Bahia at Four Seasons Punta Mita (photo by Brad A Johnson)

A small fishing boat glides up the beach in front of the Four Seasons Punta Mita, just north of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific Coast.

A beach butler and one of the hotel’s lifeguards wade into the surf, waves crashing into their chests and faces, to greet the fishermen. Not much bigger than a dinghy, the boat holds only two fishermen, and it takes their combined strength to hoist a large insulated cooler over the edge. The heavy package splashes into the surf. The staff signal “OK” to the fishermen, grab the cooler and haul it to shore, running barefoot through the blazing-hot sand to the resort’s beachfront restaurant, Bahía. Continue reading →