Ever since my trip to Puerto Vallarta a few years ago, I’ve been itching to get back to Mexico. I loved the food, the unique experiences and the breathtaking location! This time around, I had the opportunity to explore Nayarit’s magic towns! During the trip, I explore everything from bustling beach side towns and volcanos to quaint villages and farms. It was such an incredible experience and I’m so excited to share my latest travel itinerary with you – my Nayarit Mexico travel guide!
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Nayarit Mexico Travel Guide: The Magic Towns
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Nayarit is close to Puerto Vallarta but the vibe is completely different! It was really neat to see a different and more authentic side to Mexico.
What I loved my recent trip to Mexico is that I got to see so many hidden gems! The resorts are beautiful, of course, but Nuevo Nayarit has so much more to offer. Nayarit is full of color, romance and has so many beautiful and interesting places to explore! San Pancho and Sayulita are two of those places. Situated along the Riviera Nayarit, both of these beach towns have an authentic old world charm about them that I just love! Although they’re next to each other, they differ in so many ways.
San Pancho
San Pancho (also known as San Francisco) is a charming small town with a friendly locals, a gorgeous beach, stunning streets and a relaxing atmosphere. It was definitely picturesque with beautiful architecture, colorful flags lining the streets and an untouched beach. The beach was actually my favorite part of this small town! It was so clean and absolutely beautiful. I actually preferred it to the more popular Nayarit beach in Sayulita!
Sayulita
In contrast to San Pancho, Sayulita has a much more lively and bohemian vibe with tons of shopping, great eateries and an iconic surf scene. Sayulita is also one of Nayarit‘s four Magic Towns (Pueblo Magico)! I love the colorful flags in San Pancho but they are quite abundant in Sayulita with many opportunities for Instagram-worthy photos! There was also a fairly large market, a bustling beach and unique architecture.
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Compostela Nayarit
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Jala Nayarit
We visited three of the four Magic Towns (Pueblo Magico) in Nayarit and while I loved all of them, I have to say that the most magical of all was Jala. Situated inland away from the hustle and bustle of the cities and resorts, is this authentic Mexican village known for it’s agriculture (including giant corn), volcano and magic. For such a small town, there do much to do!
Adventurers will love the Ceboruco volcano (thrill seekers can also paraglide!), history lovers will enjoy seeing the basilica and old church and foodies will adore the fresh farm to table options. And of course, don’t forget to immerse yourself in the authentic Mexican culture by strolling along the colorful streets and grabbing some delicious treats from the market. Jala was probably my favorite out of all the towns we visited. Definitely worth the trek!
Ceboruco Volcano
Seeing Ceboruco Volcano was such a cool experience! We got up there a bit late so we didn’t have much time to explore but it was still a blast. On the way up, we stopped at a lookout to view the town of Jala. Once we got there, I saw smoke coming from various areas of rock. The smoke was actually more like steam and felt like a sauna. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen!
Basícila Lateranese de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
This is truly one of the most beautiful basilicas that I’ve ever seen! The outside is, of course, very beautiful but the inside is like WOW – SO STUNNING! From the light blue color palette and shimmering chandeliers to the painted ceilings and ornate walls, I just couldn’t get enough (which I’m sure is evident from the amount of photos I included lol). This is a must see for anyone in the area!
Convent of Limpia y Purísima Concepción de María
This was first church in the area, built in 1582. It’s definitely smaller than the basilica but the history is incredible. I loved learning more about the church and the role that it played within the town of Jala.
The Plaza
Like Compostela, Jala has lots of little areas to explore. It’s definitely a very colorful town… probably the most colorful on our tour! Strolling along the streets, you’ll find lots of murals, a rainbow of buildings and tons of unique architecture. I love how the history and uniqueness of the town are incorporated in the murals as well. Next to this specific plaza were a wide variety of vendors that sold fruit, coconut water, clothing and more.
The Farm
The owners of the El Rincón del Campesino restaurant let us tour their farm and it was such an eye-opening experience. It’s situated in front of the mountains with a picturesque view. They grow so many different types of fruits, vegetables and even coffee! Many of these items are used in their restaurant for a true farm to table experience.
El Rincón del Campesino
After the farm tour, we got to experience this family owned Nayarit Mexican restaurant first hand and I’ve got to say, it might be the best food we had during the entirety of our trip. You can just taste the freshness! Everything was homemade, including the tortillas (which was so cool to see). We also got to sample their honey and tequila. The tequila was definitely too strong for me lol! The honey on the other hand was the BEST that I have ever tasted! If a smaller jar had been available, I would have brought home several of them.
Check out the short video to see more of Jala!
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Nayarit Mexico FAQ
Where is Nayarit?
Nayarit is a small state in Mexico bordered by Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas and Jalisco. It located on the west side of Mexico and has a significant coastline with lots of beach destinations and a resort area known as Riviera Nayarit.
Is Nayarit a state?
Yes, Nayarit is a state!
Is Nayarit safe?
Before going, we did a ton of research and found that it was a safe place to visit. We also asked our tour guide and a few locals and they all assured us that it was one of the safest states to visit. We traveled to a few different areas along the coast and inland and never once felt unsafe!
What is Nayarit known for?
Nayarit is known for a lot of different things depending on the area. The Riviera Nayarit area is probably best known for it’s surf capital, Sayulita along with the many popular resorts including Vidanta Rivera Nayarit, Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit and more. Inland, Compostela is known for coffee and leather goods while Jala is known for it’s magic and large corn!
How far is Nayarit from Puerto Vallarta?
It depends on where you are in Nayarit! From Puerto Vallarta to Riviera Nayarit, the drive was about 20 minutes by car.
Which flights to Nayarit Mexico should I take?
Again, this depends where you will be in Nayarit. We started off (and ended) our adventure in Riviera Nayarit so we flew into and out of the Puerto Vallarta airport. It also looks like there is an airport in Nayarit’s capital Tepic so I would consider this for more inland destinations.
What is Nayarit weather like?
We went in May so I can only speak for myself. It was quite warm with a bit of humidity (it was very humid on the day we left though!). I packed a lot of lightweight dresses, good walking shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, etc. It wasn’t too different than when I went to Puerto Vallarta in August. Check out my packing and outfit recommendations here!
Riviera Nayarit vs Puerto Vallarta
They are actually fairly close to one another and have many similarities. Having been to both, I would say that the vibe and overall feeling is different in each one. Puerto Vallarta has a more lively atmosphere and much more to do within a short distance. The town is quite walkable and there are a lot of places to be explored. It’s fairly easy to find a variety of shops, restaurants, nightlife, beach excursions, etc. I wouldn’t say that it’s necessarily a party town though. I found it to be quite romantic! Check out my Puerto Vallarta travel guide here and my hotel recommendation here!
On the other hand, Riviera Nayarit seems to be much more relaxed. There are many luxurious resorts along the coastline and it seems like most people stay at the resort (unless they venture out for the day). There is a lot to do at the resorts but there are also a few of quaint bohemian surf side towns nearby to explore. I would say that overall the vibe is much more chill and private than Puerto Vallarta.
Overall Thoughts on Nayarit Mexico
I had a great experience exploring the magic towns in Nayarit Mexico! I got to see so many things that I otherwise wouldn’t have. The food, sights and people we met were truly amazing. I can’t wait to go back and explore more!
Check out this post for my top Nayarit Mexico Resorts and Hotels!
Have you ever been to Nayarit?
Which of these magic towns would are you putting on your bucket list?
xo
