When staying at one of our recommended resorts in and around Punta Mita, you have infinity pools, a sandy beach and maybe a plunge pool on your private deck all at your fingertips — not to mention an ocean-view bar. It can require great willpower to pry yourself away and explore, but I recommend doing just that. Punta Mita offers an array of compelling activities unique to this stretch of Mexico’s Pacific coastline. Here are a few of my favorite things to do in and around the exclusive peninsula.

Whale Watching

More than 500 humpback whales visit Banderas Bay every year from December to March. They use the protected waters to give birth, find a mate or raise their young. (The sight of a humpback calf resting on its mother as she glides through the water is utterly adorable.) From the restaurant, beach and even our room at Four Seasons’ Naviva, we watched whales breaching, blowing mist and swatting the water with their tails. To observe these magnificent creatures up close, it’s better to book a boating excursion. If you’re lucky, you’ll see playful dolphins swimming along, feeding on prey that the whales have churned up. While we were there, the resort hosted Becca Nutsch, an ocean conservationist from Hawaii, who led guests on a two-day whale-watching boat tour that featured yoga, breakfast, a meet-and-greet and snorkeling — all included in the stay. If the timing of your visit doesn’t coincide with a Naviva-hosted experience, or if you’re staying at another property, the Travel Office can easily arrange memorable maritime excursions with other certified guides.

Day Trip to Islas Marietas

Like too many other beautiful places in the world that have been Instagrammed to death, Islas Marietas National Park was in danger of destruction. Named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2008, the small archipelago and its otherworldly Playa Escondida, or “Hidden Beach,” now strictly limits access to just over 100 guests per day. Tours typically include circumnavigating the islands’ cliffs, which are indented with caves; snorkeling; and swimming through a rocky tunnel at low tide to reach the beach, set at the bottom of an extraordinary crater fringed with agave. When booking an Islas Marietas excursion, be sure that permits to Hidden Beach are included. Read more about our trip here.

Mexican Wine Tasting

Mexico is best known for its tequila and mezcal, but its wines are also earning international attention. The country’s dominant viticultural region is Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California. Just 85 miles south of San Diego, the valley is home to more than 120 wineries. Our complimentary wine tasting at Naviva included four wines from the area: Bruma Plan B’s floral Sauvignon Blanc; the crisp Lechuza SS Chardonnay, aged only in stainless steel; Mina Penélope “Simbiosis” Pet-Nat, a bright sparkling rosé; and Adobe Guadalupe “Jardín de Tru,” an easy-drinking red blend. Another red blend, made by Parvada, represented the underrated Parras Valley, the oldest wine-producing region in the Americas, which looks to be an interesting destination in its own right. But our favorite was an intense Cabernet-based blend from Bodegas Santo Tomás, Baja California’s first commercial winery, founded in 1888.

Raicilla Tasting

A lesser-known spirit that you may see on cocktail menus in Punta Mita is raicilla, a cousin of mezcal. Made exclusively in Jalisco, it was officially recognized with a Denominación de Origen status in 2019. Like tequila and mezcal, it’s made from the heart of the agave plant — the piña — but unlike those spirits, it’s typically distilled only once rather than twice. On our previous visit to the area, we regularly spotted (and sampled) two raicillas on hotel bar menus: Hacienda el Divisadero, from near the coast, and Duque Luciano, from the mountains. The two areas use different agave plants and different techniques, resulting in distinct flavor profiles. Naviva’s self-serve demijohn of proprietary raicilla reintroduced us to the spirit’s floral complexity. I wish we’d had time to join the resort’s “Road to Raicilla” excursions, which offer private tastings along two routes: “De La Costa: The Coastal Road,” crossing Banderas Bay into Cabo Corrientes, and “De La Sierra: The Mountain Road,” which leads to the village of San Sebastián del Oeste — one of Mexico’s 177 Pueblos Mágicos.