![]() | This article is written like a travel guide rather than an encyclopedic description of the subject.(January 2019) |
Costalegre | |
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![]() From top, left to right: Cabo Corrientes; Costa Majahuas; Bahía de Chamela; Costa Careyes; Bahía de Tenacatita and Tamarindo Beach | |
Nicknames: The Virgin Coast, Joy Coast | |
Coordinates: 20°40′N105°16′W / 20.667°N 105.267°W Coordinates: 20°40′N105°16′W / 20.667°N 105.267°W | |
Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Municipality | Cabo Corrientes |
Municipality | Tomatlán |
Municipality | Cihuatlán |
Area | |
• Municipality | 1,300.7 km2 (502.19 sq mi) |
Elevation | 7 m (23 ft) |
Population (2005) | |
• Total | 177,830 |
• Municipality | 220,368 |
Demonym | Jaliciense |
Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
Postal code | 48300 |
Area code | 322 |
Website | costalegre.com |
Costalegre ("Coast of Joy" in Spanish) is a series of different beaches, capes and bays of various sizes distributed alongside the Pacific Ocean on the western coastline of the Mexican state of Jalisco, between Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco and Manzanillo, Colima.
The Spanish used Bahía de Navidad for ship building, repairs, and as a jumping off point to the Philippines in the mid-16th century. [ citation needed ]
In the 1990s, the Jalisco state government has promoted this zone as a tourist attraction, grouping all these beaches under the common name of "Costalegre". [1]
On October 23, 2015, Costalegre was hit by the category 5 storm Hurricane Patricia, which was the most powerful cyclone ever measured in the Western Hemisphere with sustained wind speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph). Hurricane Patricia made landfall October 23 at 7:45pm with catastrophic damage. The center of the storm hit Cuixmala in Costalegre. [2] [3]
Officially, not a part of Costalegre itself, but separates Puerto Vallarta from the rest of the coast, and marks the top most northern point of Costalegre.
Founded in 1944, Cabo Corrientes is a Municipality with over 80 kilometers of scenic highways and 200.106 hectares of forest surrounded by rivers and cascades. Some of its beaches are already very well known due to its proximity to Puerto Vallarta, like Las Ánimas, Quimixto and Yelapa, often considered as part of Vallarta by the tourists, but which are in fact just a minor part of the large Cabo Corrientes's coast. The Tuito is the municipal head of Cabo Corrientes and the oldest population of the municipality. It is located 40 km (25 miles) south of Puerto Vallarta. The ruins of the Ex-Hacienda San José are an attraction that dates from 1875; as well as the ancient petroglyphs in Las Juntas and Los Veranos.
In Boca de Tomatlán , pangas (taxi boats) take tourists to the beaches.
Las Ánimas — is a sand beach in a zone suitable for diving, with coral formations and the associated marine fauna.
Quimixto — Between Quimixto and Yelapa there are small beaches such as Las Caletas, Majahuitas and Colimilla. S with coral formations and the associated marine fauna.
Yelapa — A large creek where the Tuito river ends. It has a small and traditional town.
Mayto — More than 15 kilometers of beach. Here is located one of the largest of Mexico's protected sea turtles reproduction fields, part of the international Sea Turtle Restoration Project where guided routes are offered to know a little more about the species that arrive at this beach. On scheduled times, it is possible to participate in the release of newborn turtle babies to the sea.
Tehuamixtle — A place known for its large oysters, has a beach about 200 meters long.
A long coast with several beaches: Punta Las Peñitas, Hotelito Desconocido, Majahuas, Peñitas y Chalacatepec.
Chalacatepec — is a beach 25 minutes from the municipal head of Tomatlán. On its shore there is a pirate ship wrecked long ago which now forms part of the traditional legends of the place. La Peñita Pintada — (Painted Lil'Rock) gained its name due to a natural granodiorite cavity, whose walls, bottom and ceiling have several ancient paintings on them. Owing to the large number of visitors, there are visitor periods scheduled only on specific times of the year.
