The Beach and Surf in Barra de Navidad

Summer Surf is coming
It's getting warmer and the waves bigger. Very few gringos around but still plenty of Mexican tourists on the weekends. Can't wait until we have some weather move up the coast and see what the surf is like then. Last summer I spent most of my time in the cooler climates of Patzcuaro and Cuernavaca taking Spanish classes.

Umbrellas on the Beach


Statue marking the beginning of the Costalegre


A couple of good surfers out


15 people out in early afternoon

Surfing - Barra de Navidad

Surfing off the Barra de Navidad Jetty
From time to time in the winter the surf is pretty good in Barra but some days there is nothing. This day in Feburary 2006 the surf was some of the best winter surf I've seen there. I can be much larger during the summer season. Go through town to the Malecon that goes out to the jetty and harbor entrance. Easy water entrance from either side of the break. There is a rental shack on the Malecon that also offers lessons. During the summer you'll have to rent a board in town at one of the few shops

Rental Shack on the Malecon


Town of Melaque in the background


Even winter surf can be fun


Pulling up?

Colimilla by Water Taxi

We were going to go over to the Grand Bay Hotel to look at kayaks but the water taxi guys tried everything to dissuade us. Too expensive and there might be a problem walking from the hotel to Colimilla, which is very close. So we decided just to take the taxi directly to Colimilla, have a beer, lunch and walk around a bit. We ate at Restaurant Colimilla and could have done better. Prices were a little high, food not special ... and no options other than seafood.





Leaving the water taxi dock


Passing the "Mexican" side of the Barra beach


Passing by a few small boats in the Grand Bay Hotel Marina


Restaurant Mary on the south side of Colimilla


A young salesman working tourists in Restaurant Colimilla


Relaxing in Restaurant Colimilla

Barra de Navidad

Fotos from around Barra de Navidad

Barra de Navidad Beach from the Jetty
 

The town of Barra de Navidad (Christmas Sandbar)with a population of 7000+ is a small farming and fishing community located on the east end of the Bahía de Navidad, 60 km north of Manzanillo. In recent years, the Jalisco state government has promoted Barra as a tourist attraction of the Costalegre. The beachfront fronting the sandbar arks toward Melaque 4.5 kilometers to the west.

Fishing boats and water taxies along the lagoon

The history of "modern" Barra de Navidad dates back to the mid-1500's when the Spanish used it for ship building, repairs and a jumping off point to the Philippines.

Hotel Grand Bay looking across from the jetty

The large lagoon behind Barra de Navidad is criss-crossed by small fishing boats gathering scallops and transporting visitors and locals from Barra to Isla Navidad and the Grand Bay Hotel, recently voted the Number One hotel/resort in Mexico by the Travel Channel. These boats (panga taxies) also carry passengers to and from the small Colima community of Colimilla where restaurants line the shore.

Barra de Naviadad and Isla de Navidad from the air