Ajijic

We left the Pacific coast before Easter and headed inland to Lake Chapala. Semana Santa (Holy Week) was approaching and the beaches would be filled with vacationers, a kind of Mexican spring break. The drive from Barra de Navidad to Lake Chapala was uneventful. We took Mexico 200 south along the coast skirting mangrove-flanked estuaries and the port of Manzanillo. Turning north on Mexico 110, we passed through Colima, the capital of Mexico’s fourth smallest states, and picked up Mexico 54 to Guadalajara. Gaining elevation, we passed the impressive Colima Volcanic Complex, including Nevado de Colima at 4,300 m (14,000 ft), at the western end of the 900-km (560-mi) trans-Mexican volcanic belt (link).

Ajijic and Lago de Chapala

Los Toros y Las Sardinas

This is a story about life and death on a beach in Bahía de Banderas. The main characters are jurel toro, or simply toro, the local name for the Pacific crevalle jack (Carangidae), and sardina, the local name for the flatiron herring (Clupeidae). 

Jurel toro or Pacific crevalle jack

Sardina or flatiron herring

Los Arcos

Los Arcos (The Arches) is one of the most popular diving and snorkeling spots in Bahía de Banderas (Bay of Flags) and is visited by many of the local tourist companies (link) and dive shops (link). It comprises five granite islets from 5-50 m (16-160 ft) high about 10 km (6 mi) south of Puerto Vallarta. I snorkeled the rocks when we were here in early April and again when we returned in early June.

Los Arcos from Puerto Vallarta

Coastal Trail from Boca to Quimixto

We love to hike, so we were happy to learn of a two-mile trail along the coast from Boca de Tomatlán to Las Animas. Most tourists go by water taxi (panga) to Las Animas, Quimixto and Yelapa, coastal villages west of Boca. We asked about the trail in town and were told that it goes beyond Las Animas to Quimixto, over four miles (measured on Google Earth). We planned to start early, stop for lunch along the way and return to Boca by water taxi in the afternoon. We packed light, took several liters of water and snacks, wore sturdy trail shoes and started before the sun was over the hills behind Boca.

Start of the trail