Nayarit, the luxury of leaving space

By Mairena Suarez

Photos: Courtesy St. Regis, Four Seasons, Petr Myska & Pexels

There are places like Nayarit where you find yourself growing more impressed the longer you stay—its streets, its houses, its beaches. Almost without realising it, just by wandering and looking around, you begin to understand why so many people return.

It’s not only about the beaches, the surf, or the beautiful hotels that seem designed for a permanent state of holiday. It’s the precise balance of calm, colour and character that quietly stirs something inside you.

How do you experience a destination that blends jungle, craftsmanship and sea?

Along the coast, palm- and wood-built houses sit comfortably alongside boutique hotels that have mastered the art of using natural materials without turning them into clichés. Inland, the Sierra Madre Occidental, with its dense jungle, is a reminder that Mexico is more than beaches and margaritas. In between, towns like Sayulita and San Pancho bring a creative energy that blends surfers, artisans and local communities.

Wixárika craftsmanship appears when you least expect it: in a necklace, on a decorated surfboard, in a symbol painted on a wall. It’s an aesthetic that takes centre stage and, if you work in design as I do, forces you to pause and observe how colour alone can tell stories—without a single word.

And what about architecture? Is it just “bohemian chic”, or is there something more?

There is more. Much more. What makes Nayarit compelling is its understanding that identity lies in materials. Wood, palm, volcanic stone, handcrafted textiles—none of this is new, but it’s the way these elements are used that makes them work. Buildings open themselves to the landscape, shadows are created with what’s already there, and natural ventilation remains the most effective technology, far superior to air conditioning. It’s a reminder that you don’t need to fill a space with furniture or layers of texture for it to function; sometimes, letting in the light is enough.

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