A large, undeveloped bay surrounded by several islands. Home to marine and terrestrial birds, it has more than ten kilometers of varied marine and fluvial scenes. It has an assembly of small islands like La Colorada, Cocinas, San Andrés, Pajarera (reserve of exotic birds and ideal place for diving), Novilla, Esfinge, San Pedro, San Agustín, and La Negrita, all of them accessible by boat.
Costa Careyes is a private community located on the South Coast of Jalisco on Highway 200 Melaque – Puerto Vallarta at Kilometer 53. There are several beaches in the Careyes Bay. Teopa Beach is the largest and includes a sea turtle preservation sanctuary[1]. The community was founded in 1968 by Gian Franco Brignone[2] as his private estate. The Castles, Villas, Casitas, Bungalows and Restaurants that comprise Careyes today function as a resort and are known for the "Careyes Style" of architecture.
Cuixmala is 10 minutes of the south Careyes, in the vegetation of a 3 km beach. It was the private estate of James Goldsmith, and was originally conceived as a private home for his family and friends. It has a 25,000 acres (100 km2) of land, lagoon and beaches. Originally designed by Robert Couturier, it is now an eco-resort based on green culture.
Some kilometers ahead of Tamarindo Beach, it is located Bahía de Tenacatita, one of largest bays of the Mexican Coast. This zone has crab, snail, clam, lobster and squid fishing, according to the time of the year. Both sunrise and sunset can be seen over the sea during winter. It has seven beaches: Manzanilla, Boca de Iguanas, Los Ángeles Locos, Punta Serena, Tenacatita and Tecuán.
This is the most urban developed bay, located at the south of Costalegre series of beaches. It has a traditional town named Barra de Navidad with a population of 7000+, a small farming and fishing community located on the east end of the Bahía de Navidad, 60 km north of Manzanillo. The beachfront fronting the sandbar arcs toward San Patricio, Jalisco 4.5 kilometers to the west.
The large lagoon behind Barra de Navidad is criss-crossed by small fishing boats gathering scallops and transporting visitors and locals from Barra to Isla Navidad and the Grand Bay Hotel, recently voted the Number One hotel/resort in Mexico by the Travel Channel. Taxi boats also carry passengers to and from the small community of Colimilla where restaurants line the shore.
Melaque — Towards the northwest of Bahía de Navidad, is the extensive beach of Melaque, of smooth surge, regular slope and sand of texture average gilded gray color. Melaque is conformed by the towns of San Patricio and Villa Obregón, this last one also has its own series of small beaches known as "Beaches of the Sun". The locality of San Patricio takes its name from the Irish Saint Patrick, and celebrates him on Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March.
Cuastecomate — A beach of fine gray sand that extends throughout 250 meters.
Tamarindo is a peninsula in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It has a professional 18-hole golf course south of Tenacatitla. A 150-hectares ecological reserve where an extensive variety of animals coexist, including armadillos, iguanas, deer, raccoons and many exotic birds.
Mariachi groups are usually hired for festive occasions.
In the north of Jalisco, the indigenous Huichol people live in towns in mountainous areas that are difficult to access. They call themselves wixarica, "The People," in their own language. The name "Huichol" is derived from the name that was given to them by Nahuatl speakers. Along Constalegre it is possible to find Huichol handmade crafts, drapes and traditional toys.
Related to Nahuatl, the Huichol language belongs to the Coracholan branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family.
Jalisco is the center of the Mexican tequila industry. The areas in Jalisco that are covered in volcanic soil are utilised for the cultivation of the blue agave plant, which is used as the base for alcohols such as tequila.
Traditional alcoholic drinks Aguamiel and Pulque are made from maguey, similar to the plants used to produce tequila.
Along the streets of the town street vendors sell Tejuino, a cold beverage made from fermented corn. Tepache is also found on these places, a drink made out of the flesh and rind of the pineapple, sweetened with brown sugar and cinnamon. Both are slightly fermented and have a minimal alcohol content.
