CHACALA, NAYARIT, MEXICO

A Beautiful Retreat

A Simple Life

OUR PRIVATE BEACH VILLAGE

Travel to Chacala via TAP bus company, is an eight hour journey through a diverse countryside of jungles, mountains and highlands with fields of sugarcane, mango and papaya trees, Brahma cattle, Joshua Tree cactus, marshlands, small charming villages and a great variety of beautiful flowering trees and plants. 

Located about 60 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, it sits pretty along a little cove backed by verdant geen slopes and edged by rugged black rock formations at either end.  With just one main, sandy thoroughfare and a few cobbbled side streets, it 's a lovely place to unwind and contemplate the horizon.

Arriving in out coastal fishing village of about 300, we note some improvements.  The extensive undeveloped beach property (in litigation for years) has been cleaned up significantly and the palm trees look regal.

Views of Chacala Beach

Chacala Life Week Days

Clean Soft Sandy Beach

   
Birds congregate along the beach too.  Herons, frigate birds, pelicans to name just a few of them.  The pelicans seem to take over the rugged rocks near the shore and are so much fun to watch.

 Chacala days are filled with long walks on the white beach sand, swimming in the warm waters, hiking in the jungle hillsides (snakes even come out to charm),  Whale viewing, fishing, surfing, and watching rich colorful sunsets every night.

Indigenous Petroglyphs froim the Pre-Hichol people

The Huichol people who make the lovely beaded jewelry and sculptures live in the mountains above Chacala.  The journey is well worth the effort.

A Touch of Paradise

Whale watching  was so exciting when a mother and baby whale started following our boat and showing off with their magnificent  breaching.  I think whales  enjoy us as much as we enjoy them!

A Mother and Baby Whale Follow Our Boat

What Could Be Better?

Our Casa de La Playa ( Beach House) is an artsy comfortable spacious abode directly on the beach and in the middle of the tiny town's activities.  Sitting under our palapas (beach umbrellas of palm fronds) on the beach we see  bands passing, itinerant Mexican Craft merchants, as well as flan, oyster, shrimp, bread, pie vendors.

What A Life!

Two Palapas (Beach Umbrellas) Provide Shade

Patio Area With View of Pacific

Decorated with Art of Mexico

 Number 10 Flan Sold on Beach

In Front of our Casa on Holiday

A special treat was to attend the ten day festival of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe in the neighboring town of Las Varas.  We joined the villagers walking in the parade,  attending church service, and danced in the light of the moon.

Every night is a glorious sunset to behold....

Hope you enjoyed our Chacala.   Don't tell anyone about it!  nomadsally

 (For  articles about Chacala see Posts on 4/2, 2/12, and 2/27/12

MAZATLAN, SINALOA

Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico

OLD TOWN IN MAZATLAN

 Mazatlan has been called the "Pearl of the Pacific" and is breathing new life into its historic center.  Her great gift, though, is the beautiful16 km of golden sandy beaches.  It boasts of having the longest malecon  (boardwalk) in Latin America! 

 Mazatlan and Her Beach Front

 The city's life centers on its port operations, commercial fishing, and now tourism.  So many warm water activities to enjoy: swimming and beach fun, watching for humpback whales and pelicans, finding illusive iguanas, surfing, snorkeling, and fishing. 

The variety of fish is a dream for sportfishing: marlin, swordfish, sailfish, tuna, dorado, and red snapper...and the chefs know how to prepare it.

Daily Catch in the Central Market

Huachinango (Red Snapper) is so Delicious
Note its orange variegated color.

It's not all fish in the Market!

VIEWS OF MAZATLAN LIFE

Pulmonia, Name of a Traditional Transport Vehicle

Life Along the Beach

A Ride with a View

Buy Your Dresses on the Beach.  Plenty are Available

Greatest Treat on Mazatlan Beach

Boating along the coast, we could  feel the growing pains of Mazatlan with new construction along the once pristine beaches.  Some massive boxy high-rise structures of condominiums and time-share condos are a disappointing contrast to the traditional Spanish-style architecture of Mazatlan's Pueblo Viejo (Old Town).

Mazatlan is Growing Fast
In Center of pix is Cathedral.

Plazuela Machado in Renovated Old Town

Fortunately, there seems to be a cultural revival in pueblo viejo, old town.  Along the cobbled streets and crumbling edifices, are newly restored gems like the Teatro Angela Peralta, a museum of local history, the charming Plazuela Machado, and some boutiques. The Cathedral, nearby, has also had a facelift.    

Cathedral in Old Town
Eclectic Architectural Style

Eating a Mexican fusion dinner at the colorful Topolo restaurant near the Plazuela was an incredible treat.  We enjoyed watching our sweet waiter prepare the margaritas and salsa at our table.  Then stepping outside, we joined the music and dancing in the Plaza...what a beautiful experience....

The Port of Mazatlan

Good-bye Mazatlan for now.  We will return, hopefully for the annual Festival Cultural Mazatlan.  And, maybe we'll see you there in the near future!

FUN IN THE SUN

MEXICAN HOLIDAY 2014

Look for Mazatlan and Pueto Vallarta on Pacific Coast

Can You Find Them on the Country Map?

What a gift to literally jump from cold freezing snowy days of the Pacific Northwest to warm sunny beaches within a matter of hours.  Five hours plus a few minutes is all it takes to change worlds. 

Packing for the journey is always a challenge, particularly when I am dressed in layers of sub-zero silk underwear covered with fleece and and will soon be living in swim suits and shorts.

Our odyssey begins in Mazatlan, continues to Chacala, Bucerias and circles  back to Mazatlan.   All are north of sunny Puerto Vallarta in the Sinaloa, Nayarit, and Jalisco states of the Pacific Coast.

 We are ready to jettison our fleece for swim suits and sandals!

     Here we go.  Day before departure and a thousand details and decisions before taking off from Yakima Airport via Seattle, LA, and Mazatlan.....See  you in Mazatlan tomorrow....I hope!

Petroglyphs at Alta Vista (near Chacala)

PETROGLYPHS AT ALTA VISTA

     Not far from Chacala is a beautiiful jungle-like setting with many fascinating petroglyphs which date from 2000 to 2300 B. C. E.   Historians tell us that they are from the Texcoxquin people who settled along the coast of Nayarit.  Some sources indicate believe that there may have been several thousand people living in and around Chacala at this time.  Very little is known about them, but there is some evidence that they had limited contacts with the Toltecs to the northeast.   The following photos show views of the region and the petroglyphs.  

Palm Oil

Fascinating Bee Home

What animal do you think it is?

The site still carries spiritual energy.

Back in Chacala