A Wellness and Food Weekend in Punta Mita and Sayulita

Getting There & Hurricane Hurdles

Waking up to news that a Category 5 hurricane had developed overnight in the Pacific Ocean, days before my five-day journey to Riviera Nayarit on the western coast of Mexico, wasn’t ideal. But I’d visited the charming 200-mile stretch of Nuevo Nayarit – formerly known as Nuevo Vallarta- several times, and the opportunity to return to paradise was too good to pass up. Hurricane Polo be damned!

The late September trip began in Los Angeles. An economical ($160 round-trip – September 2026) three-hour nonstop flight to Tepic, Nayarit’s capital, had recently debuted on Volaris Airlines. On a prior trip, I experienced the quaint restaurants, pastel-colored buildings, museums, and cobblestone streets of Tepic, tucked in a mountainous valley. We’ve covered the things to do in Nayarit beyond the beaches separately.

So I wasn’t bothered when our group left Tepic behind and shuttled a few hours down the coast into a different time zone (Mountain to Pacific), to the luxurious beach towns of Nuevo Nayarit and Punta Mita, located some 30 minutes apart.

A Soulful Wellness Retreat In Punta Mita

The steamy 120-hour trip to Mexico’s west coast was packed with memorable experiences. The highlight was a full day of wellness activities at Armony Marival Resort & Spa in Punta Mita. I had sweated my way through four days of 90-degree temperatures with 80% humidity thanks to Hurricane Polo’s presence along the coast, so an ice-bucket challenge sounded refreshing.

Ice Bath Challenge

Until I realized I’d be sitting in a bathtub full of ice for three minutes. 

The breathing techniques our group of eight practiced before the challenge didn’t provide much comfort. Why was it necessary to practice breathing? Didn’t I already know how to breathe? But once people began climbing into 40-degree water with massive chunks of ice floating around, the deep inhales through the nose and exhales through the mouth made more sense. I’m not fond of swimming in the ocean unless the temperature is over 70 degrees, so I wondered how I’d survive three minutes in sub-40 degrees.

All but one of the seven men and women who preceded me lasted three minutes. One even soaked for five minutes with ease. A few seconds after jumping into the ice, I was ready to bail. But I tried a few deep breaths, then a few more, and suddenly, time started ticking away. I could no longer feel my feet, so our instructor Andre lifted them out of the tub. My feet remained numb, but my upper body felt strangely warm. Before I knew it, my newfound friends were cheering me on, counting down to three minutes. Triumphantly, I raised my fist and slowly lifted my stiff body out of the tub.

Andres Figueroa, entertainment director on the activities team at Armony Marival Resort & Spa Punta Mita, gave me a fist bump and explained the purpose of the ice bucket exercise.

“Diving into cold water relaxes the muscles and circulates blood into your system,” he said. “It also teaches you how relax your mind and how to deal with pressure situations. You’re in cold water and your body wants to get out of the water, I showed you how to breathe in and out, that’s part of the therapy.”

Figueroa said the beauty of the challenge is its relatability to situations encountered in everyday life.

“There are situations that you can’t change even if you get mad, like getting stuck in traffic while trying to get to work,” he said. “But if you get oxygen to your brain, everything changes. Even when you take a cold shower, you’re shocked. The first 10-15 seconds in every situation is the hardest; fear kicks in. But you learn to overcome it.”

Disclaimer: Cold plunging isn’t for everyone. If you have heart or circulation issues, check with your doctor first.

Watsu Therapy

We stayed with the hydrotherapy theme, moving onto a form of aquatic bodywork called Watsu Therapy. A practitioner gently cradles, moves, stretches, and massages a receiver in chest-deep warm water. Shades were placed over my eyes, and a floaty stick was positioned under my legs.

As I lay on my back, my therapist, Wendy, cradled my head. Instantly, I was whipped around, guided through a series of rhythmic rocking, bending, and flowing stretches. After a quiet command to take a deep breath, I plunged underwater for 7 to 10 seconds. Normally, I’d panic after being held underwater that long, but I’ve never felt so relaxed.

