For $7.5 Million, A Sun-Soaked Villa Stands Sentry On Mexico’s Pacific Coast

Imagine having a front seat on the sunrise—every day.

Set above the ocean like a sunlit citadel, Sol De Oriente combines privacy and resort living in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

The striking compound, listed at $7.5 million, is located along a protected portion of coast in the Costa Careyes luxury enclave between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo.

Near views from the castle-like main house take in the surrounding infinity swimming pool, which creates the impression of a moat. The corners of rooms appear to jut out from a central platform encircled by the water. The resulting shape would look, fittingly, like a sunburst if seen from above. A pattern in the floor of the pool lounging deck completes the design.

Panoramic vistas encompass portions of the mountainous Chamela-Cuixmala nature reserve, the Pacific Ocean and the beaches below, where sea turtles regularly come to nest.

Across the bay is a similar-looking home called Sol De Occidente, which takes in the sunset. Sol De Oriente, built for the sunrise, was designed for French-British businessman and politician Sir James Goldsmith, who ended up purchasing elsewhere.

The bright-yellow home, reachable by a private funicular, combines Mediterranean architecture and Mexican flair. Multiple openings bring an indoor-outdoor quality to the living space, which has soaring ceilings and is topped by a three-tier palapa-style roof. Wide stairways lead to the rooftop deck.

Natural wood shutters stand out against the white walls of the three bedrooms. White floors contribute to a seamless effect.

A circular motor court sits outside the gated courtyard to the residence. The curved walls surrounding the parking area end in a scrolling shape. Beyond is a lawn. Palm trees dot the landscape.

The two buttery-toned bungalows contain one bedroom each. A one-bedroom tower, which evokes a turret from “The Wizard of Oz,” completes the dwelling spaces.

All the structures, including the main house, appear to rise from the jungle floor and float above the treetops.

Denise Moreno and Gordon MacGeachy of Hilton & Hyland, a founding member of Forbes Global Properties, are the listing agents.

The 20,000-acre eco-resort community of Careyes, designed to be sustainable, is slightly more than an hour drive from Manzanillo International Airport and a 2.5-hour drive from bustling Puerto Vallarta.

Local recreational activities include bird watching, whale and dolphin spotting, hiking, golf, polo, tennis and horseback riding, as well as art and music festivals. For water lovers, there’s paddleboarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking and surfing.