A LUXURY TRIP TO JALISCO & THE PACIFIC COAST
Stretching from the central highlands to the sleepy fishing villages and beaches of the Pacific Coast, Jalisco is Mexico in microcosm.
This is the birthplace of mariachi, tequila and charro culture – bold, brash, and unmistakably Mexican. The capital, Guadalajara, is its cultural heart and one of Mexico’s great food cities; a short drive away, the agave fields of Tequila roll out in dusty blue rows.
Beyond the highlands, the land falls away to the ocean. Much of the Pacific Coast still feels like a secret, of sorts: rainforest, cliffs, palm-backed coves, and long, deserted beaches, where fishing villages sit alongside glamorous cliffside villas.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN JALISCO
Start in Guadalajara, where baroque cathedrals and colonial theatres sit alongside brutalist galleries and contemporary design.
Just beyond are the UNESCO-listed agave fields of Tequila, dotted with haciendas and family distilleries. This is the birthplace of Mexico’s most famous spirit, and private tastings and behind-the-scenes visits reveal a craft that has changed little in centuries.
Puerto Vallarta is the gateway to the coast, with a lively old town that opens onto the sea; nearby lies the boho-chic surf town of Sayulita, frayed around the edges and all the better for it.
South of Vallarta, there’s Costalegre, the ‘happy coast’: nearly 200 miles of rainforest, cliffs and palm-backed coves, where fishing villages share the shoreline with some of Mexico’s chicest coastal retreats. Whale and dolphin encounters, sculpture walks along empty sands, and boat trips to deserted coves are just the start.
ELSEWHERE IN MEXICO
Most trips to Mexico will begin in the capital, but where next?
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Conde Nast Traveler Specialists every year since 2017
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