Atop a high ridge overlooking vast, virgin acreage and Mexico's Pacific Coast are the grand casas and charming casitas of Cuixmala. There is ocean as far as the eye can see. And no less moving is the sound of the crashing surf, ironically lulling, that one can hear from even the most distant reaches of the resort. Here, to be rented individually or in combinations, are Cuixmala's accommodations - four elegant, expansive villas, each with cook and full staff, plus a charming "village" of nine, cozy casitas sharing a clubhouse with dining room and pool. The property's ranch, orchards and gardens not only provide organic food for the resort's tables, they also represent a picturesque environment for its guests' active enjoyment - horseback riding, biking, walking and rich ecological excursions and learning. The resort actually sits in the middle of a 25,000-acre reserve (the Chamela- Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve), allowing guests to see a wide variety of animals, reptiles and birds in their natural habitats - zebras, antelopes, wild boar, crocodiles, and 270 species of birds.

Cuixmala is reached by flights from major U.S. cities to Manzanillo, which is a one hour drive from Cuixmala, or to Puerto Vallarta, two and one-half hours from the resort. Alternatively, one can reach Manzanillo or Puerto Vallarta via Mexico City or Guadalarjara. There is also a private airstrip at Cuixmala for prop (non-jet) planes.

Cuixmala is, importantly, an experience connected to the sea. Beach excursions and picnics are a guest favorite. Just 15 minutes from most of the accommodations is Playa Escondida, over a mile long and wonderful for boogie boarding. Thirty minutes drive is Caleta Blanca, wonderfully calm and with enchanting views to the dramatic islands just offshore; snorkeling and kayaking equipment is available there. Also popular with guests is horseback riding, using the many trails throughout the ranch's mango, orange and coconut orchards and also to the property's higher hills with awesome views. For nature lovers, there are also boat tours of Cuixmala's lovely lagoons where guests see wide varieties of exotic birds and (non-threatening) crocodiles. Sailing and fishing boats are available for charter along the Pacific coast. And for nature lovers, nothing surpasses the thrill of seeing the baby sea turtle hatching program managed by Cuixmala, at which guests can watch and even help baby turtles make their way to their first swim in the Pacific. Tennis and mountain-bike riding is also available.

Virtually all produce, fruits, meats, poultry and dairy products come from Cuixmala's own land, supplemented by produce from its sister property two hours away, Hacienda de San Antonio. Meals are prepared by the resort's experienced kitchen staffs, in a wholesome, authentically Mexican, family style. Guests at the villas usually dine right at their villas, on broad outside terraces or open-air dining rooms, while lunches are often prepared, picnicstyle, for excursions to the nearby beaches. Guests at the casitas dine at Casa Gomez, the property's original homestead, restored lovingly for the less-than-thirty guests who enjoy it.

Cuixmala's one-bedroom casitas rent for $350-500 daily, depending on season, and its two-bedroom casitas for $700-1,000. The three- and four-bedroom villas rent for $1,500- 3,000 daily depending on season, and the property's stunning, seaside eleven-bedroom La Loma rents for $9,000-15,000 daily. Meals can be added to these rates for $85-125 per person per day, depending on which accommodations are being rented.