Nayarit tourism awards from the last few years tell a clear story: the Riviera Nayarit is no longer just “the coast north of Puerto Vallarta.” It now shows up on lists from Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler and the MICHELIN Guide, while the mountains, the Pueblos Mágicos (Mexico’s official “Magical Towns”) and Nayarit’s food scene keep winning traveler-voted awards at home. Below you’ll find every recognition from 2023 to 2026, newest first, with exactly what was honored and where it is.
We update this page every year as new editions come out (last reviewed October 2026). We only list awards we could confirm with the publication or body that grants them, or with reputable press. If you saw an award on social media that isn’t here, it’s because we couldn’t verify it.
Note: “best places to travel” lists are picked by each magazine’s editors, while the World’s Best Awards, Readers’ Choice and Lo Mejor de México are voted on by readers and travelers.
Nayarit tourism awards at a glance, 2023–2026
| Year | Award / publication | What was recognized |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Travel + Leisure, World’s Best Awards | Susurros del Corazón (Punta Mita): No. 2 resort in Mexico and No. 37 in the world |
| 2026 | Condé Nast Traveler, Triple Crown (first edition) | Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort (Punta Mita) |
| 2026 | Lo Mejor de México (México Desconocido) | Punta Mita: best luxury and wellness experience. Playa Escondida, Islas Marietas: once-in-a-lifetime experience |
| 2026 | MICHELIN Guide Mexico | Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita: Two Keys for a third straight year |
| 2026 (list released Nov 2025) | Travel + Leisure, 50 Best Places to Travel in 2026 | Riviera Nayarit |
| 2026 (list released Nov 2025) | Condé Nast Traveler, Best Places to Go in North America and the Caribbean in 2026 | Riviera Nayarit, the only Mexican beach destination on the list |
| 2025 | UN Tourism, 26th General Assembly (Riyadh) | FIPROTUR Nayarit: Supportive Partner Destination and a seat on the Board of Affiliate Members 2026–2029 |
| 2025 | Travel + Leisure, World’s Best Awards | Susurros del Corazón: No. 2 resort in Mexico |
| 2025 | Lo Mejor de México | Wixárika spirituality (community tourism), Lo de Marcos (beach to discover) and Nayarit (best state for road trips) |
| 2024 | MICHELIN Guide, first hotel selection in Mexico | One&Only Mandarina: Three Keys. Four Seasons Punta Mita and Susurros del Corazón: Two Keys |
| 2024 | Condé Nast Traveler, Best Places to Go in 2024 | Riviera Nayarit; Naviva among the best hotels in North America and the Caribbean |
| 2024 | Condé Nast Traveler, Readers’ Choice Awards | Naviva: No. 3 resort in Western Mexico |
| 2024 | Premio al Mérito Restaurantero (CANIRAC) | Chef of the Year nomination: Marco Valdivia (Emiliano, Tepic) |
| 2023 | LGBTQ+ Travel Awards Mexico | One&Only Mandarina (luxury hotel), Nukari Quinta Boutique in Jala (boutique hotel), Imanta in Punta de Mita (romance hotel) and a special award for Nayarit |
| 2023 | Lo Mejor de Nayarit (first edition) | 21 categories, from La Tovara and Mexcaltitán to Jala’s Corn Fair |
2026: Riviera Nayarit makes the big magazine lists
Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler pick the Riviera Nayarit
In November 2025, the two most influential U.S. travel magazines released their 2026 lists, and both included the Riviera Nayarit. Travel + Leisure named it one of its 50 Best Places to Travel in 2026, where Mexico appears only twice: Mexico City and the Riviera Nayarit, the only beach pick. The magazine pointed to better access, such as Volaris’ nonstop flight from Los Angeles to Tepic (running since July 2025), and the arrival of hotel brands like Four Seasons, Auberge and Rosewood.
Condé Nast Traveler followed with The Best Places to Go in North America and the Caribbean in 2026, again with just two places in Mexico and the Riviera Nayarit as the country’s only beach destination. To plan your time on the ground, start with our overview of the destinations of Nayarit.
Lo Mejor de México 2026: Punta Mita and the Marietas Islands
Lo Mejor de México (“The Best of Mexico”), run by México Desconocido magazine with open public voting, was awarded on April 29, 2026, at the Tianguis Turístico, Mexico’s main tourism trade show. Nayarit won two categories: Punta Mita for best luxury and wellness experience, and Playa Escondida (the Hidden Beach) in the Islas Marietas among the experiences to have at least once in your life. La Lancha beach was a finalist for best beach to discover, and the Wixárika Route for best tourist route.
Hotels: Susurros del Corazón, Naviva and Four Seasons Punta Mita
In Travel + Leisure’s reader-voted World’s Best Awards, Susurros del Corazón (Auberge Resorts Collection, Punta Mita) ranked as Mexico’s No. 2 resort in 2025 and again in 2026, when it also placed No. 37 in the world. In June 2026, Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, received Condé Nast Traveler’s first-ever Triple Crown, which honors hotels that appear on the Hot List, the Gold List and the Readers’ Choice Awards. And Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita kept its Two MICHELIN Keys in the 2026 selection, its third year in a row.