Dishes of Jalisco include Birria, (a spicy meat stew, made of goat, cow or iguana meat), red or white pozole, sopes, guacamole, frijoles charros, Menudo (stew made of hominy and tripe with a red chili base), torta ahogada (a Mexican sandwich "drowned" in a spicy sauce), Carne en su jugo, Enchiladas rojas y verdes, Cuachala (a chicken or pork stew), tamales, Lamb al pastor. The traditional Yelapa Pie is found only on Yelapa beach. Many kinds of fish and seafood are available in the large coastal region of Costalgre.
Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican beach resort city on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area. The City of Puerto Vallarta is the government seat of the Municipality of Puerto Vallarta, which comprises the city as well as population centers outside of the city extending from Boca de Tomatlán to the Nayarit border. The city is located at 20°40′N105°16′W. The municipality has an area of 1,300.7 square kilometres (502.19 sq mi). To the north, it borders the southwest part of the state of Nayarit. To the east, it borders the municipality of Mascota and San Sebastián del Oeste, and to the south, it borders the municipalities of Talpa de Allende and Cabo Corrientes.
Bahía de Banderas is a bay on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, within the Mexican states of Jalisco and Nayarit. It is also the name of an administrative municipality, located on the bay in Nayarit state. The port and resort city of Puerto Vallarta is on the bay.
Barra de Navidad is a small town located on the western coastline of the Mexican state of Jalisco. It belongs to the municipality of Cihuatlán.
Cabo Corrientes is a cape on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Jalisco. It marks the southernmost point of the Bahía de Banderas, upon which the port and resort city of Puerto Vallarta stands. The municipality in which the cape lies is also called Cabo Corrientes.
The Mexican National Tequila Fair is held every year in Tequila, Jalisco from November 30 to December 12. It includes parades, charreadas, cock fights, serenades with mariachis, and firework displays.
Talpa de Allende is a city and municipality in Jalisco, Mexico. Surrounded by pine-covered mountains, Talpa de Allende is a silver mining town founded by the Spanish in 1599. The name "Allende" is in honor of General Ignacio Allende.
Chacala is a beach-town set in small cove on the Pacific coast of Mexico in the State of Nayarit. It is located near pueblo Las Varas and about 100 kilometers (62 mi) north of Puerto Vallarta. The name means "where there are shrimp" in Náhuatl, and is part of the coastline known as the Riviera Nayarita. The population consists of approximately 300 full-time residents, but can swell to over 1000 during Mexico's most popular vacation periods such as Semana Santa, and Christmas. Chacala is known for its physical beauty, unhurried lifestyle.
San Patricio - Melaque in the Mexican state of Jalisco is a busy community located 4+ kilometers northwest of Barra de Navidad on Bahia de Navidad. The area comprises two beachfront villages: San Patricio - Melaque and Villa Obregon all generally referred to as "Melaque." The small village of Melaque has been a vacation retreat for Mexicans for generations. San Patricio - Melaque, a kilometer long strip on the west end of the bay, is named after the Ejido San Patricio and before that a small Rancho named San Patricio. Downtown Melaque contains a colorful town square, many retail shops, two banks, many restaurants and a few hardware stores. Villa Obregon, to the east, is much more residential. The two areas of San Patricio - Melaque and Villa Obregon form the largest community along the coast between Puerto Vallarta and Cihuatlan. Playa Melaque is the main beach in the area and good for swimming, bodyboarding, and skimboarding. The west end of Melaque beach is protected from the large swells found elsewhere on the beach, allowing for swimming for children and the less adventurous.
Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by six states, which are Nayarit, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Michoacán, and Colima. Jalisco is divided into 125 municipalities, and its capital and largest city is Guadalajara.
The Riviera Nayarit is a nearly 200-mile stretch of coastline in Mexico between the historic port of San Blas, of Nayarit to where the Río Ameca empties into Banderas Bay, Nuevo Vallarta.
Tomatlán is a town and municipality, in Jalisco south of Cabo Corrientes in central-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 153 km².
