• Tepoztlán: On the weekends, Tepoztlán's cobblestone streets fill with spirituality seekers, market lovers, and city dwellers, but during the week, travelers find a tranquil, enchanting town that is the embodiment of small-town life in Mexico. In many ways, Tepoztlán is like a town out of a storybook -- quaint ice-cream shops, a rock-hewn staircase on the edge of town leading to an ancient pyramid, and wild horses often roaming the streets.
  • Costa Alegre: Between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo, gorgeous boutique hotels cater to the privileged and are ideal for honeymoons or romantic escapes. These resorts sit miles from civilization on secluded, pristine beaches.
  • Punta Mita: Ancient inhabitants considered this northern tip of the Bay of Banderas sacred ground. Today the point where the Sea of Cortez, the Pacific Ocean, and Banderas Bay meet has evolved into Mexico's most exclusive residential resort development, with the Four Seasons and St. Regis located here alongside two world-class golf courses. The beaches are white and the waters crystalline.
  • The Yucatán's Riviera Maya: Away from the busy resort of Cancún, a string of quiet getaways, including Paamul, Punta Bete, and Xpu-ha, offer tranquillity on extraordinarily beautiful beaches. For the kind of sleepy fishing village atmosphere -- and low prices -- that once belonged to Playa del Carmen, pull off the highway at Puerto Morelos.
  • Laguna Bacalar: The spring-fed waters of Laguna Bacalar make an ideal place to unwind. South of Cancún, near Chetumal, there's nothing around for miles. If you want adventure, you can paddle a kayak on the lake; follow a birding trail; take a dip in the largest known cenote, Cenote Azul, at the south end of town; or venture to Belize or nearby Maya ruins.
  • Cerocahui: Up in the high Sierra Tarahumara, far from where the large tours stop, you'll find a peaceful little town surrounding a former mission. Nearby are two small hotels that are even more peaceful -- no phones, no crowds, no traffic, just beautiful mountains and canyons clothed in pine forest.
  • Cabo Pulmo: It's only 97km (60 miles) from the Los Cabos airport to Cabo Pulmo, yet if the mounded Sierra de La Laguna peaks weren't a dead giveaway for Baja, you could be in the South Pacific. Swaying in the shade of a palapa-roofed bungalow at Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort, you won't care where you are -- you just won't want to leave. Extensive hiking/mountain-biking trails loop through the mountains for those who prefer the peace of the desert.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.