Victor Garcia, a water therapist for 12 years, said there are physical benefits to Watsu: water buoyancy removing gravity’s pull, letting joints decompress, and muscles unwind. But the emotional benefits are more abundant. 

“The water therapy helps you to arrive at a deep meditative state, working a lot on the spiritual,” he said. “Everyone says you feel like you’re back in the womb with your mom. The water, the movements, the silence.”

Massage & Post-Wellness Dinner

After a soothing session of underwater sound healing, we wrapped up wellness day with margaritas, cervezas, gin-infused coconut water, and tacos by the hot tub. I wasn’t ready for the day of relaxation and healing to end, so I booked a Swedish massage at the Armony Spa. The massage was so relaxing, I kept drifting off to sleep during the 50-minute treatment that touched every achy muscle in my body.

That night we were treated to the most sumptuous dinner of the trip. A five-course meal at the resort’s signature cuisine, Divum, that featured mouthwatering appetizers: ahi tuna tostada and cream of pumpkin soup, followed by braised boneless beef short rib and a flaming dark chocolate dome for dessert.

All-inclusive rates at Armony Marival Resort & Spa start at $460 per night for two adults (September 2026). Access, the Marival loyalty program, offers guests discounts for rooms and restaurants at Armony properties and restaurants, shops, and activities in Puerto Vallarta.

My fourth-floor Serenity Studio offered a stunning ocean view, two double beds, snacks galore, a mini bar full of beer and soda, a yoga mat, and an umbrella, used twice during violent hurricane-related storms.

A Perfect Foodie Day In Sayulita

This was my fourth escape to Nayarit’s surf capital, Sayulita. But this was my first food tour in the funky beach town that’s become a haven for expats, surfers, and yogis. Vallarta Food Tours kept us hydrated and well-nourished with margaritas and mouth-watering birria (stewed beef) tacos from El Costeno, an iconic seaside taqueria, and al pastor tacos from Tal Ivan’s taco counter. The topper was the too-die-for deep-fried fish taco from Tacos Gaby, a 20-year street taco Sayulita gem.

Adventures In Nuevo Nayarit

Our first full day in Nuevo Nayarit was spent sailing the high seas on a luxurious yacht with Vallarta Adventures. The threat of Hurricane Polo closed Marietas Island, which features an open-air crater beach tucked inside an island cave. But our captain navigated to our own private beach, where we spent a few hours paddleboarding, snorkeling, swimming, and lying on rafts in the mid-80-degree Pacific.

That night we dined in the exclusive Champagne Room at Marival Emotions Resort & Suites, another Marival property where rooms start at $372 a night (September 2026). The entire meal, served with champagne, was divine, but the highlight was the steak tartare tostada with egg and lettuce.

I’m not sure why I’ve had an entire two-bedroom suite with a washer-dryer and a kitchen to myself, but that’s what most guests enjoy at Marival Distinct All Suites and World Spa resort in Nuevo Nayarit. Resort officials said the property was intended to be built as a condominium complex. Halfway through construction, the developer transitioned to a hotel. No one in our group was complaining about the last-minute decision. My only regret is failing to do a load of laundry in my hotel room because I was out of clean clothes by my last day. All-inclusive rates start at $453 at Marival Distinct (September 2026).

Where to Stay in Nuevo Nayarit

Hotels on This Trip

All three are Marival properties, and they hosted this trip — see the disclosure below. Rates are what they were at the time of writing in September 2026.

Armony Marival Resort & Spa, Punta Mita — adults-focused, spa-led, the base for the wellness day. All-inclusive from $ 460/night. I stayed here two nights.
Marival Emotions Resort & Suites, Nuevo Nayarit — family-friendly, the Champagne Room dinner. From $372. I visited the property and had dinner here, but didn’t spend the night.
Marival Distinct All Suites, Nuevo Nayarit — two-bedroom suites with kitchens and laundry; the pick for families or longer stays. From $453. I stayed here two nights.

Looking for something else on this coast? Compare rates across Punta Mita, Nuevo Nayarit and Sayulita:

This trip was a hosted press trip by the Nayarit Tourism Board. All opinions are the writer’s own, and no one reviewed this article before publication.

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Last Updated on October 2, 2026 by Maria Haase