Riviera Nayarit, Mexico is inviting travelers to spend the holidays abroad in the tropics as multiple luxury resorts in the region are offering special rates and events. Guests can experience Mexican traditions like tossing an Ojo de Dios towards the Christmas tree while making a wish or an energy-cleansing ceremony before entering the New Year.
Hotel Specials and Events
Conrad Punta de Mita: Guests can take advantage of the festive offerings, including the “Merry & Bright Festive Package” that offers 10 percent off room rates and $200 resort credit per stay. Agave fans can discover such spirits as sotol, mezcal, raicilla and tequila paired with tapas orchestrated by Executive Chef Victor Palma, an intimate five-course dinner, or even make their own mezcal in the Conrad’s 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: The property is hosting back-to-back Christmas and New Year’s celebrations with live performances and culinary delights. Kick off the festivities on Christmas Eve with a special dinner at the resort’s Mexican eatery, Venazu, which is continuing the celebration through Christmas Day with an all-you-can-eat taco bar and handcrafted cocktails. Ring in the New Year with the resort’s “New Spirit 2022” extravaganza where guests can enjoy international food stations complemented by live performances, DJ sets and traditional Mexican rituals.
The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort: The resort has put together a family activities calendar that allows children to hand-deliver their letter to Santa Claus on Christmas Day and join the talented pastry chef in at the Sweet Treats Workshop to learn how to prepare a gingerbread house. Guests of all ages can make a wish and toss an Ojo de Dios—a votive object made by weaving a design out of yarn—up towards the Christmas tree, an authentic Mexican tradition.
Seasonal Attractions
Whale Watching Season: Whale watching in Riviera Nayarit is available between mid-December to end of March. Whales actively engage in many types of surface behaviors, such as breaching, 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 tour boats and float under or around them for many minutes. Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias, Punta Mita and Sayulita are a few of the beach towns where guests are able to witness whales.
Polo and Horseback Riding: 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: San Blas, about two hours north from Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International 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 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 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 these majestic creatures and connect with nature.
For more information, visit www.rivieranayarit.com.
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