Hurricane Lily was a short-lived Category 1 hurricane of August 1971 that devastated the city of Puerto Vallarta in Mexico. Forming from an area of cloudiness associated with former Atlantic Tropical Storm Chloe, the storm slowly intensified, building to peak intensity just before landfall northwest of Manzanillo, Colima on August 31. The hurricane quickly weakened and became extratropical. After leaving land, the extratropical remnants of Lily dissipated on September 1. The storm's movement close to land affected shipping due to the limited warning, which was partially set back due to difficulties in clarifying the hurricane's position on radar from reconnaissance aircraft.
Emiliano Zapata is located in the Mexican state of Jalisco in the municipality of La Huerta. at 40th Kilometer in the Highway 200 Barra de Navidad - Puerto Vallarta, in the south coast of Jalisco, it belongs to the touristic area called Costalegre. Emiliano Zapata is one of the largest villages in the municipality of La Huerta, geographically and culturally is neighboring Francisco Villa, where there's not physical boundaries between the towns.
Hurricane Jova was a strong Pacific hurricane that made landfall in Jalisco, Mexico in October 2011. The cyclone was the tenth named storm, ninth hurricane, and fifth major hurricane of the 2011 Pacific hurricane season. Jova developed from a tropical disturbance that formed on October 5. The disturbance steadily organized and acquired more thunderstorm activity over the following hours, and it became a tropical depression early on October 6. It strengthened into Tropical Storm Jova later that day. Moving generally northward, wind shear initially inhibited the system until the establishment of more favorable conditions on October 8 allowed Jova to begin to intensify. It reached hurricane strength that day as it drifted eastwards, and reached major hurricane status on October 10 after a period of steady intensification. Jova reached peak intensity the following day as a high-end Category 3 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h), and a minimum barometric pressure of 955 mbar (28.20 inHg). Jova weakened somewhat as it approached the coastline of Mexico, and made landfall near Barra de Navidad, Jalisco on October 12 as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm rapidly weakened as it moved inland and dissipated the next morning.
Hurricane Bud was a rare May major hurricane that skirted areas of the western Mexican coast. The second tropical cyclone and named storm of the 2012 Pacific hurricane season, Bud developed slowly into a tropical depression from a low-pressure area, centered well south of Mexico on May 20. It moved generally west-northwestward and by the following day, strengthened into Tropical Storm Bud. Thereafter, further intensification was slow. By late on May 23, Bud reached winds of 65 mph (105 km/h). On the following day, however, rapid deepening commenced, with the storm becoming a hurricane on that day. Bud peaked as a 115 mph (185 km/h) Category 3 hurricane on May 25. Several hours after reaching that intensity, the storm began to quickly weaken as it moved near Western Mexico. Bud continued to weaken, eventually dissipating the next day.
Yelapa is a small beach town in Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, Mexico. The village lies in the southernmost cove of Bahía de Banderas.
Costa Careyes is a private community located on the south coast of Jalisco, Mexico, on Highway 200 Melaque - Puerto Vallarta at kilometer 53.
Tropical Storm Hernan was a small and disorganized tropical cyclone that brought widespread flooding and destructive mudslides to several states in southwest Mexico in late August 2020. Hernan was the thirteenth tropical cyclone and eighth named storm of the 2020 Pacific hurricane season. A tropical storm formed from a low-pressure area that was located southwest of Mexico on August 26. Moving generally northward and paralleling the west coast of Mexico, the system was hindered by a high wind shear environment and barely strengthened. The cyclone achieved peak intensity around 6:00 UTC on August 27 with 45 mph (75 km/h) winds and a minimum barometric pressure of 1001 millibars. Passing just offshore the state of Jalisco, Hernan turned west and degenerated to a remnant low on August 28. The low moved near the Baja California Peninsula a couple hours later and dissipated shortly thereafter.
El Tuito is a Mexican agricultural town situated South of the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas in the Region Costa-Sierra Occidental of the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is the administrative and municipal seat of the municipality of Cabo Corrientes.
Boca de Tomatlán, colloquially shortened to Boca, is a small fishing village in the state of Jalisco in Mexico. It is popular with tourists visiting the nearby city of Puerto Vallarta due to its beaches.