Punta Mita Travel Guides: Stays, Golf, Beaches and Fees

Punta Mita is a private, gated development on Mexico’s Pacific coast, in the state of Nayarit. Just outside its gates is a town with its own restaurants, shops and beach access. Both are called Punta Mita or Punta de Mita, fairly interchangeably, so the spelling alone does not tell you which one is meant.

The nearest airport is Puerto Vallarta’s, across the state line in Jalisco. Inside the development are two resort hotels, the Four Seasons and the St. Regis. Golf is one of the area’s main draws: two courses, Pacifico and Bahia, both designed by Jack Nicklaus, with restricted access.

Start here

Aerial view of the Punta Mita peninsula, showing the golf course, the gated development, and the village along Banderas Bay.

Punta Mita Travel Guide

Where to stay, what to do, and how to plan your Punta Mita trip.

5 minute read

Quick facts

State: Nayarit, Mexico
Nearest airport: Puerto Vallarta (PVR), across the state line in Jalisco
Airport transfer: About 45 minutes to an hour by car, depending on traffic and where you’re staying
Resort hotels: Four Seasons and St. Regis, inside the development
Golf: Pacifico and Bahia, both by Jack Nicklaus; access is restricted
Drier months: Roughly fall through late spring
Whale watching: Seasonal, typically in the winter months

Planning your trip

Beach umbrellas beside blue water beneath scattered white clouds.

Best Time to Visit Punta Mita

Seasonal weather patterns, rainfall and activities to consider when choosing your travel dates.

4 minute read

Travelers with suitcases beside a black passenger van.

Getting to Punta Mita: Airport, Transfers, and Routes

The airport you fly into, how long the drive really takes, the four ways to make it, and what to settle before you land.

4 minute read

Two wheeled suitcases with a hat and bag beside leafy plants.

Packing for Punta Mita: What Your Dates and Plans Change

Build a warm-weather core, then add only what the season, activities, venues, and confirmed access require.

5 minute read

A handwritten tips sign beside a bowl, coffee cup and payment terminal.

Currency, Tipping, and Practical Money Matters in Punta Mita

How to handle pesos, card conversion, ATM fees, service charges and voluntary gratuities.

6 minute read

A woman resting beside a swimming pool in warm evening light.

Is Punta Mita Safe? A Travel Safety Guide

Current advisory context, practical arrival preparation and official sources to check before you travel.

5 minute read

A restaurant terrace at Punta Mita on Mexico's Riviera Nayarit

Punta Mita’s 2026 Club Access Fee: What Changed for Renters

The owner membership that used to cover rental guests now stops at the owner - what the replacement fee costs, who it exempts, and what varies by residence

5 minute read

Where to stay

Aerial view of an oceanfront villa on the Punta Mita peninsula: two free-form pools and a sand terrace set in a lawn above a rocky shoreline, with a thatched palapa alongside and the Pacific beyond.

Where to Stay in Punta Mita: Areas and Communities

How the gated development and the town outside its gates differ, and which part of Punta Mita suits which kind of stay.

7 minute read

Villa terrace with an infinity pool, shaded seating and surrounding greenery.

Where to Stay in Punta Mita: Hotels vs. Villas

Compare private space, services, resort access and booking terms before choosing a hotel or villa.

5 minute read

A traveler pulling a suitcase through a warmly lit hotel corridor.

Four Seasons vs. St. Regis Punta Mita: Which Resort Suits You?

Compare rooms, villas, services, pools and family facilities before requesting matching quotes.

7 minute read

On the water and the course

A sand bunker bordered by a green fairway and trees under a blue sky.

Golf in Punta Mita: Courses, Access, and What to Know

The two Nicklaus courses, eligibility, booking arrangements, the island hole and what to check before reserving.

5 minute read

Underwater view of a surfer duck-diving beneath a breaking wave.

Surfing in Punta Mita: Best Breaks by Skill Level

The peninsula’s surf breaks, what regional sources describe and how to choose a session for current conditions.

4 minute read

A man sitting aboard a boat with a fishing rod at sunset.

Fishing in Punta Mita: Charters, Seasons, and What to Confirm

How to compare charter formats, interpret regional species timing, and verify permits and departure details.

5 minute read

Two visitors in shallow turquoise water beneath a circular rock opening at a hidden beach.

Marietas Islands Day Trip: What to Know Before You Go

Compare islands excursions, Hidden Beach admission, park schedules and operator arrangements before booking.

4 minute read

A whale's tail rising above the sea with birds overhead at sunset.

Whale Watching in Punta Mita: Season, Tours, and What to Expect

The season, what you can realistically expect to see, where the boats leave from, and the three questions to put to an operator.

4 minute read

Aerial view of a small sand beach in a rocky cove on the Punta Mita peninsula, framed by palms, with a lawn and an infinity pool on the bluff above it.

Punta Mita Beaches

Which beach suits swimming, surfing or a day by the water, how to reach each one, and what the conditions are.

7 minute read

Dining, wellness and days out

A plated main course with vegetables and garnishes in a restaurant.

Where to Eat in Punta Mita: A Dining Guide

Where to eat in the village, at the resorts and in the beach clubs, with access and reservation details to check.

6 minute read

A therapist providing a facial treatment in a spa room.

Wellness and Spas in Punta Mita: How the Main Models Differ

Compare a stay-level retreat with resort spas, treatment access, private spaces, and booking questions.

6 minute read

A wedding couple smiling as guests toss red and white flower petals.

Weddings in Punta Mita: Venues, Guest Logistics, and Planning

How to align the venue, access, guest rooms, weather fallback, contracts, and civil-paperwork decision.

6 minute read

A couple sitting together beneath palm fronds beside a sandy beach.

Punta Mita for Couples: A Romantic Getaway Guide

Choose the privacy, setting and shared experiences that suit your trip for two.

5 minute read

Two adults and two children sitting beside the water with a toy airplane.

Punta Mita with Kids: A Family Travel Guide

The four decisions that make or break a family trip here, which activities suit which ages, and the list to send a property before you book.

5 minute read

Two visitors walking between colorful textile and souvenir market stalls.

Day Trips from Punta Mita: Sayulita, San Pancho and La Cruz

Choose a day of surf-town culture, art and community, or marina walks and seasonal markets.

6 minute read

Every Punta Mita guide