Costa Careyes: A Guide to Careyes, Its Beaches and Villas
Coloured villas and casitas on the cliffs, a turtle sanctuary, polo and a small plaza: how the private estate works.
In this guide
In short
Costa Careyes is a private estate on Jalisco’s Costalegre, founded in 1968, at kilometre 53 of Highway 200 from Melaque, closer to Manzanillo than Puerto Vallarta. It offers casitas, villas and cliff-top estates in bold colours, the Playa Rosa beach club, a turtle sanctuary at Playa Teopa, polo and a small plaza.
Costa Careyes is the best-known name on Mexico’s Costalegre: a private estate on the Jalisco coast, founded in 1968 by Gian Franco Brignone, where villas, casitas and a few extravagant “castles” painted in deep ochres, blues and pinks sit on cliffs above small coves. It is not a town and not a resort in the usual sense, but a low-density community set within a large protected landscape, with its own beach club, polo field, plaza and turtle sanctuary. For the wider coast, start with what Costalegre is.
Where Careyes is and how it is laid out
Careyes lies on Highway 200 at kilometre 53, counted north from Melaque, which places it far closer to Manzanillo than to Puerto Vallarta. The estate describes about 35,000 acres of protected land and nine miles of coastline. Homes are spread along the headlands and hills rather than clustered in a village, so most guests move around by car or golf cart, and a stay here tends to be centred on the house.
The architecture
The “Careyes style” mixes Mediterranean and Mexican influences: thick walls, deep terraces, palapa roofs, open living spaces and bold colour against the jungle. Accommodation ranges from compact casitas for two to large villas for groups, bungalows at Playa Rosa and a small number of iconic cliff-top estates. Many houses are largely open to the air on the ocean side, so ask how open a property is to the air and insects before booking, especially for families with small children.
Beaches in Costa Careyes
Playa Rosa is the social centre on the water, with the beach club, and the departure point for private boat trips along the coast. Playa Teopa, the largest beach, is home to the estate’s sea turtle sanctuary, where the estate reports that more than 2,000 turtles nest each year; hatchling releases are organised and are best from October to March. Playa Careyitos is a smaller cove. As everywhere on this coast, conditions change with the swell, so ask before swimming and follow local advice.
What to do in Careyes
- Polo and riding. The Careyes Polo Club is the base for horseback riding; rides are best early in the morning or late in the afternoon, out of the midday sun.
- Boat trips along the coast from Playa Rosa, by private charter.
- The plaza. The Plaza de los Caballeros del Sol gathers shops, a restaurant, the Careyes Foundation, an art gallery and a small cinema.
- Art and culture. The ArteCareyes Film and Arts Festival is held each spring.
- Wellness, from yoga to in-villa treatments arranged through the estate or your house staff.
Practicalities
Careyes has limited dining outside the houses and a few restaurants, so most villa guests rely on their own chef for many meals; see fully staffed villas in Mexico. The estate lists a medical clinic among its community projects, but serious care means a transfer, so travelers with medical needs should plan accordingly. Mobile coverage and internet vary by house; confirm them if you need to work.
Costa Careyes rewards those who want colour, privacy and nature in equal measure, and who are happy to let the house be the centre of the trip. For arrivals, read getting to Costalegre; to compare Careyes with Las Rosadas and Tamarindo, see where to stay in Costalegre.
