One Secret Beach Town In Mexico Offers A Stunning Uncrowded Escape From Wild Tourist Crowds

In recent years, Puerto Vallarta has staked its claim as one of Mexico's most exciting beach party destinations. While Cancun and Los Cabos are the traditional choices for exotic beach escapes and exciting parties, Puerto Vallarta is a fantastic alternative, as well as being a beautiful beachside hotspot for LGBT+ tourists. With plenty of luxury 5-star resorts and a wild nightlife scene, it's the perfect destination for a certain type of vacation.

However, if body shots and pumping party music isn't your thing, the joys of Puerto Vallarta may leave you cold. Many people looking for a more laid-back Mexican beach experience on the Pacific Coast look north from Puerto Vallarta to Riviera Nayarit and the low-key seaside gem of Sayulita or the artistic, hippy haven of San Pancho. But even these places have begun to be overrun with tourist crowds. Some travelers choose to head south, to the luxury hotels and natural beauty of Mexico's 'Happy Coast', but for those in the know, there is another option much closer: The gorgeous secret beach town of Chacala.  

Situated about 60 miles north of Puerto Vallarta International Airport, around 90 minutes by car, Chacala is a sleepy little fishing village with a gorgeous, lazy curve of sand guarded on both sides by jungle-covered promontories. Backed by hazy, verdant mountain peaks and with unusually calm waters for the Pacific, it's the perfect under-the-radar antidote to the beaches full of surfers at Sayulita or the yoga and wellness retreats of San Pancho and in a different universe to the resorts of Puerto Vallarta.

The charms of Chacala are immediately evident, and as soon as you arrive you'll wonder how this exquisite slice of tropical perfections has remained a secret for so long. It's a fairly tiny spot with about 300 full-time inhabitants, a grid of sandy streets leading their way down to the sea, and a bunch of simple but lovely B&Bs, hotels, and eco-lodges. The landscape is classic Mexican Pacific perfection, with a curving sweep of golden sand illuminating the cove, and a sharp ascent to faded emerald peaks covered in jungle overlooking the town. 

Like the rest of Riviera Nayarit, this is a surfers' paradise. Chacala actually boasts three separate beaches — Las Cuevas, Chacalilla, and La Caleta — with each one offering something slightly different for new arrivals. Las Cuevas is a tiny bay hidden away down a dirt road south of the town, with nothing but strong waves and empty sand. Chacalilla is the most popular spot, accessible from the town and offering calmer waters that are perfect for younger kids. La Caleta is the best spot for surfing, a pebble beach up the coast to the north with amazing breaks. Be warned, the 2-mile trail to the beach is fairly challenging with significant ups and downs, but the destination makes the journey worth it. 

Even if you aren't a wave rider, there's still plenty to enjoy about this little corner of undiscovered paradise. Known as a "gallery town" because of the diversity and abundance of its wildlife, the jungles around Chacala boast over 400 species of birds, making it one of the best places in the region for birdwatchers. Wildlife lovers can head off on organized tours to seek out big cats like margay, ocelots, and jaguars, while smaller animals like coatis are regular visitors to the town itself.

While hardly overrun with tourists, Chacala is renowned amongst a certain type of travelers as one of Mexico's best vacation spots. This has a lot to do with Laura del Valle, a Mexican doctor and Zen Buddhist who founded a wellness retreat here back in 1980 to support volunteers and philanthropic projects in the region. Mar de Jade is still a highlight of this gorgeous town and remains one of the best places to stay in Chacala, as well as a great place to visit for yoga aficionados. Sustainable, ethical tourism is at the heart of much of what is best about Chacala, and Hotel Majahua Selva is another great spot to choose thanks to its work with local fishing communities and its commitment to environmentalism. 

Eating and drinking in Chacala is casual and rustic. You won't find any Michelin stars or tasting menus here. But that doesn't mean it isn't delicious, and after a few days of dining on fantastically fresh fish with stunning sea views, you'll never want to leave. Chico's is a local favorite, a laid-back joint on the seafront with tables on the sand, serving up excellent shrimp empanadas, zarandeado fish, and ceviche. The restaurant at Hotel Mahajua Selva is famed as a breakfast spot, while Lalaxli offers some (slightly) more sophisticated options as well as out-of-this-world baked goods.