The main Costalegre attractions are its beaches, sunsets, weather, rich Mexican culture with its traditional cuisine, and the various ecological reserves. Those who visit this wonderful region enjoy a diversity of tourist attractions that make for an unforgettable vacation.
On the different bays of Costalegre, you can admire uncontrolled waves breaking into huge, impressive cliffs. Costalegre sightseeing features a wide variety of animal life and tropical vegetation along with fascinating panoramic views that this coastal jungle provides to delight anyone who visits.
For golf lovers, Costalegre features two amazing, professional golf courses: the 18-hole Tamarindo course and the 24-hole Isla de Navidad; both offer the player a very natural and appropriate environment in which to enjoy this most healthy diversion.
Other popular Costalegre attractions are snorkeling, diving, and boogie board.
The best place to snorkel is "The Aquarium," located on top of the hill at Mora Beach. If you prefer direct contact with nature, you can rent a motorboat for a guided tour among the mangroves to best appreciate the exuberant vegetation and animal diversity of this unequalled jungle region.
In the heart of Costalegre, you will find the Sierra de Manantlan Biosphere, an ecological reserve that serves as habitat to several endangered species; this reserve has an expanse of 150,000 hectares and is surrounded by the counties of Autlan, Casimiro Castillo, Cuautitlan, Toliman, and Tuxcacuesco.
This site is important as a home to more than 2900 plant species, 50% of which are found only in Mexico. The main objectives are to maintain regional biological diversity and to set norms for developing sustainable ecotourism. This ambitious project focuses mainly on preserving and protecting the precious life of the ecosystem as well as educating and creating a culture of awareness of the endangered flora and fauna, thereby promoting a love of nature.
In Barra de Navidad, fishing serves as recreation and amusement in harmony with nature. If you like sport fishing, the Barra de Navidad region is rich in species such as sailfish, marlin, and tuna. The internationally renowned Sailfish Fishing International Tournament takes place each year over three days at the end of January.
Do not forget to visit our Fishing mini-site.
In Costalegre, and specifically in Tenacatita Bay, snorkeling and diving lovers are in a paradise of amusement and recreation. This bay features numerous coral reefs and a great diversity of interesting marine life, such as sharks, whales, turtles, and dolphins, as well as the heterogeneous flora typical of the Pacific Ocean.
Do not forget to visit our Diving mini-site.
Barra de Navidad and Majahuas are perfect places to surf due to the imposing force of waves, an important condition for this sport. Another beach in Costalegre appropriate for surfing is El Tecuan, 3 miles north of Tenacatita. This beach presents the wildest waves of the region due to the westerly winds and is recommended for experienced surfers.
This town is in the south of Costalegre. It is a village by the sea ideal for a tranquil vacation. Just the name of this spot awakens special interest. Barra de Navidad is indeed, as its name says, a natural sand bar (barra) perpendicular to Punta El Viejo, between Melaque Bay and Navidad Lagoon. This rustic settlement offers sufficient facilities for every visitor. Barra de Navidad restaurants are right on the beach where you can savor the freshest regional seafood.
There is no other bay in Mexico featuring as many islands as this one. Situated between Punta Rivas and Punta Farallon, it shows its hegemony by protecting with crags some nine large islands and several small ones. Some of these, such as La Colorada, San Andres, Novilla, Esfinge, San Pedro, and La Negrita, provide ideal shelter for a wide variety of birds and dolphins. This region features impeccable tourist services and is conveniently accessible from Puerto Vallarta or Barra de Navidad.
Tenacatita is situated at less than an hour drive from Manzanillo; this village features a chain of isolated beaches along the unspoiled Costalegre, where the amazing hotel Blue Bay Los Angeles Locos can be found. This town is ideal for diving and snorkeling, it is one of Mexico's largest bays and features the perfect conditions for fishing. Its peace and quiet is due to its limited tourist infrastructure, which attracts a section of tourism that prefers to relax at a more natural environment uncorrupted by the modernity and hustle and bustle of today's lifestyle. If you stay here, visiting Boca de Iguanas and Punta Serena are a must. La Manzanilla is one of its fishing villages of calm and beautiful beaches.
This place presents exceptional beauty thanks to a set of unspoiled beaches and restaurants with the most exquisite gastronomic specialties located on seaboards surrounded by deluxe residential and hotel resorts. This area is also famous by its turtle nesting beaches. The vast expanse of the open sea, the different colors and textures of the sand as well as the diversity of animal species enrich the biological diversity of the region.
This coast puts together a group of beautiful beaches of light gray color that integrate natural elements to enjoy the sun and sea. This place of wide beaches is ideal for the adventure stroll, camping and fishing on direct contact with nature. You can enjoy a delicious lobster, octopus or crab at the different palapa (thatched hut) restaurants distributed along the coast. Here you can find the most important turtle fields of the region. The weather is sunny and pleasant almost all year long. The vivid colors of the jungle and the place tranquility are ideal to distress and unwind.
Cuastecomates is a tiny coastal town located on a beautiful cove that protects its beaches providing the ideal conditions for a placid swim in the sea or snorkel. In this beautiful village some private bungalows can be found featuring a beach ambiance full of peace and tranquility. When walking along the beach, you will find as well some thatched restaurants where you will be able to enjoy an abundant variety of exquisite seafood.
This is a classic and discreet Mexican village located about two hundred kilometers to the south of Puerto Vallarta and around a hundred kilometers to the north of Manzanillo. La Manzanilla is a small fishing town that features huge beaches and typical palapas, calm waters and golden sands surrounded by a set of palm trees and fruit trees on the shore of a great mangrove swamp that provides life to different marshes where a great variety of alligators and fish can be seen on their natural habitat.
Melaque is a coastal town located about 300 kilometers south of Guadalajara. It is found under the protection of huge rocks and features golden and family ambiance beaches; it is known along with Barra de Navidad as Costalegre's capital. Melaque is famous for its beautiful beaches, which are ideal for fishing, diving and boat riding. In this village you can taste the traditional regional cuisine that includes the freshest seafood and the typical tuba (palm trees' beverage) at any of the various restaurants on the beach. El Mirador is the perfect place to admire the unequalled sunsets of this region.
Its name stands for tomatoes place. This county's topography is rather flat. Its peculiar vegetation is very diverse, since it includes the coastal features as well as the mountain range ones. Here you will find the main salt mines of the state of Jalisco. Amongst its natural attractions are a large amount of beaches along the 45 kilometers of coast.
As you take pleasure on the beaches of Costa Careyes, enter deep into the animal world on its natural habitat visiting Isla de los Pajaros (bird's island) on the shore of this coastline, or the turtle nesting on Teopa beach. Take delight in the impressive image of the Volcan de Fuego (fire volcano) or have fun with the bullfighting show on the beach of Melaque featuring rodeo and fireworks. Costalegre's carnival takes place in Barra de Navidad, during the five days before Ash Wednesday. Costalegre has a lot to offer its visitors looking for fun, adventure, tranquility and direct contact with the purest nature. Have and adventure and enjoy Costalegre sightseeing!