First, I apologize for the delay in getting these posts to you – I promised one blog post a week, but in typical fashion, have gotten swamped at work in the pre-holiday bustle and neglected my duties. As I wistfully search flights on Google for my next holiday escape, I started thinking back to one of the most beautiful places I’ve been all year – Punta de Mita, Mexico.

This sun-baked paradise is nestled just next to Puerto Vallarta, on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. I have to warn you, this will mostly be a food and sunset pic post. This was the first time I’ve ever done the vacation where you just chill at your resort, as a destination in and of itself. I have to admit, although I ran out of reading material early on, I have no regrets.

We stayed at the W hotel (#spglife) and it was perfect for a resort vacation – we were upgraded to a villa, booked the entire trip on points, and the food on location is fabulous. The property also has a beach, and trips into town (where we stocked up on cheaper versions of the minibar essentials). Our first day, we essentially hung out and enjoyed the pool and the refreshing baja Mexican food.

These are two of the ceviches we tried – both were incredibly fresh, tangy, and had that great crunch I’ve begun to associate with Mexican cuisine.

Of course, we got acquainted with poolside snackables, including these amazing cochinita pibil tacos and classic fish tacos (and fries, cuz also #potatolife). We ended the evening with one of the sunsets that Punta de Mita is known for.

The following day, we opted to ride into the town, and were eager to wander among the shops and restaurants. The town is extremely small, but in a cozy and friendly way. The locals are friendly as well. We stopped at a convenience store to purchase tequila at a better price point (pro tip: always find the local market, the dustier the better – it’s the real deal, at the best prices). The kindly man at the cash register asked us when we had arrived, and I proudly, eagerly proclaimed in my I’ve-studied-for-this-moment-my-entire-education Spanish: “Tomorrow!” He raised an eyebrow and quietly rung up the tequila while I silently watched, my boyfriend laughing to himself. At dinner in town, we started with margaritas on the beach.

Then, it was on to the food.

We started the meal with enchiladas, and then had mole and fajitas as well. Overall, the food and setting sun were an excellent end to a lazy day two.

On day 3, our last full day in Mexico, we enjoyed the resort and decided to treat ourselves to a romantic, private dinner at the hotel. Although a little pricy, the promise of the meal was incredible – candlelit, overlooking the beach and the sunset, and with menus developed specifically to our interests. It didn’t disappoint – each course was amazing. The photos below are a small sampling – we tried everything from a light gazpacho style soup to prawns, to an incredibly festive Mexican chocolate cake.

It was also really fun being one-on-one with the hotel staff. We had the same waitress at the breakfast every morning and for our first dinner, as well as for the private dinner. She was incredibly kind, answering all of our questions about Mexican cuisine and sharing more of her personal story. She also recommended that next time we find ourselves in Punta de Mita, that we stop at the raccoon cafe – a local restaurant that literally has raccoons scurrying around, looking for handouts (my cat would be jealous). Honestly, I’d love to.

After dinner, we wandered to the bar, where we were treated to a tequila sampling. As with any drink that has since been appropriated and watered down by American college culture, tequila gets a bad wrap. We tried several varieties, light and dark, of varying ages and cask types. Some were smooth, others a little mouthy like bourbon. Overall, it completely changed my perception of tequila. Don Julio blanco is one of my new favorites as well. It was a great ending to a romantic weekend.

Overall, Punta de Mita was a great introduction to Mexico. Its a country of such varied culture, food, and history, that you could honestly travel for months and never experience it all. My boyfriend ended up going back to Mexico City for a bachelor party the following month, and ended up with an entirely different experience of haute cuisine and dressed up experiences, a far cry from our laid back weekend at the beach. While I wait for ticket prices to make the Atlantic coast accessible, I’ll be dreaming of these sunsets.