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Barra de Navidad the non hidden enchantment of Costalegre |
By Silvia Álvarez – November 2006
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Puerto Vallarta is a friendly destination, enclosed with other nearby and charming destinations of Jalisco; one of them is Barra de Navidad.
After taking the 200 highway in the exit toward Mismaloya to the south of the city begins a trip filled with beautiful views full of vegetation with abundant green tonalities.
During the journey of 200 kilometers approximately, the travelers can make “stops” in villages like Boca de Tomatlan, El Tuito y Tomatlan, each one has its own enchant and specialties that also attract numerous visitors and that without including the excellent exclusive resorts located along the road, but that is subject for more stories.
 If you have the opportunity, live early in the morning, this way you will have the time to enjoy one of the frozen coconuts that sell in the small booths near to the deviation to Barra de Navidad, when you get to the village don’t forget to go shopping in the local stores, stone necklaces, shells and complete snail collections are available besides other Mexican handcrafts, if you think the prices are high in some of the stores, don’t forget that in Mexico bargain is acceptable. The admiration for the rustic constructions and the red tiles is free, take advantage or that.
A walk by the village for sure will relax you, small enchantments exist like local coffees and also fresh seafood restaurants with impressive views to the Navidad Bay with its constant hills and big rocks, as to the lagoon of the same name that is the point of reference and whose recommendation is obliged.
Flooded with marine water, to cross this small lagoon does not stop being a tempation for those of us that visit the village, a boat can give you a tour of 30 minutes for $200.00 pesos for five persons, but the price might change if you talk to the boatman.
The tour begins in the pier and few minutes after you can see closer the impressive Isla Navidad Resort that has a marina and a golf course among other attractions, however as you continue the tour, you can immediately appreciate the natural beauty of the lagoon in whose center is found an island surrounded by mangrove, favorite place of the pelicans that are constant inhabitants of the place and who share with the fishermen the magnificent fishing of the day.
The vegetation of the place is conformed by ceibas, palms, multicolored jacarandas and other tropical plants that fill any available hollow, Alejandro, our captain explain to us that many of the most attractive lands of the area have been expropriated by the ejidatarios with the excuse of giving more capital gain to the destination by granting them to the investors, in spite of it recognizes that tourism is the main motor of life of this pleasant place, which by the way has become one of the favorite of the foreign tourism.
After traveling also through one of the residential areas, which by the way have suffered, survived and surpassed the attacks of nature, you get to see the shrimp fisher sunk in the middle of the lagoon and that now serves as hideout of the fish and mollusks, the tour concludes with pleasing memories, but as always the dessert not to forget feels like and the fundamental thing is to taste one of the pineapples prepare with fruit and granadina…Barra de Navidad surely will invite you to return and find more of its not so hidden treasures.
A little of history
Those that live in Barra de Navidad say that the name of the village was originated in 1540 when indeed, on December 25, Christmas day, Virrey Antonio de Mendoza disembarked in that area, his assignment was to finish with a rebellion. The founder of the village was Don Francisco de Hijar.
It became to be one of the most important ports of the Nueva España, however was relieved by Acapulco and became a fishing village and up to the date many of its settlers devote themselves to this work, although others have opted for commerce, local gastronomy and tourism service.
Silvia Álvarez
E-mail: silvialvarezb@yahoo.com.mx
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