--- description: Find out why Riviera Nayarit, Mexico is on TIME's list of the world's greatest places of 2022. title: Riviera Nayarit, Mexico: World's Greatest Places 2022 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0e09675be211b76c/698a338422fb85f7f0e2da61/Worlds-Greatest-Places-2022-RivieraNayaritMexico.jpeg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- Jul 12, 2022 # Riviera Nayarit, Mexico Hidden gem by Rosalind Cummings-Yeates  The Islas Marias prison colony in Islas Marías, Mexico. The Islas Marias prison colony in Islas Marías, Mexico.Eduardo Verdugo—AP With almost 200 miles of pristine coastline fringed by the emerald forests of the Sierra Madre and the Pacific Ocean, Riviera Nayarit offers the coast’s most unspoiled tropical beauty. A host of luxury hotels (upcoming and recently opened) are enticing travelers to experience this under-the-radar region. [Susurros del Corazón](https://aubergeresorts.com/susurros/ "undefined"), a seaside stunner from Auberge Resorts Collection, is scheduled to open in Punta de Mita in November, with 26 guest rooms and 36 indoor-­outdoor terraced suites, decorated with Mexican furnishings and textiles from local artisans. Also later this year, the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita is expanding its footprint with the opening of [Naviva](https://www.fourseasons.com/naviva/ "undefined"), an all­-inclusive adults-only enclave with 15 luxury tents with private plunge pools. Recently acquired by World of Hyatt, the all-­inclusive newly opened adults-only [Secrets Bahia Mita](https://www.amrcollection.com/en/resorts-hotels/secrets/mexico/bahia-mita-surf-spa-resort/?utm%5Fsource=gmb&utm%5Fmedium=Yext "undefined") and family-­friendly [Dreams Bahia Mita](https://www.amrcollection.com/en/resorts-hotels/dreams/mexico/bahia-mita-surf-spa-resort/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwzLCVBhD3ARIsAPKYTcQ69MdsN64q5J527cuhfUdCFTSSJtUYgGr63gk3-IlTCIcXp5Yg4VYaAnC%5FEALw%5FwcB "undefined") share the same beachfront Sordo Madaleno–­designed property facing the Bay of Banderas, which includes a swim-up bar and a water park. Besides the 23 beach towns to explore in the area, the most anticipated attraction is Islas Marías Biosphere Reserve, four islands off the coast of Nayarit that once housed a prison, which have been transformed into a [UNESCO protected area](https://en.unesco.org/biosphere/lac/islas-marias "undefined") set to open this summer. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://time.com/collections/worlds-greatest-places-2022/6194556/riviera-nayarit-mexico/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/collections/worlds-greatest-places-2022/6194556/riviera-nayarit-mexico/"},"headline":"Riviera Nayarit, Mexico","datePublished":"2022-07-12T11:06:19.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-03T00:04:23.836Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/collections/worlds-greatest-places-2022/6194556/riviera-nayarit-mexico/","keywords":["franchise","Magazine","World's Greatest Places"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0e09675be211b76c/698a338422fb85f7f0e2da61/Worlds-Greatest-Places-2022-RivieraNayaritMexico.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rosalind Cummings-Yeates","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/rosalnd-cummings-yeates/"}],"creator":"Rosalind Cummings-Yeates","articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0e09675be211b76c/698a338422fb85f7f0e2da61/Worlds-Greatest-Places-2022-RivieraNayaritMexico.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/collections/worlds-greatest-places-2022/6194556/riviera-nayarit-mexico/","name":"Riviera Nayarit, Mexico"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"The World's Greatest Places of 2022","description":"50 extraordinary destinations to explore","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/by8VqGWH/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2022-07-11T22:04:53.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/by8VqGWH.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/collections/worlds-greatest-places-2022/6194556/riviera-nayarit-mexico/","duration":"PT1M47S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/collections/worlds-greatest-places-2022/6194556/riviera-nayarit-mexico/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```