Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort, a hidden gem!

                                The Punta Mita peninsula is 30 minutes outside of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  A sparesly populated area with very little to be seen along its shores, it hides a resort that only the well travelled or adventurous may have come across.  Secrets Bahia Mita, and its collocated sister resort Dreams Bahia Mita, sit nestled on a gentle hillside that drops down to the sea at a well known local spot for surfing.  In March of 2025, I had the pleasure of visiting this resort for the second time in two years.

Secrets is an all-inclusive adults only resort.  Dreams is an all-inclusive family resort.  At Bahia Mita, both are housed within the same grounds, but split, each with its own rooms, pools, restaurants, and facilities.  Since this was our second visit, my wife and I knew what to expect and how to navigate the Secrets side.  It didn't bother us that we may see or hear children throughout our day, as long as we could enjoy the pools and restaurants designated for adults only, and didn't have to hear them at all hours of the night.

We spent most of our days around the pools.  There are more than enough chairs and pools that we found you could really enjoy yourself almost anywhere, as the views and service at almost all of them is beautiful.  We preferred the pools on the 6th floor though, as the water temperature was always warm, not hot, and most days we could see the whales jumping out in the bay.  Here we also had access to three or more food sources and multiple servers to bring drinks around the clock.  The food sources included traditional mexican al pastor tacos cut from the spit, fresh sushi rolled in front of you, and your traditional grill fare to include fried shrimp, nachos, burgers, and fries. Being the foodies we are though, we tried not to partake, as we preferred the breakfast and dinner choices much more.

Now, you would expect breakfast at a resort, especially a buffet, to be where they might take shortcuts with their offerings or have less than stellar quality food.  This is not so at Bahia Mita.  By far, the breakfast buffet at Olio is one of the best among hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, or even other resorts.  They have such a large variety of international offerings that it would take you 3 or more weeks to try it all.  In addition to items such as smoked salmon, sausages from six different countries, and two dozen or more different breads, bagels, and pastries, they have a fresh crepe station, an omelet station, and a mexican breakfast station to make any traditional breakfast dish from Mexico.  They also have a multitude of different fruits, yogurt, oats, eggs, pancakes, and healthy additions too numerous to list, and they were all fresh, every day! Now you can see why we usually skipped lunch around the pools.

 As if breakfast wasn't enough, the choices for dinner were the real show stealer!  There are 10 choices between Secrets and Dreams that adults staying at Secrets have access to.  Each is designed around a specific culinary menu from different parts of the world.  However, three really stood out from the rest, going above expectations in taste, quality, presentation, and service.  In no particular order, the first is Teppenyaki.  This is a in the style of a Japanese Hibachi/Steakhouse where a chef cooks and performs for you.  These are common in much of the U.S., but this one stands out from all of them in every aspect.  First, the chef's performance is in no way similar to any other.  From their acrobatic handling of their utensils, to using the grill and food to write messages, they made the presentation interactive.    Next, the quality of meats and vegetables is top notch and fresh.  They don't skimp on the selections and you won't be eating fat or bruised second hand items.  Lastly, the food is cooked perfectly!  No overcooked, dry, or bland meats and perfectly seasoned vegetables and rice.  This is a feat that we have never seen another restaurant of this style accomplish. 

 Next is Portofino, a non-typical Italian restaurant.  Most of the choices on this menu are of a higher quality than the typical pastas and dishes most are used to.  These dishes are more refined, requiring a finer touch to prepare.  Dishes such as Tortellini Spinaci E Ricotta, Papparedelle Al Ragu, and Ravioli Di Gambaretti are just a few.  Pastas, risottos, and veggies are all prepared to perfection with just the right amount of al dente.  Bread is served with fresh parmesan cut straight from the authentic Italian cheese wheel in front of you.  Dessert includes a beautiful presentation of tiramisu (seen in the pictures).   It's a delight that is not overly sweet, with just a touch of coffee flavor, in a size that won't leave you bloated or wanting more.

The last restaurant is a special one with some ala carte choices that you can pay more to enjoy.  Bluewater grill is an outdoor dining experience where you can smell your food being prepared and not be overwhelmed by bugs, smoke, or other environmental irritants.  The atmosphere is relaxing and pleasant.  Service here is also impeccable, with two servers overlapping for each table.  This ensure your drinks are always filled, dishes are brought and removed with precision, and you are never having to look for someone.  The best part though is the food.  On our visit I paid for the Tomahawk steak, prepared medium rare.  It was flame grilled and came sliced from the bone in a beautiful presentation with the slices arranged like they were on the bone, on top of a bed of garlic mashed potatoes.  It was topped with a succulent chimichurri and accompanied by grilled asparagus and mixed veggies.  This steak was worth every dollar and was mouth wateringly delicious!  I tried my best to finish it, but it was too much for one person.  My wife, not a beef eater, had the risotto with shrimp and grilled octopus.  She nor I had ever tried the octopus.  The dish was fantastic!  The arrangement was again gorgeous.  Every bite was as good as the first and the risotto was good enough to pass a test from Gordon Ramsey!  To top all of this off, we shared an apple crostada topped with ice cream and caramel.  It wasn't mind blowing but it hit the spot, especially since I really didn't have much space for it :(

All in all, Secrets Bahia Mita was like a second home to us.  Every staff member was friendly and helpful and they always greeted you, even if just walking by.  The facilities are ultra clean and all pools meticulously maintained.  The sites, the sounds, the food, the entertainment, the spa, and the gorgeous sunset every day make this a MUST DO on everyone's bucket list!