Barra de Navidad

We left Ajijic early on a Sunday morning. Lake Chapala had been dry and dusty, although sprinkled a couple times hinting at the rainy season to come. We were heading back to the Pacific Coast where it would be warm and humid. Descending to the coastal plain from 1,525 m (5,000 ft) on the paved road from Guadalajara to Manzanillo, we could feel the temperature and humidity increasing to 25°C (77°F) and 70% humidity. The air felt dense and heavy. What would summer be like at 35°C (95°F) and 90% humidity? 

Marlin-sailfish sculpture at the entrance to Barra de Navidad

We spent five weeks on the Costa Alegre (happy or cheerful coast), roughly 300 km (180 mi) of coast south of Puerto Vallarta to Manzanillo. A tropical environment, modest beach towns and uncrowded beaches attract Mexicans on weekends and holidays from as far as Guadalajara and Mexico City (link). American and Canadian tourists and snowbirds show up in the winter (November-April) when the temperatures are warm and it rarely rains, but their presence is not large like in Puerto Vallarta.

Los Barriles

Los Barriles is a small town (pop. 1,174 in 2010 census) off the Transpeninsular Highway (KM 105) between La Paz and San José del Cabo. We drove by on a trip to Baja Sur in 2011, went back for two weeks in 2012 and for three months in 2013. Los Barriles translates as “the barrels”; according to legend, conquistadors buried gold in barrels in the hills overlooking Bahia de las Palmas (link). 

The town grew up around sportfishing, which caught on in the 1950s and 1960s (link) when small fishing resorts hosted Hollywood stars like Errol Flynn, John Wayne and Bing Crosby (link). The area has some of the best fishing in the world (link, link, link) and fishing tournaments with significant prizes (link).

Entrance to Los Barriles from the Transpeninsular Highway

Today, snowbirds, part-time residents, retired gringos and tourists mingle with the local Mexican community. Cows and goats wander the roads and ATVs (known as “quads”) are a primary form of transportation. The main street through town is paved, but everything else is dirt. With only a few tourist hotels, Los Barriles is still a bit sleepy and dusty. It’s the anti-Cabo San Lucas – no cruise ships call here and the town is quiet after midnight.