Megan Drillinger
Every year at the start of the new year, I like to take a step back and reflect, especially when it comes to traveling to Mexico. I’m on the move 24/7 in Mexico, and when you’re in the middle of something, it’s easy to miss the forest for the trees. Mexico is changing with lightning speed; it’s developing fast enough to keep up with an insatiable clientele who have discovered that the country is so much more than its (naturally iconic) beach resorts.
This week, I learned of a new term: “travel dupe.” As the term has spread across the internet and piled up in my inbox, you can expect to see more references to “travel dupes” in 2024. However, anyone who has been in the industry for a while will quickly realize that dupes aren’t a new concept; they’ve simply had a new name. A dupe is essentially another name for an “off the beaten path” destination. This is a less-visited alternative to a nearby busier destination, one that offers similar experiences and services, but is far less well-known on a global scale.
I love talking about these destinations in Mexico, especially since more and more places are succumbing to overtourism and overdevelopment. Of course, this is a double-edged sword, because the more we talk about fakes, the more they are integrated into mainstream travel and before you know it, they stop being fake.
Still, when I think about traveling to Mexico in 2024, I see a few destinations popping up, all of which offer welcome, low-key alternatives to their overwhelmingly popular and crowded neighbors. So where will I have my eye on in 2024? Here are my top Mexican travel destinations for the new year.
Nayarit
Riviera Nayarit is Mexico’s tourist destination that never ceases to attract tourists. But the interior of Nayarit, while less known to the average traveler, still has a lot to offer. For example, the state’s capital, Tepic, has a lot to offer culture seekers through its architecture, museums and traditions. Tepic was founded in 1531 as the capital of the Kingdom of New Galicia, a region made up of the present-day states of Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit, Aguascalientes, Durango, Sinaloa and San Luis Potosi. From the downtown Plaza de Armas to the Purisima Concepcion Cathedral, Nayarit Regional Museum and Juan Escutia House Museum, Tepic has a lot of heritage, history and culture.
Tepic airport is currently under construction and is being prepared for an expansion that will include a main terminal building, runway extension, and a new control tower. In 2023, Aeromexico will launch its first route between Mexico City and Tepic, offering seven flights per week.
A short distance from Tepic, the mountains of Nayarit are equally fascinating, with magical towns, indigenous communities, temples, hot springs, spas, waterfalls and mountainside coffee plantations.
Costalegre
If you didn’t already know about Costalegre, you may have heard of it with the highly anticipated opening of the Four Seasons Tamarindo in 2023. This ultra-luxurious, five-star resort has garnered attention, putting the spotlight on a coastline that’s been beloved by savvy travelers for decades.
But the news from Costalegre isn’t over yet. It was recently announced that Six Senses will open its first Mexican property there in 2026. Six Senses Xala will be part of the Xala community, which has been in development for the past few years. Surrounded by five miles of white-sand beach, Six Senses Xala will feature 51 accommodations, all with private pools. The village-like architecture blends seamlessly into the landscape. True to the Xala and Six Senses ethos, the resort will also feature sustainability considerations, including reforesting 590 acres of land and building a new coastal protection reef.
The resort is located 10 minutes from the new Chalacatepec Airport, although the project has been in the planning stages for years and no completion date has yet been set.
Costa Oaxacaena
The Oaxaca coastline, or Costa Oaxaquena, is one of the most rugged, wild, and spectacular in Mexico. It is made famous by tourist destinations such as Puerto Escondido and Huatulco. Puerto Escondido has long been my favorite beach resort. In fact, it has always been my favorite imitation of other beach resorts along the Pacific coast.
With so many luxury hotels opening and the airport preparing for an expansion, Puerto Escondido needs someone to fool. The highway linking Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido has been under construction for years and was scheduled to open on November 29th but was postponed due to a landslide.
Still, these updates and changes have me turning my attention to Oaxaca’s coast, particularly the little beach towns like Mazunte and Zipolite. These beaches, located between Puerto Escondido and Huatulco, have quietly grown in popularity over the past few years. In fact, Zipolite is now one of the most popular LGBTQ destinations, especially for travelers who find Puerto Vallarta’s LGBTQ scene too crowded and overwhelming.
Southern Quintana Roo
Finally, we cannot leave out a mention in southern Quintana Roo regarding the opening of the Felipe Carrillo Puerto Airport in Tulum, which, along with the Maya Train, has made a once-faraway destination not only more accessible to the average traveler, but downright convenient.
With a new airport and rail link opening up destinations like Pueblo Mágico on Lake Bacalar, Punta Allen, Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, and secluded beaches south of Tulum like Mahahual, this bohemian, barefoot, backpacker-friendly hideaway is at a tipping point: the influx of tourists has already begun and will only accelerate.
