The Great Escape: Careyes Mexico Is Bohemian Luxury Exemplified

Careyes is situated on the Pacific coast of Mexico in Jalisco. This magical enclave attracts an international crowd composed of bohemians and creative powerhouses. Set in a lush natural environment, the juxtaposition of untouched land with large-scale art installations creates a striking locale to inhabit. Costa Careyes is the beautiful confluence of architecture, art, community, nature, and conservation complete with everything you need to live the decadent life all at one’s fingertips. These unexpected delights are exactly what make Careyes such a unique luxury destination.

For decades Careyes has been a backdrop for the fashion set. In the mid 80s the iconic Calvin Klein Obsession ad, lensed by Bruce Weber, took place at Careyes. Designer Giorgio Armani and supermodels Naomi Campbell, Heidi Klum, Stephanie Seymour, and Cindy Crawford have gone to Careyes for photo shoots as well as to vacation. Celebrities such as Uma Thurman, Alejandro Iñárritu, Lee Daniels, Francis Ford Coppola, Kevin Hart, and Mick Jagger have retreated to Careyes not only for its tranquility, but for its privacy too.

Art plays an integral role at Careyes. One of the most iconic art installations is the large scale structure that is Copa del Sol. Dramatically perched atop a cliff overlooking Playa Teopa. Copa del Sol is 88 feet in diameter and 35 feet tall. At the right angle when the sun is setting, it looks as if the sun falls directly into the Copa. During this year's annual Arte Careyes festival, photography artist JR unveiled his contribution to the Careyes landscape—a diver landing into the center of Copa del Sol.

The closest commercial airport is Playa de Oro International Airport in Manzanillo, which is about an hour and a half drive from the south of Careyes. The ride is a helpful reminder that you’re escaping to another world where time seems to slow down to a more relaxed pace. There is also a private airport within a 30 minute drive.

Although Careyes has gorgeous, white sand beaches, if you’re more of a pool person, consider Careyes your personal paradise. The luxury property has over 90 pools and most of them are infinity style. There are 64 villas each with its own pool, 5 casitas with pools, 10 casitas with plunge pools, and El Careyes Club & Residences has 5 large infinity pools in addition to 5 apartments with private plunge pools. Plus 4 constellation villas, each containing their own plunge pool. The widest and biggest infinity pools are at ocean castles Sol de Oriente and Sol de Occidente that sit at the top of two hills which bookend a bay, both with 1,000 square meter infinity pools that wrap around the property. The longest pool is 70 meters in a rectangular shape at ocean castle Quinto Sol and the second longest is 55 meters in a more organic shape at villa Triton.

Careyes might not be as popular as Puerto Vallarta, which is about 3 hours to the north, but that's precisely by design. Careyes is a well-kept secret amongst the international jet set. Italian banker Gian Franco Brignone discovered Careyes in 1968 while flying over the sublime coastline in a Cessna. It was seeing from above the lush green Mexican jungle with mangroves and white sand beaches separating it from the deep blue ocean that caught Brignone’s eye. Before returning to Europe he purchased thousands of acres. While colorful casitas, bungalows, private villas, and ocean castles inspired by architect Luis Barragan now dot the stunning coastline, the Brignone family has been very deliberate not to overdevelop and ensure the exclusivity of this hideaway with a Mediterranean spirit. Filippo Brignone, Gian Franco's son and President of the Careyes Foundation said, “If a place doesn't grow, it dies. If a place grows too fast, it dies."