Explore the cultural jewels of this multi-textured giant
Forget the beaches and take advantage of many offerings both natural and man-made
Most people know Mexico for its beaches, but it’s a jewel box of diverse and varied riches beyond the wildest dreams of the swimsuit set.
Archeological wonders, colonial cities, fields of blue agave plants, fashionable enclaves in buzzing cities, New Age surfer towns — this multi-textured country has them all.
Here’s where to go: The Costa Alegre: Untrammeled and lesser known, this stretch of Pacific shore extends south from Puerto Vallarta into the state of Jalisco. With bumpy dirt roads, tiny villages, donkeys grazing and piglets snuffling aside colourful farm houses, rocky coves and marshy mangrove landscapes, this is the Mexico where the classic Richard Burton film Night of the Iguana was filmed.
The undeveloped terrain results in a vintage, distilled-Old-Mexico feel that touches the soul. Consequently, it attracted a tony bohemian set in the1950s, ’60s and ’70s, including the Franco-British billionaire James Goldsmith, who invested heavily in Mexican real estate. Today, his daughter, Isabel Goldsmith-Patino, lovingly runs Las Alamandas, a 16suite enclave, set on 1,800-acres of private nature reserve, complete with four beaches.
Both romantic and family-friendly, the intimate, elegantly luxurious resort offers guests many options: ride horses, work the organic gardens, spot sea turtles and whales, birdwatch or bodysurf the unbridled waves. Alamandas.com San Miguel de Allende: A longtime draw for artistic ex-pats, San Miguel de Allende was once a stopover on the silver trail between Zacatecas and Mexico City. Set in the hilly highlands of northwest Mexico, it rises amid valleys, canyons and dusty expanses, although it’s just a two-hour drive from bustling Mexico City. Ancient and wealthy, San Miguel de Allende has a historical legacy that manifests itself in the fabric of its colonial and religious architecture, which is smattered with baroque and neo-gothic structures.
As a UNESCO-protected site, it remains a haven of narrow alleyways, flower bedecked courtyards and indigenous culture. There’s a spot where local villagers still come to wash their laundry at spring-fed lavages and the occasional burro appears, burdened with cords of firewood.
San Miguel’s populace exudes creativity; discover this in the galleries, chic restaurants, well-attended cooking schools, art courses, musical venues and writers’ hideaways that all abound here.
Interpreting the pueblo’s esthetic temperament, Hotel Matilda beckons in the heart of the city. The first lodge in San Miguel to break from colonial decor, this boutique hotel in the heart of town is sleek, contemporary and packed with eye-popping, contemporary art pieces. Its Bar Mui attracts locals and tourists alike. Hotelmatilda.com. The Yucatan: Although it reigns as one of today’s most popular world destinations, the Yucatan has not lost its lustre. A peninsula in the south, which separates the Caribbean Ocean from the Gulf of Mexico, it boasts dazzling beaches, sapphire seas, Mayan ruins, frisky nightclubs, subterranean cenotes (sacred, limestone springs) and some of the best eateries in Mexico. Here, find Tulum, Cancun, Merida, Chichen Itza and Playa Del Carmen.
To channel the region’s heady vibe, check into Grand Velas Riviera Maya, an oceanfront property that edges the jungle.
In Puerto Morales, a tranquil fishing village, the Grand Residences by Royal Resorts, is built to resemble a grand, Old Mexico-style hacienda. It offers a beachfront, apartment-style suites perfect for families. Or, stay at the tony, but understated, adults-only Viceroy Riviera Maya, which has a soap concierge, who delivers handcut soa; a shaman-in-residence who blesses every guest upon arrival, and friendly spider monkeys who swing from the trees. rivieramaya.grandvelas.com; viceroyhotelsandresorts.com grandresidencesbyroyalresorts.com Valle De Guadalupe, Baja California: Forget about Margaritas and say “Hola” to Mexican wine. Sip the fruit of the vine in the Valle de Guadalupe, about two hours south of San Diego in northern Baja California. With dry air, verdant but scrubby valleys and stone-studded hills, its main artery winds through a picturesque, lonely landscape. Anchored by the city of Ensenada, a coterie of 50 established wineries and an abundance of chefs join forces to enrich a bona fide wine road, the ruta del vino. Bunk at Hotel Endemico, a design-savvy hotel with 20-pod style, luxury cabins. Hotelendemico.com Riviera Nayarit: A crescent of land flanked by the sea rambles north, 300 km from Puerto Vallarta. The Riviera Nayarit contains the bohochic surfing hamlet of Sayulitas, a paradise of hang-ten aficionados, artists, mom-and-pop shop owners and yoga studios. Affordable boutique hotels, adorned with local art, welcome those on a budget in this laid-back, global village.
For a more ritzy stay, check into the Four Seasons Punta Mita, located on the Pacific-encircled peninsula. A coddling hideaway dedicated to celebrating the region, the hotel offers many education programs.
With an on-site cultural concierge who presides over tequila-tastings, whale-watching, turtle-nesting, Spanish lessons and Huichol Indian ceremonies, guests enjoy the region’s many cultural strata. Fourseasons.com/puntamita