2025: UN Tourism and national awards
UN Tourism recognition
In November 2025, at the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Nayarit’s tourism promotion trust (FIPROTUR) received the Supportive Partner Destination distinction, given to members that actively support the organization’s initiatives. At the same assembly, the Secretary-General appointed FIPROTUR to the Board of Affiliate Members for 2026–2029.
Lo Mejor de México 2025
With voting from March 11 to April 20, 2025, and the ceremony at the Tianguis Turístico, Nayarit won three categories: best community tourism experience, for the spirituality of the Wixárika (Huichol) people; best beach to discover, for Lo de Marcos; and best state for road trips. Compostela, Playa del Toro and the Riviera Nayarit (as a meetings destination) were finalists.
2024: MICHELIN Keys and Condé Nast Traveler
In 2024, the MICHELIN Guide released its first hotel selection for Mexico, using “Keys” instead of stars. Only three hotels in the country earned Three Keys, the top honor, and one of them was One&Only Mandarina, on the Riviera Nayarit coast near Lo de Marcos. Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita and Susurros del Corazón earned Two Keys.
That year, Condé Nast Traveler included the Riviera Nayarit in its Best Places to Go in 2024 and highlighted Naviva among the best hotels in North America and the Caribbean. In the magazine’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards, Naviva ranked third among resorts in Western Mexico.
2023: the first Lo Mejor de Nayarit and LGBTQ+ awards
Lo Mejor de Nayarit 2023
In 2023, México Desconocido and the state tourism department launched an award just for Nayarit, with 21 categories and public voting from August 15 to 31. Some winners you can visit:
- Best guided expedition in a Pueblo Mágico: the La Tovara mangrove route in San Blas.
- Best cultural experience: the island of Mexcaltitán in Santiago Ixcuintla.
- Most entertaining festival: the Corn Fair (Feria del Elote) in Jala.
- Best nature and adventure experience: the Ceboruco volcano route in Jala.
- Best water experience: whale watching in San Blas, Compostela and Bahía de Banderas.
- New Pueblo Mágico I most want to visit: Puerto Balleto in the Islas Marías.
LGBTQ+ Travel Awards Mexico 2023
At the November 8, 2023, gala in Morelia, Nayarit took home three hotel awards: One&Only Mandarina as luxury hotel, Nukari Quinta Boutique (Jala) as boutique hotel and Imanta (Punta de Mita) as romance hotel. The state also received a special award.
New hotels and Magical Towns
Naviva, which opened in 2023, made both Travel + Leisure’s It List and Condé Nast Traveler’s Hot List that year, the two big rankings of the world’s best new hotels. In June 2023, Mexico’s federal tourism ministry named five new Pueblos Mágicos in Nayarit (Ahuacatlán, Amatlán de Cañas, Ixtlán del Río, San Blas and Puerto Balleto), more than any other state that year. See them all in our guide to Nayarit’s Pueblos Mágicos.
Award-winning food in Nayarit
Nayarit’s food scene is collecting honors too. In Lo Mejor de Nayarit 2023, the winners included Carao, the restaurant at One&Only Mandarina (best gourmet restaurant on the coast); Los Zarandeaditos in Compostela (best coastal dining); Emiliano in Tepic (best gourmet restaurant in the mountains or city); and Piloncillo Café Boutique in Ixtlán del Río (best dining away from the coast).
Chef Marco Valdivia of Emiliano was nominated in 2024 for Chef of the Year at the Premio al Mérito Restaurantero, awarded by Mexico’s national restaurant chamber (CANIRAC). Since 2019 the state congress has recognized Nayarit’s cuisine as intangible cultural heritage, and October 15 is Nayarit Gastronomy Day. Read about pescado zarandeado, Nayarit’s signature grilled fish, or browse our guide to the cuisine of Nayarit.
How to use these awards to plan your trip
- Looking for luxury: almost every internationally ranked hotel is in Punta Mita or around Lo de Marcos. Browse options in our hotel and restaurant directory.
- Looking for experiences: La Tovara, Mexcaltitán, the Ceboruco volcano and the whales (December to March) are award winners that cost little and are booked through local operators.
- Check the date: an award from three years ago doesn’t guarantee today’s service. Use this list as a starting point and read recent reviews.
Frequently asked questions
What tourism awards has Nayarit won recently?
For 2026, the Riviera Nayarit made the best-destination lists of Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler. Punta Mita and the Islas Marietas won at Lo Mejor de México 2026, and in 2025 Nayarit received a UN Tourism distinction.
Which Nayarit hotels have MICHELIN Keys?
One&Only Mandarina has held Three Keys since Mexico’s first selection in 2024. Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita and Susurros del Corazón earned Two Keys, and the Four Seasons kept them in 2026 for a third straight year.
Is the Riviera Nayarit one of the best places to travel in 2026?
Yes. Travel + Leisure included it in its 50 Best Places to Travel in 2026, and Condé Nast Traveler in its best places in North America and the Caribbean for 2026. On both lists it’s Mexico’s only beach destination.
What is Lo Mejor de Nayarit?
It’s a state award run by México Desconocido and Nayarit’s tourism department since 2023. The public nominates and votes for experiences, hotels, restaurants and festivals, and winners are announced in September.
How often is this list updated?
At least once a year, as each award releases its new edition. We only add recognitions we can verify with the granting body or reputable press.
