After a few days on Mexico's Costa Alegre, I became convinced that luxury is space--in every sense of the word. Generous rooms that calm the soul; beaches and golf courses virtually to yourself; the absence of noise except for the soft slap of sea against sand; and, perhaps best of all, time to leave behind mental clutter and relax into doing nothing.
Though Costa Alegre lies in Jalisco State, only a few hours south of Puerto Vallarta, it's light-years away in mood. One of the most beautiful stretches of the Mexican Pacific Coast, Costa Alegre is also one of the least developed. Resorts here are small and far apart. This beautiful isolation doesn't come cheap, of course, but prices may be less than you'd expect, especially if you visit off-season (from May to October). In those months, it's only slightly warmer and damper than the rest of the year and even more delightfully empty.
My first stop in Costa Alegre was El Careyes Beach Resort, a boutique hotel with 48 rooms and 3 casitas set around a secluded bay. The first thing you notice about El Careyes is a rush of color: walls of burnt orange, marine blue, and hot pink entertain the eye. Inside, you appreciate how much privacy is built into the design. No one's perch overlooks anyone else's--even in the less expensive rooms and lodgings.
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The hotel offers plenty of sports activities--snorkeling, mountain biking, yoga. There is also a full menu of spa options. But most guests seem to behave as I did, content just to move from one great lounging spot to the next, soaking up sun, sea, and views.
El Tamarindo Golf Resort is about 45 minutes farther south and is completely different in mood. There are only 29 thatch-roofed villas--and one world-class, 18-hole golf course--in the midst of 2,040 acres of subtropical rain forest. El Tamarindo offers all the same sports and spa options as El Careyes, plus other packages. You can hike with the resident biologist. Or take in the temezcal, a pre-Hispanic ritual involving a mud scrub and several sweatbox sessions in an adobe igloo. (It feels better than it sounds.) The complete ceremony takes more than two hours. But after a few days in Costa Alegre, I assure you, you'll no longer be watching the clock.
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You can reach Costa Alegre by car from the Mexican cities of Manzanillo or Puerto Vallarta. Manzanillo is closer: From there it's a 45-mile drive north to El Tamarindo, then another 45 minutes to El Careyes. Alaska and Mexicana provide flights to Manzanillo, and you can get to either of the two resorts listed below by taking a taxi, arranging transportation with your hotel, or renting a car. You have a longer drive from Puerto Vallarta--about 2 1/2 hours to El Careyes--but more airline options. From Puerto Vallarta, you can rent a car or catch a hotel shuttle (for a fee).
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Temperatures on Costa Alegre range from the high 70s to high 90s, with the highest temperatures in summer and early fall. May to September is the rainy season, which can raise the humidity to 80-85 percent.
Lodging
El Careyes Beach Resort.
From $289 U.S. www.elcareyesresort.com or 800/325-3589.
El Tamarindo Golf Resort.
Villas from $405 U.S. www.eltamarindoresort.com or 800/325-3589.
PHOTOGRAPH BY KERRICK JAMES
COPYRIGHT 2005 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group
