My body is being whisked around in the Media Luna pool at the Delta by Marriott resort in Nayarit, Mexico, by a therapist in a wetsuit. My mind and soul are along for the ride. Part massage, part rebirth, part one-sided wrestling match, the treatment obliges me to completely trust the therapist, Wendy. In doing so, I feel completely relaxed swooshing around in the warm water. Wendy gives my leg a squeeze. I take a deep breath before she gently dips me under the surface of the water, then spins me around in the pool.
After the aqua treatment, Wendy fits pool noodles under my neck, back and legs, then places a singing bowl on my stomach. She plays gentle chimes as I float, the lush greenery of the resort drifting over me like clouds. Do I ever want to get out of the pool? Maybe not. Certainly not if someone puts a cocktail in my hand while I’m floating here.
On the north side of Bahía de Banderas, the huge Pacific Coast bay that’s shared by the Mexican states of Jalisco and Nayarit, things are more chill than they are farther south. About an hour’s drive north of Puerto Vallarta’s uber-gay Zona Romántica, but just a half hour from Puerto Vallarta’s international airport, Riviera Nayarit has gained a reputation as an LGBTQ+-friendly destination with both style and substance. “Gayarit” has got a relaxed vibe that’s as much about escape as it is living large. At the Delta, which is an all-inclusive resort based around a water park, I take note of the 10 outdoor pools, five spa tubs and the lazy river, and figure that at least one or two of them are ready for takeover by queers. Several of the pools are so hidden and private that a couple of any orientation seeking some romantic alone time could occupy one of them for an afternoon.
Nayarit’s accommodations and attractions are a bit more spread out than on the other side of the bay, which means roomier resort properties, better access to nature and more privacy on the beaches. The Punta Mita peninsula—a hilly chunk of geographical punctuation that signals the edge of Bahía de Banderas—is famous for luxe resorts like the Four Seasons Punta Mita, St. Regis Punta Mita and the Conrad Punta Mita. But it’s not all upscale. Small, easily explorable beach towns like La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Sayulita and San Pancho provide Mexican colour and flavour that are worth leaving the resort for.
Sayulita, in particular, is a surfer’s paradise that seems ready to turn into a destination in its own right. A decade or two ago, the town was all about mom-and-pop guest rooms, street tacos and all-day surfing. But it’s been applying a layer of chic sheen to its hippy-dippy soul. Newer properties like the Sayulinda Hotel balance the town’s carefree spirit with a sense of style and confidence.
Over shots of raicilla, an agave-based spirit that’s a cousin to tequila and mezcal, Sayulinda’s general manager, Pedro Fernandez del Valle, says that his goal is to make its rooftop bar, Bar del Patrón, one of the best cocktail bars in North America. My raicilla cocktail, with lime and fresh ginger, is certainly tasty, though it’s probably the infinity pool’s view of the town and the beach that would make me want to come here for a birthday celebration with a gaggle of gays.
The Sayulita mindset is best exemplified in the boutique Pinche México Te Amo, which, in its most polite form, translates as “Damn Mexico, I love you.” Along with saucy stuff with their name on it, they’ve got skeleton art and naughty topless twists on images of queer Mexican icon Frida Kahlo. Seeing Frida Kahlo pillows, curtains, bags, wallpaper or whatever is, in fact, one of the tests I apply while in Mexico, to determine if a place is welcoming. Frida can be a substitute for the rainbow.
San Pancho, a 15-minute drive north, is smaller and less sceney, but it’s where you’ll find a larger continent of Canadian and American expats, including low-key queer expats who can be sometimes spotted at the farmer’s market every Tuesday.
For LGBTQ+ travellers with a greater sense of adventure, Jala is a town of 16,000, about a two-hour drive inland from Riviera Nayarit. One of Mexico’s designated “Pueblos Magicos,” or “Magic Towns,” it’s got beautifully preserved colonial-era buildings; a nearby volcano, Volcan Ceboruco, which can be climbed; and a waterfall, El Salto de Jomulco, that’s perfect for photo ops. On weekends it can be busy with families, but pick the right day and you might have it all to yourself.
