Mexico & the Caribbean

Where to Go

• Los Cabos: desert meets the Sea of Cortez at the tip of Baja California, with dramatic coast and whales in winter.
• Punta Mita: a peninsula north of Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific, with surf, golf and the Marietas Islands.
• The Riviera Maya: Caribbean beaches, cenotes and the Maya sites of Tulum, Cobá and Chichén Itzá.
• St Barths: a small French island of beaches, harbor restaurants and villas.
• Antigua: many beaches, English Harbour's sailing history and private Jumby Bay offshore.
• Virgin Gorda: The Baths, calm bays and the sailing waters of the British Virgin Islands.

What to Do

In Los Cabos and Punta Mita, go whale watching from about December to March and take a boat to Land's End or the Marietas Islands. On the Riviera Maya, swim in cenotes, visit the Maya sites with a guide, and snorkel the Mesoamerican reef, with whale sharks off Isla Mujeres and Holbox from about June to September. In the islands, spend days on the water, from a beach lunch by boat in St Barths to a crewed sail through the BVI.

Best Time to Go

December to April is dry, sunny and the busiest time, with Christmas and spring break the peak weeks. The hurricane season runs from June to November, with the highest risk from August to October, and some island hotels close for part of the autumn. On the Riviera Maya, sargassum seaweed can affect beaches, mostly in spring and summer.

Getting Around and How Long to Stay

Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Cancún and Antigua all have direct flights from much of the US. St Barths is reached by small plane or ferry from St Maarten, and Virgin Gorda by boat from Beef Island on Tortola. We suggest five to seven nights in one place, or a week split between two islands.

Where to Stay

Los Cabos: Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort is calm and design-led, and One&Only Palmilla is a classic resort with a swimmable beach.

Punta Mita: Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita is our first choice for families.

Riviera Maya: Rosewood Mayakoba sits among lagoons and mangroves near Playa del Carmen.

The islands: Eden Rock – St Barths is on St Jean Bay, Jumby Bay Island is a private island off Antigua, and Rosewood Little Dix Bay is on Virgin Gorda.

Aruba and Bermuda: The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba is on Palm Beach, outside the main hurricane belt, and Rosewood Bermuda looks over Castle Harbour, a short flight from the East Coast.

Pairing

Los Cabos pairs with gray whale watching in the lagoons on Baja's Pacific coast from about January to March. The Riviera Maya pairs well with a few days in Mexico City, and the islands pair with a few nights on a crewed yacht.