The name Costalegre translates to “happy coast,” and considering the history of the region, it fits. Stretching 93 miles along the Pacific, its 43 beaches, capes, and bays are blissfully removed from the mass tourism of nearby Puerto Vallarta and have been a secret retreat for well-heeled families since the 1960s. That’s when a former banker from Italy named Gian Franco Brignone established Costalegre’s first resort, Costa Careyes, on a 20,000-acre nature reserve that has since attracted cultural luminaries including Paul Matisse and Madonna. Soon enough, neighboring resorts Las Alamandas and Cuixmala joined with equally A-list-worthy amenities and conservation initiatives.
 
This March the new Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo will carry that legacy forward by earmarking 98% of its 3,000 acres for an eco-reserve; the remaining beachfront land will feature 157 rooms and suites, mostly facing the Pacific or the jungle, plus miles of hiking trails and a traditional temazcal sauna.
 
Although the area is exclusive, getting there will be easier: A new international airport is set to open in 2022, and freshly paved roads from Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo are replacing the crude paths that previously made for long, bumpy journeys.