What to visit in Nayarit? Consider this on your next trip.

The state of Nayarit is famous for its beautiful beaches, but a closer look at the region reveals that there is much more to discover. The magic of Mexico can be found throughout Nayarit. As one of the treasures of the Pacific coast, our state has all the elements that make up an quintessential Mexican experience. Since much of Nayarit is still off the beaten tourist paths, visitors who venture here will find an authenticity and magic that cannot be found anywhere else. So, here’s what to visit in Nayarit for your next trip.

Riviera Nayarit

Most travelers have heard of Nayarit’s spectacular coast. The “Riviera Nayarit” is a chain of coastal towns that stretches from Bahía de Banderas to the northern part of the state. Starting with Nuevo Nayarit, the Riviera Nayarit includes popular hotel and resort destinations such as Bucerías, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, the luxury enclaves of Punta de Mita, the bohemian town of Sayulita, and smaller, quieter villages like San Francisco, Lo de Marcos, Guayabitos, and San Blas.

These coastal towns are must-visits in Nayarit, putting the state on the tourist map, and where visitors will find most of the luxury resorts, beachfront boutique hotels, wellness retreats, and all-inclusive options. But the state of Nayarit is much more than just its stunning coast. It is also a trendy spot for culinary tourism, ecotourism, adventure, and cultural exchange.

Away from the beach and into the mountainous, jungle-covered interior, a world awaits to be discovered in Nayarit. The state is home to dense jungles and towering volcanoes, centers of indigenous communities, unique cuisine, Magic Towns, and diverse wildlife.

Its capital, Tepic

The capital of Nayarit is Tepic, a city whose rich heritage can be seen through its architecture, museums, and traditions. Tepic was founded in 1531 as the capital of the Kingdom of New Galicia, a region that included what is now Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit, Aguascalientes, Durango, Sinaloa, and San Luis Potosí. It was an important center for commerce and European society. A stroll through the center of Tepic is like stepping back in time to its Spanish-influenced past.

A visit to Tepic begins in the city center at the Plaza de Armas and its Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, built between 1804 and 1896. Visitors will also find the Temple of the Zacate Cross and the Government Palace, which houses murals by José Luis Soto. The museums in Tepic include the Regional Museum of Nayarit, as well as the Juan Escutia House-Museum, located at the birthplace of this 18th-century Mexican national hero, among many other museums dedicated to art, archaeology, history, and more.

Visitors to Tepic can also explore old haciendas, such as San Cayetano, built in the early 18th century, the Bellavista textile factory, Hacienda de Puga, and Hacienda de Mora.

Magic Towns

As you move away from Tepic, visitors come face to face with the natural beauty of the state, as well as its indigenous cultures. Surrounding Tepic are majestic mountains, which hold many of the state’s secrets, from its adventure and ecotourism offerings to its Magic Towns and native communities. The town of Amatlán de Cañas, for example, feels frozen in time. Surrounded by mountains and cut by rocky canyons, this city is known for its historic temples and numerous hot spring spas, as well as three beautiful waterfalls. Another attraction near Tepic is the archaeological site of Los Toriles, home to 93 historic structures, including a pyramid dedicated to the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl.

For culture seekers, Nayarit boasts nine very distinct and special Magic Towns. This includes the world-renowned bohemian beach community of Sayulita, as well as the towns of Compostela, Jala, Mexcaltitán, and recently, Ahuacatlán, Ixtlán del Río, Amatlán de Cañas, San Blas, and Puerto Balleto, in the Islas Marías.

Ancient Culture

Travelers interested in learning more about indigenous communities to visit in Nayarit can head to the Sierra del Nayar, a region characterized by mountains, jungle, and native communities that have kept their traditions and customs alive. The groups settled in the Sierra del Nayar include the Coras, Huicholes, Tepehuanos, and Mexicaneros.

A visit to the community of El Nayar is the best place to learn about these communities. The main ethnic groups here are the Cora and Huichol, and their Holy Week has been designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. The event features men painted with body paint from head to toe, engaging in ritual battles with wooden swords, dances, feasts, and much more.

The state of Nayarit became the latest expanding wine destination in Mexico’s wine region with the opening of the Meseta del Cielo vineyard. Located in Juanacatlán in the municipality of Jala at 1900 meters above sea level, the vineyard is the first in the state of Nayarit with over four hectares of land where Syrah and Macabeo grapes adapt perfectly to its soil.

Nature

For wildlife enthusiasts, a visit to Tepic can end up on the coast, in the coastal town of San Blas. Characterized by its mangroves and protected areas, San Blas has been a birdwatching paradise for decades. It’s one of the best examples of sustainable tourism to visit in Nayarit, with eco-conscious hotels and activities as a focus, thus creating a rich and abundant wildlife community.

The Marias Islands (Las Tres Marías) are a small archipelago located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, at a distance of 58 miles from the coast of the Mexican state of Nayarit. The chain of islands was virtually uninhabited, except for María Madre Island, which until 2019 housed a prison. In 2010, the Marias Islands were designated as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, a specially protected biodiverse region. The Tres Marías Islands are home to a diverse variety of flora and fauna, including the Three Marias raccoon and the Three Marias white-tailed rabbit. The reserve is a privileged spot for whale shark watching and is an important nesting and feeding site for large colonies of seabirds, sharks, and sea turtles.