CHACALA MEXICO, TRAVEL

This small fishing village is one of the most beautiful locations in Nayarit. It is known for its golden colored beach and the quietness of its waters that produce its famous catch of shrimp. Those and other local seafood specialties can be enjoyed seaside at the palapas and small stands. It is believed that this small bay was a hideout for pirates because ships could be hidden in its calm waters.

Chacala, a village 60 miles north of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico's Pacific Coast, is built around the beach, a handsome half-mile crescent of jungle-adjacent sand. At the southern end of the beach, gentle surf murmurs over black volcanic rocks. In the middle of the crescent, a half-dozen palm-shaded restaurants serve fresh fish and shrimp (and keep a machete on hand for those new-fallen coconuts). To the north, two dozen battered fishing boats are tied to a modest dock.