About the most important tourist area in the Riviera Nayarit is Banderas Bay, the largest natural bay in Mexico with 42 miles of coastline extending north from Puerto Vallarta, along the Vidanta Grand Luxxe resort.

Enjoying Banderas Bay is one of the top things to do in the Riviera Nayarit. The beach has a gentle slope and great sand for walking. Young kids wade and swim in the shallow water. You can enjoy boogie-boarding, body-surfing, or surfing as well as the many water activities available at the resort.

Stay at a Luxury Resort

You’ve worked hard all year and deserve a vacation that’s as special as you and your family are. The huge sweep of Banderas Bay is lined with resorts. The Vidanta Grand Luxxe in Nuevo Vallarta welcomes singles, couples and families. There are various accommodations from 1 to 4 bedrooms and have golf, tennis, spa facilities and more including two Kids clubs. This resort has freeform pools and a small shallow pool for kids as well as wave pools and a lazy river. Several restaurants offer a wide variety to foods to choose from. The Santuario is a relaxing area that becomes a nightclub in the evening with various shows.

Visit www.GrandLuxxe-Vacation.com to see pictures of the accommodations and the resort. Book through HOUFY.com and save the booking fees of other sites.

See Baby Sea Turtles

Banderas Bay is home to several nesting areas for sea turtles. Four protected species next along the coast of Nayarit, including leatherback turtles and Olive Ridley turtles, whose nesting season continues from June to November.

Hatchlings often take place right outside the resort. Take a walk along the beach to the fenced area with information about marine turtles, and a sign that says "El Campamento Turtuguero de Nuevo Vallarta" (Nuervo Vallarta Sea Turtle Preserve.). Resort guests are invited to release baby turtles from here in the evenings.

Visit Puerto Vallarta

A taxi ride away from the resort is the busy tourist town of Puerto Vallarta. When staying at the resort, you can take a taxi into town and stroll along the Malecon, a seaside walkway which features a number of contemporary sculptures, shopping, and restaurants.

Whale Watching

The Riviera Nayarit is a great place to see sea mammals. Kayakers in Banderas Bay often see dolphins, and from November to April visitors can also take whale-watching tours. Each year hundreds of humpback whales visit Banderas Bay as part of their migration between Alaska and Hawaii.

There are a number of whale-watching trips to choose from so pick the one that's right for you. Do you want a large boat full of people and perhaps music? Do you want to snorkel or kayak as part of your day’s outing? Vallarta Adventures has discounted excursions available at the resort for whale-watching in the Bandaras Bay.

Canopy Tours and Ziplines

Not only does the Riviera Nayarit have beautiful beaches but also mountains that offer a fine opportunity for day-trips. The term "canopy tours" refers to adventures that take visitors high up to the treetop level in the rainforest, where they can take a thrilling ride along a zipline. Vallarta Adventures offers a tour to a Canopy Adventure Park 45 miles northeast of Puerto Vallarta. This company has a convenient location inside the Vidanta Grand Luxxe resort.

Take a Road Trip in the Riviera Nayarit

Many visitors rent a car in Mexico, and head out on the highway and explore on their own. The roads are in good condition in the Riviera Nayarit. Heading north from Banderas Bay, the beach town of Sayulita is less than 25 miles from Nuevo Vallarta and makes an easy day trip.

Visit the Beach Town of Sayulita

About 25 miles north of Puerta Vallarta is the little beach town of Sayulita, known as one of Mexico’s best surfing spots. You can wander the small streets, have a meal at one of the beachside restaurants, or perhaps try a surfing lesson. Shopping opportunities are plentiful as well, but despite its laid-back appearance Sayulita has the higher prices of a tourist town.

Learn About Huichol Art

A visit to the Riviera Nayarit also is an opportunity to learn about the Huichol people, native people who've lived in remote mountainous terrain for centuries. Visitors will see Huichol jewelry and crafts for sale in the town squares of Sayulitas and Puerto Vallarta, and resort gift shops and other tourist shops may feature Huichol art and jewelry as well. Shops on the beach at the Vidanta Grand Luxxe have many handmade Mexican items for sale. These are approved vendors known for the best prices. Be sure to ‘haggle’, they expect it.

The Huichols are especially known for their "yarn painting" which is a process of pressing colorful yarn into a surface that's covered with beeswax and resin. More recently, beaded art has made an appearance with beads being pressed into beeswax to decorate a mask or animal figurine.