Northern Shore
The majority of our listed properties, and our main focus and expertise, is the region between La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and Punta de Mita, often referred to as the “Northern Shore” (Costa Norte), as the properties lay along the northern shore of Banderas Bay. The area includes a selection of new developments, as well as a few established communities, along stretches of spectacular sandy beaches and hidden coves. While some areas offer beachfront, others provide oceanfront or ocean-view, with numerous options for a luxurious laid-back lifestyle. This coast has evolved as a purely residential area, with the only towns found on the point of Punta de Mita, where El Corral del Risco (also known as El Anclote) and Emiliano Zapata are located. These towns neighbor the famed resort and residential community of Punta Mita, which lies at the northern most point of the Banderas Bay.
Punta Mita
Punta Mita is the acclaimed 1,500-acre beachfront privately gated enclave residential resort community located just 45 minutes to the northwest of the International airport and the Pacific Coast Mexican Town of Puerto Vallarta. Punta Mita has become Mexico’s most recognized high-end luxury destination for affluent second-home buyers from around the World. A spearheaded peninsula with over nine miles of Pacific Coast shoreline, Punta Mita is surrounded on three sides by gorgeous white-sand beaches and dramatic coves thanks to the Banderas Bay (Mexico’s largest natural bay), the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Litibú Bay to the north. Residential options at Punta Mita range from luxury condominiums and villas to exclusive private homes and estate properties, with prices starting from USD$600,000.00 to above USD$20,000,000.00. Average prices for Punta Mita’s oceanfront homes are approximately 30 to 35% less than similar luxury homes in high-end master planned communities in Hawaii, Los Cabos, the Bahamas and Costa Rica. Note: “Punta Mita” refers to the privately gated residential community of this name, whereby “Punta de Mita” refers to the adjacent town and area. Riviera Partners Realty holds the vast majority of the currently listed properties offered for sale within the Punta Mita privately gated enclave residential community.
Costa Banderas
Located along the Northern Bay of Banderas corridor between La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and Punta Mita, Costa Banderas is a purely residential area, becoming known for the high-end homes and communities along its exquisite coastline. This is likely the most rapidly growing area for luxury real estate communities in Mexico (including Punta Mita), with several currently in the initial planning stages.
Residential Communities located within the Northern Shore region:
Punta Mita
El Banco
Paradise Coves
Pontoquito
El Farallón
Los Veneros
Real del Mar
Riviera Nayarit Norte
This area is found just beyond the northern edge of Banderas Bay. It is accessible either by traveling north from Puerto Vallarta along the main highway (Carr. 200 Norte), or from Punta de Mita, via a newly developed ‘back road’ along the coast connecting Punta de Mita to Sayulita.
Litibú
Along this ‘back road’ lies the new oceanfront FONATUR development of Litibú, with an 18-hole Greg Norman golf course and several residential real estate opportunities coming on line shortly. Just beyond this mega resort community in the making are a few small but interesting communities under development, all located along the coastline as you travel north from Punta de Mita to Sayulita.
Sayulita
Whereas the Punta Mita area is home to high-end, luxury real estate, Sayulita is decidedly more bohemian in feel, with a mix of mid-upper range real estate offerings, and some newly developed higher end properties. Punta Sayulita is a gated residential community offering high-end luxury properties and community living with exclusive amenities and beaches for it’s residents. It is, at heart, a surf destination that is fast evolving into a more stylish yet traditional Mexican beach town. An easygoing attitude still seems to permeate the air here, despite the niceties popping up all over among the inexpensive Mexican food stands, and handmade, hippie-style- shops and some delicious restaurants too. It’s quickly becoming gentrified with new cafes, sleek boutiques, aromatherapy-infused spas, and nightlife spicy enough for even the most jaded of partiers. In recent years, visitors and locals who find that the Puerto Vallarta area has become too “cosmopolitan” have started to flock here, in search of the simple charms of beach life. The major travel press noticed this trend, and popularized this place to a tipping point in 2007. At Sayulita, the road cuts back in and connects with the Hwy. 200.
San Francisco (San Pancho)
Further north along the coast is San Francisco (San Pancho), where not only do you find gourmet dining but also beaches, boutique hotels, and the region’s own Polo field, at the La Patrona Polo Club (lapatronapoloclub.com/
La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
Following the curved coastline of Banderas Bay to the northwest, you’ll find La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, site of a new world class mega-marina project that has recently been completed. Despite residential developments emerging along its borders, La Cruz itself remains a charming seaside town with mucho local color. Where the town of La Cruz is predominately single-family homes, look for condos and townhomes in the surrounding developments, such as Vallarta Gardens, La Joya Huanacaxtle, and the hillside community of Alamar. Marina Riviera Nayarit offers over 350 boat slips ranging in size from 31’ to 400’, as well as fuel services and dry dockage. A Yacht Club with Skybar and an agenda of social activities is open to all in the area, as well as a deli store and fish market. This facility will no doubt transform La Cruz from the quiet and casual anchorage it was known as, to a true beacon for boating enthusiasts.
Bucerias
Bucerias is located 30km (19 miles) north of the airport at the juncture where the Bay of Banderas curves to the west is Bucerias, a small beachside village of cobblestone streets, homes and small hotels. It has evolved as a popular second home for the foreign community, primarily offering single-family homes rather than developed communities. Its beach is known as the most popular in the area for windsurfing, kite-surfing and sailing, due to the constant trade winds from January until mid-late June. A town plaza and quaint shops lining the street give Bucerias a traditional feel. Across the highway to the east development is growing, with several planned communities and more modern shopping centers among the mix.
Nuevo Vallarta
Nuevo Vallarta, or, “new Vallarta” began development as a planned resort, and an extension to the north of the Puerto Vallarta tourism zone. It was initially comprised of a collection of mid-rise hotels located along a spectacular stretch of sandy beach, which is bordered by a series of canals on the inland side. A marina and the El Tigre golf course followed soon after—both components of the expansive Paradise Village complex—together with a collection of residential offerings and the Paradise Plaza shopping mall. Today, this area offers one of the largest concentrations of beach front condominium communities and hotels. The result is a comprehensive, contained community, which, located about 15 minutes north of the International Airport, makes for a convenient and attractive alternative to Puerto Vallarta for vacationers and resort homeowners. Nuevo Vallarta is also home to the sprawling Vidanta hotel/time share complex and golf course, as well as to the acclaimed tour and sport company, Vallarta Adventures.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta, with its traditional Mexican architecture and gold-sand beaches bordered by jungle-covered mountains, is the second-most-visited resort in Mexico (trailing only Cancún). Situated halfway down Mexico ’s Pacific coast, Puerto Vallarta is located at the foot of the Sierra Madre mountains. Overlooking the Bahia de Banderas, it is on the same latitude as Hawaii. The original town center of Vallarta maintains a small-town charm despite boasting sophisticated hotels, great restaurants, a thriving arts community, active nightlife, and a growing variety of ecotourism attractions in its surrounding areas. Where it has often been called a “sleepy little fishing village”, Vallarta has grown into a sophisticated city with all of the attractions and booming development that comes with this growth. Vallarta offers one of the largest airports in Mexico with an increasing number of flights arriving from major cities in the U.S., Canada, England, other European Countries and all major cities in Mexico.