LIFE BEYOND FIRST CLASS
ESTATES
PUERTO MEXIA
A Third-Generation Visionary is
Redefining Luxury Off-Grid Living in
Baja California Sur
ESTEFANIA RUELAS
On a cliffside outside La Paz, Baja California Sur, a new chapter in luxury real estate is unfolding. The project, known as Puerto Mexia, is a community of 23 villas designed to merge off-grid sustainability with world-class luxury and the elemental beauty of the Sea of Cortez. Entirely self-sufficient, it runs on solar power and its own desalination and water circulation systems, offering residents both modern comfort and complete autonomy in one of the most untouched stretches of Baja.
At the helm is Sophia Theurel, a 39-year-old entrepreneur, surfer, and developer whose family has been building in Baja for three generations. Her grandfather laid the foundation by constructing roads, government housing, and the very first airport in La Paz, essential infrastructure that opened the region to growth. Her father then elevated that vision, first by building hotels and luxury villas for individuals, and later by developing his own hotels. Now, Sophia carries the legacy forward with Puerto Mexia—residences that celebrate nature while catering to the world’s most discerning buyers.
Carrying Forward the Legacy
For Sophia, building Puerto Mexia is more than a business—it’s a continuation of her family’s legacy in Baja. Yet her path wasn’t linear. Her first business was in the e-commerce realm, which gave her the freedom to work remotely. That freedom allowed her to travel the world for over a decade, staying in some of the most spectacular properties across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Those experiences gave her a unique design vocabulary to draw from, helping her understand global concepts of beauty, balance, and luxury.
Just as important as those global influences, however, has been her family. Sophia and her father are equal partners in Puerto Mexia, combining his decades of construction knowledge, trusted local relationships, and hands-on oversight with her entrepreneurial drive and creative vision. “My father has personally overseen the construction from the very beginning,” she notes. “Without his experience and network, none of this could have happened.”
Balancing their strong personalities has been her mother, who plays an essential role in keeping the peace. “My mom is the one who keeps us both grounded,” Sophia says. “She makes sure our passion never turns into conflict.”
In many ways, Puerto Mexia is as much a family achievement as it is Sophia’s personal dream—a legacy project carried forward by three generations, bound together by Baja itself.
From Travels to Storytelling
What began as a personal journal of travels slowly transformed into a global community. Through Instagram—where she shares her adventures under the handle @five_star_homeless_girl—Sophia learned how to capture and portray her journeys in a way that resonated.
Her account became a window into both the raw beauty of nature and the refined elegance of a life lived in harmony with it. Surfing in Mentawai, freediving with manta rays in the Maldives, scuba diving with sharks in French Polynesia, carving down the slopes of Aspen, heli-skiing the untouched peaks of Alaska, and riding motorcycles across the winding roads of Vietnam—a country she has returned to five times for its breathtaking landscapes and sense of freedom—Sophia captures it all with an eye for adventure and connection.
Followers are drawn to the way she weaves these extreme sports into an elevated lifestyle that is both luxurious and deeply grounded. For Sophia, social media became more than a platform—it became a tool to inspire awareness, respect, and a sense of possibility for those seeking a life that is adventurous, sustainable, and beautifully designed.
Casa Mantarraya: A Jewel on the Cliff
Her flagship creation within Puerto Mexia is Casa Mantarraya, a fully furnished, turnkey residence perched dramatically over the water and now on the market for $4.2 million. The home’s design blends clean modern lines with natural textures: soft white walls, light beige marble floors, closets crafted from dark Brazilian wood, and stunning ocean blue quartzite countertops featured in both the kitchen and bathrooms.
Every detail was carefully considered to reflect the harmony of land and sea. Vast panes of glass frame the horizon, while mirrored closets catch and multiply the reflection of the ocean. The pool—crafted from volcanic dark rock—anchors the outdoor living space with a raw, elemental beauty that mirrors the rugged cliffs it overlooks, tying the home to the surrounding landscape in a powerful way.
A Lifestyle for Dreamers and Explorers
But Puerto Mexia is not just about the homes—it’s about the lifestyle. Owners can expect more than just panoramic views and elegant design. Sophia envisions the community as a playground for dreamers:
• Orca, the eight-seater helicopter, provides direct airport pickups straight into Mexia, whisks owners to Cabo for a round of golf, or ventures deep into the mountains to land in oases never touched by man.
• Whale Shark, the 48-foot boat, is designed for fishing and diving expeditions or exploring the nearby islands that dot the Sea of Cortez.
• A tennis court, dramatically positioned on the edge of the desert, looks out at the ocean amidst a forest of wild cacti—an experience as striking as it is exclusive.
• Throughout the project, a circulating stream of water will weave through the landscape, drawing animals and birds to its banks. From anywhere within Puerto Mexia, residents may glimpse foxes, deer, babisuris (endemic to Baja), and flocks of colorful birds.
But beyond lifestyle, Puerto Mexia is a sanctuary—a secret to be kept for posterity. Owning a home here is more than an acquisition; it is an investment in a legacy to be passed down through generations. With no other land in the area available for development, the community will remain intimate and untouched. Empty mountains and pristine coastline stretch endlessly on both sides, and when night falls, the absence of city lights reveals a sky ablaze with stars. There is no man-made noise here—only the quiet of the vastness.
When one is out in Mexia, it feels as though you’ve reached the end of the world. The light from the city never arrives, the quiet is infinite, and the stars shine brighter than most have ever seen.
As one of the few female developers in the world leading projects of this scale, Sophia is carving out a bold new chapter in luxury living—one that blends sustainability, storytelling, and a reverence for the natural world with all the comforts of modern elegance.
It’s a vision built for those who live boldly.
A Vision Rooted in Connection.
For Sophia, Puerto Mexia is more than a real estate project. It’s a manifestation of her belief that true luxury and sustainability are inseparable. Here, living off-grid doesn’t mean compromise—it means harnessing solar power and desalination technology to create freedom, comfort, and elegance in harmony with the natural world.
“Luxury today isn’t just about possessions,” she says. “It’s about freedom, connection, and knowing that your lifestyle respects the world around you.”
With Puerto Mexia, that philosophy has found its home.
Sophia Theurel
808 940 6821
Sophia123apple@gmail.com
www.PuertoMexia.mx
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