The spot that, for me, perhaps best personifies Nayarit’s LGBTQ+-friendly but not necessarily rainbow-caped attitude is W Punta de Mita, a resort that’s effortlessly elegant, with a side order of Nayarit Indigenous style. Its signature blue-and-green mosaic-tiled “Camino Huichol,” a platform that provides shade at the main pool and a place for a romantic stroll or doing yoga, could easily be turned into a fashion or drag runway. Most of the rooms are in ultramodern bungalows, some with private plunge pools, scattered along the waterfront and in the jungle, providing privacy and mystery every time guests head back for a nap. The sleek adults-only pool, right off the beach, has one glass side, which could be considered romantic or scandalous, depending on one’s mindset.
The W is not the kind of place that will be completely taken over by gays, but with 119 rooms, it would be weird not to spot a few gay couples or groups of friends at one of the pools or on the pathways through the jungle. I noticed guests at W Punta de Mita arrived in twos, but then, a couple of days later, were eating in groups of four and six. Doing shots? No. But perhaps grooving to one of the DJs brought in as part of the resort’s entertainment programming.
And of course, they have images of Frida Kahlo everywhere, often holding a surfboard. In Nayarit, I’d expect nothing less.
Where I stayed, ate, drank and shopped
Delta Hotels Riviera Nayarit, An All-Inclusive Resort (Carretera Punta Mita Km. 0.2, Cruz de Huanacaxtle). Delta is known for its centrally located, business-oriented city hotels, but the first Delta-branded resort has a playful spirit all its own—and it’s all-inclusive. Located in a lush valley filled with pools, a lazy river and a children’s play area, it’s a place to forget about what time or day it is. An hourly shuttle takes guests to the private also all-inclusve beach club, which is seaside in the town of Cruz de Huanacaxtle, where food and drinks can be brought to your beach chair. The beach club is also a popular wedding spot for couples of all orientations and genders.
W Punta de Mita (Punta de Mita, Carretera Federal Km. 8.5, Cruz de Huanacaxtle). Though the property is not huge, it’s easy to get lost wandering the jungle pathways connecting the bungalow-style rooms to the lobby, the four resto-bars, the two pools (one adults-only) and the beach, where surfing lessons are on offer. The décor is impressively thought out, even for a W, and after a few days here, you’ll inevitably notice other LGBTQ+ guests.
Nukari Quinta Boutique Hotel (Allende 22, San Juan, Centro, Jala). For an overnight or two in the Pueblo Mágico of Jala, stay in this central colonial-style hotel, where the crisp clean décor in the rooms doesn’t overwhelm the historic atmosphere of the property. The lovely hotel pool is one block away, and staff are happy to make the walk to deliver drinks poolside.
Don Pedro’s Restaurant & Bar (C. Marlín 2, Sayulita). Sometimes you’ve just got to go with a classic. This waterfront resto-bar has been serving seafood, steak and Mexican favourites since 1994. Eat right on the beach at their Casa Playa. If you’ve got the appetite, give their massive seafood tower a climb.
Sayulinda Hotel (Av. Revolución 36, Sayulita). With 51 rooms, this is the biggest hotel in Sayulita (but probably not for long—the place is booming). Let’s call its style “polished surfer dude with a hint of DJ.” You’ll want to spend all your time at the rooftop bar, which has an infinity pool, but there are workspaces in the lobby if you’re doing some work-life balance in between catching the waves.
Pinche México Te Amo (55 Calle Manuel Navarrete, Sayulita). Though Sayulita is full of vendors selling crafts and jewellery, this boutique has souvenirs with a sense of humour. A pillow emblazoned with a topless Frida Kahlo, anyone?
The writer was a guest of Visit Nayarit; the host of the trip did not direct or review coverage. The views expressed are the writer’s own.
