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In the Costalegre region of Jalisco, along a wild stretch of the Pacific Coast, lies Careyes, a community with a nine-mile beach studded with rocky islets and sea caves often described as the Mediterranean of Mexico. First founded in the 1960s by the Italian banker and creative visionary Gian Franco Brignone—who bought 25,000 acres of land after flying a helicopter over the region and discovering the landscape of this tropical paradise reminded him of the Amalfi Coast in Italy—this private design enclave quickly turned into a luxury development rife with villas and cliff-top castles with all-star appeal for the international jet set. Throughout the years, it has attracted the likes of Cindy Crawford, Mick Jagger, Uma Thurman, and even a wealth of European royalty, heirs, and heiresses.
Now, over 50 years since its inception, Careyes is still a destination beloved by the stars, but it has since evolved to attract a more robust profile of travelers. Something like an exclusive artists’ colony (akin to the allure of Ibiza, Spain, or Trancoso, Brazil), Careyes attracts an aristocratic European creative community to its luxurious homes and tropical shores—especially because it’s a place they can kick back, ditch their fashion labels, and go unnoticed as they drive around in rusty Jeeps down dirt roads. But Careyes is also increasingly drawing in a younger generation of creatives who are spiritually inclined, as well as a burgeoning class of artists who draw inspiration from the area’s enigmatic charm.
Accessible by less than a three-hour drive south of Puerto Vallarta or a 90-minute car ride from the smaller airport in the town of Manzanillo, the community offers plenty of reasons to enjoy an extended stay. Travelers can make their base at one of the area’s 65 colorful villas, some with infinity pools along cliffs overlooking the sea, or one of its more expansive homes, a few of which were designed by top Mexican architects such as Luis Barragán and Diego Villaseñor. When it’s time to enjoy the area’s spoils, there are sophisticated sushi bars and myriad outdoor activities for the taking, from boating to sea caves and white-sand beaches to sound healing ceremonies set in an otherworldly cliff-side art installation.
Here, the Vogue guide to Careyes.
Where to Stay
Careyes is known for its stunning, design-forward villas and cliff-side castles like that of the royal blue-hued Tigre del Mar, a seven-bedroom property replete with an oversized dining palapa and outdoor pool that look to the ocean, as well as two pools, one with a portal-style art installation that leads to the home’s private beach and subterranean grotto. Overlooking located over Careyitos Beach is another castle, Sol de Oriente, a bright yellow, fairytale-style structure replete with six expansive suites spread between the main house, two private bungalows, and a tower, as well as an infinity pool that overlooks the ocean.
For travelers who prefer the finer things with a dash of Surrealism—like a pool adorned with a gold serpent inspired by a vintage Bulgari bracelet from the 1960s —there’s Casa La Huerta, a six-bedroom minimalist mansion with monochromatic suites and an authentic Mongolian yurt. Other nearby villas include Casa Selva, Casa Parasol, and Casa Azul. Amidst the area’s 65 colorful villas, known as Casitas de Las Flores, are homes like Casita Carioca, a four-bedroom home with sweeping sea views that sleeps up to 10 guests.
For solo travelers, friends, or couples who aren’t looking for an entire home during a visit, options include booking a suite at El Careyes Club and Residences or staying at the newly-renovated beach bungalows on Playa Rosa. Replete with ocean views and direct access to Playa Rosa Beach Club, a pale orange, two-bedroom bungalow or a Mexican pink-shaded one-bedroom bungalow offer just enough space to spread out while also being intimate and cozy.
Where to Eat
Playa Rosa Beach Club is the unanimous breakfast destination in Careyes; guests and locals alike usually trickle into the restaurant after yoga class. The beachfront, palapa-style dining area directly faces the Bay of Careyes and offers an ideal locale to enjoy fresh, Mediterranean-style fare with a view of boats bobbing before rocky islands and islets. Nearby at the El Careyes Club and Residences is La Duna, a poolside eatery perfect for an afternoon meal of hibiscus juice, fresh guacamole, and vegan-friendly jackfruit tacos. Also at the El Careyes Club and Residences is Shio Sushi, perhaps one of the area’s most in-demand new eateries for an intimate dinner. This omakase-style restaurant offers freshly-caught nigiri sushi and more hearty dishes like donburi rice bowls topped with uni and salmon caviar.
In the inland downtown of Careyes, there are even more restaurants to explore, from the vegetarian-forward restaurant La Coscolina, where fresh-pressed juices and paninis are on the ready, to Pueblo25, a classic, organic-forward eatery offering dishes like margherita pizza and mushroom risotto. If a relaxed locale to enjoy sunset views is of the utmost importance, then a reservation at Casa de Nada should be your go-to. This sand-floor bar and restaurant offers a rustic, casual space to enjoy tapas and cocktails amidst picnic-style wooden tables.
What to Do
Visitors to Careyes can take advantage of the area’s many aquatic adventure activities directly from the Bay of Careyes, from paddle boarding and kayaking to snorkeling and diving. For more far-flung adventures, travelers can also opt to book a private boat day with a local fisherman. Stops include navigating to white-sand beaches and through the area’s many sea caves, formations that give Careyes its reputation as the Mediterranean of Mexico.
For land-based explorations, guests can partake in sunset horseback riding excursions on Teopa Beach, mountain biking and hiking day trips, and also polo lessons at one of two regulation-size Bermuda grass polo fields where over 60 playing horses reside amidst the stables. There’s also a top-notch yoga program, which features multi-week residencies by some of the top practitioners from around the world. Drop-ins are welcome at the site’s jungle-side yoga platform. Guests can also book a ceremony with the spiritual guide Daniel Pardo, who leads sound healing ceremonies in the area’s famed La Copa del Sol. The structure—a concrete bowl that rises 35 feet in the air and extends over 88 feet wide—looms over Teopa Beach and offers an unmatched acoustic and visual experience.
