traditions from back home. 

Riviera Nayarit (Photo Credit: Engin Yapici on Unsplash)
Riviera Nayarit (Photo Credit: Engin Yapici on Unsplash)

Situated on the same latitude as the islands of Hawaii, Riviera Nayarit boasts tropical and beach-accessible weather year-round. December and January are perfect times to visit, as travelers can admire whale watching, birdwatching, and polo season. 

HOTEL SPECIALS + EVENTS

Conrad Punta de Mita
Guests looking to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with friends and family can take advantage of the festive offerings including the Merry & Bright Festive Package at the Conrad Punta de Mita that offers 10% off room rates and $200 resort credit per stay. Agave fans can discover agave spirits including Sotol, Mezcal, Raicilla and Tequila paired with tapas orchestrated by Executive Chef Victor Palma, an intimate 5-course dinner, or even make their own Mezcal in the Conrad’s own Agave Studio. On Christmas Eve, guests can partake in a traditional Huichol shamanic energy cleansing ceremony before the dinner buffet. On December 27, the Conrad hosts the Mexican Kermesse – a carnival with street food, family-friendly games, music, and dancing. 

W Punta de Mita
W Punta de Mita is hosting back-to-back Christmas and New Years’ celebrations featuring live performances and culinary delights that are surely not to be missed. Kick-off the festivities on Christmas Eve with a special dinner at the resort’s popular Mexican eatery, Venazu, which is continuing the celebration through Christmas Day with an all-you-can-eat taco bar and unique handcrafted cocktails. Ring in the New Year with the resort’s epic New Spirit 2022 extravaganza where guests can enjoy tasty international food stations complemented by live performances, DJ sets, and traditional Mexican rituals to promote a prosperous year ahead. Check out the ‘Tis the Season for a Resort Retreat hotel deal, too!

The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort  
This resort is located on a private peninsula with pristine beaches and lush landscapes, making it the perfect escape for families looking to social distance during the holidays. In additional to a seasonal offer, the St. Regis Punta Mita Resort has put together a family activities calendar that allows children to hand-deliver their letter to Santa Claus on Christmas Day and join their talented pastry chef at the Sweet Treats Workshop to learn how to prepare a gingerbread cookie house. Guests of all ages can make a wish and toss an Ojo de Dios up towards the Christmas tree, it’s a votive object made by weaving a design out of yarn – to experience an authentic Mexican tradition. 

SEASONAL ATTRACTIONS

Whale Watching Season
Whale watching in Riviera Nayarit is a spectacular water activity and one of the most popular things to do while vacationing in the destination between mid-December to the end of March. Whales actively engage in many types of surface behaviors, such as breaching (jumping out of the water), rolling, blowing, flipping, and even singing. Each type of whale has its own personality, humpback whales, for instance, are curious and these “friendlies” as the locals call them, will often approach Mexico whale watching tour boats and float under or around the boat for many minutes. Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias, Punta Mita, and Sayulita are a few of the beach towns where guests are able to witness whales.  

Whale in Banderas Bay (Photo Credit: Riviera Nayarit)
Whale in Banderas Bay (Photo Credit: Riviera Nayarit)

Polo and Horseback Riding 
There is perhaps nothing more beautiful than a horse frolicking along the seaside during sunset and Riviera Nayarit provides delightful ways to enjoy the equestrian life. The Riviera Nayarit Polo Cup is played in December at La Patrona Polo and Equestrian Club in San Pancho. They and other clubs offer year-round horseback riding through the jungles around Nayarit, romantic surfside settings, walking on the Sierra Madre foothills, or wading through natural mountainside creeks and streams.  

Bird Watching 
With so many ecological sanctuaries, Nayarit offers some of Mexico’s best bird watching. San Blas, about two hours north of Gustavo Diaz Ordaz (PVR) airport, has at least a dozen different ecosystems and is home to 250 bird species. Among the best times to visit is during Mexico’s San Blas International Festival of Migratory Birds, which occurs annually between the last week of January and the beginning of February. Other nearby bird-watching sites include the Tecuitata community and microclimate hill, Singayta and Isla Isabel where humpback whales breach and whale sharks feed swimming against the nutrient currents flowing out of the estuaries.   

Birdwatching on Isla Isabel (Photo Credit: Riviera Nayarit)
Birdwatching on Isla Isabel (Photo Credit: Riviera Nayarit)

Swim with Whale Sharks 
The Port of San Blas is home to one of the most privileged locations to swim with whale sharks as they thrive in tropical warm waters. The whale shark is a very large, slow-moving, filter-feeding fish that poses no threat to humans. Visitors can join local tours to swim along with these majestic creatures and connect with nature. 

Vacationer Staff

Vacationer Magazine's writing staff works hard to bring you all the latest LGBTQ travel articles to help inspire and inform.

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