Like the best secret destinations, Punta Pajaros is off the beaten path and, for the most part, off the grid. It's nestled like an oasis in the wild mangroves of Oaxaca, Mexico, 40 minutes northeast of Puerto Escondido, off a winding road that if you don't miss it exits to an unmarked, single-lane dirt road. Drive several miles down this remote strip and you'll discover not only a vast desolate beach and its thunderous waves but also a blossoming vanguard art hub, featuring a sprawling multi-disciplinary cultural center called Casa Wabi, two raw but refined boutique hotels, designed by Mexico City architect Alberto Kalach, and several sustainably designed-homes for rent, including Casa Malandra, where I was lucky enough to stay with friends for three nights. Also in the under-the-radar midst: a hopping mezcal bar, a high-cuisine omakase restaurant, a glow-inducing sweat house, and the best-ever Caesar salad. Here are the highlights from my trip!

HOW TO GET THERE: I flew from LA via Mexico City and spent the night at Ignacia Guest House in one of the newly-renovated upstairs rooms, with its own hot tub and terrace. After landing, I tore into a late lunch at Botanico, which, IMHO, is the best introduction to CDMX. The outdoor garden setting, with a 50-year-old cactus holding court in the middle, is lively and cosmopolitan, and the food is phenomenal. One bite of the tuna tostada will have you immediately understand why Mexico City is famous for its out-of-this-world cuisine. After a brief siesta, I met friends for drinks (and tapas) at Cafe Nadie, buzzing with a DJ spinning at the bar, followed by delectable mushroom tacos at Paramo. (Other must-eats: Maximo, Contremar, Rosetta, and Meroma.) The next morning I woke up, ran the 3.1-mile Amsterdam Circuit in Colonia Hipodromo, grabbed a cappuccino at Quentin, then hopped on an early morning 50-minute flight to Puerto Escondido's tiny airport.

STAY IN PUNTA PAJAROS: Puerto Escondido is known for its epic surf (think 8 to 10-foot swells with 90-95% consistency!) and nomad/hipster-filled beach clubs, but we opted for the much quieter and less populated region of Punta Pajaros. In short, it feels like Tulum 30 years ago: undiscovered, serene and beautifully raw. We rented , a four-bedroom beachfront retreat designed by award-winning Mexican architect Alberto Calleja. Open-air spaces, slatted wood walkways, a pool-enhanced great room, all surrounded by tangled vegetation and the sand-pounding ocean made for a perfect perch in paradise. The in-house chef whipped up yummy Mexican breakfasts that had me licking my plate every morning. Other stellar accomodations: Sister properties Hotel Terrestre (inland) and Hotel Escondido (seaside).

PRIME SUNSET SPOT: Head to the beach club at Hotel Terrestre for mezcal-based sundowners and blazing, etched-in-your-mind-forever sunsets! There's also a glittery disco ball on the deck for impromptu dance parties. A dress over damp bathing suit is pretty much the dress code; Mine is by Julie Harrah.

DETOX: Sweat out excess tequila at El Papelillo, a traditional Mexican sweat lodge (A.K.A. sauna and bath house) built by Tezontle, the Mexico City-based art and architecture studio, smack dab in the middle of a jungle. The heavy iron content of the water left my skin feeling velvet soft and super glowy.

SOAK IT UP: The hammam at La Terrestre Hotel is housed in a brutalist-looking brick tower, and features four chambers: a hot jacuzzi, steam room, rain shower, and cold plunge. Reserve an hour-long private session to soak them all in.

MUST-EAT TACOS: A simple wood sign points the way to Punta Pajaros, a restaurant with a short but succulent menu that changes daily depending on the freshly-caught fish. I indulged in tacos de pulpo (octopus) and dorado a la talla! The signature cocktails, such as the maracuya mezcalita, are buzzy and crazy delicious.

LATE LUNCH: My favorite lunch spot is the open air restaurant at La Terrestre, because the guacamole is mucho delicioso and the Caesar salad is OG, one of the best I've ever had in my life. Post-meal, we walked the hotel's sandy paths, steering clear of cacti, and checked out the dramatically designed pools and showers.

SUPPER AND SIP: Enter through a door-sized gap in the shrubbery then walk down a footpath lined with guayacan and areca trees to find Kakurege Omakase, a 12-seat omakase restaurant, housed in thatched-roof palapa designed by Alberto Kalach and the artist Bosco Sodi. Book the 10-course 6PM seating (highlights include duck gyozas and a refreshing cold soba noodle soup) then head over to , a sand-floor mezcal bar to sip small-batch, locally-made varieties.

PICTURE CAPTIONS:

Punta Parajos' Main Street is a single lane dirt road, flanked by the jungle and the sea. Along the remote pothole-pitted stretch you can find everything from an outdoor yoga studio to a cute caftan boutique to a ready-to-roll rickshaw.

The sunrise in Punta Pajaros is worth waking up for, because an iPhone camera fails to capture the resplendent golden hues and soft pastels. Make sure to keep a lookout for breaching whales on the horizon.

I tend to make several outfit changes a day--and justify all the clothing options I packed! Typically, there's a high concentration of swimsuits and dresses in my vacation suitcase. On this trip, I packed day to night dresses by La Ligne, Julie Harrah, and, of course, the latest and greatest G.Label. I love this feather-light body-suit which can double as a swimsuit!

Just touched down in Mexico City and already on my way to eat my heart out at Paramo (hola, mushroom tacos!). I'm wearing a G.Label shirt backwards to be worn again on the beach untied over a bikini!

TK OPTIONS BASED ON PICS SELECTED!