Bucerias Beach: Crafting Memories with the Top 10 Experiences
Bucerias Beach: Crafting Memories with the Top 10 Experiences
Visiting Bucerias in the Mexican State of Nayarit will be an experience full of entertaining moments.
You can enjoy them as you like since the options will be the most diverse; sea, sun, surf, fishing, golf, snorkeling, and zip line are some ideas to build your trip.
Due to its excellent location in the heart of Banderas Bay, the beaches in Bucerias are calm and pleasant.
If you are new to any of the aquatic activities, don’t worry. There are different services and gear rentals to surf, snorkel, or dive like a pro.
Where is Bucerias, Mexico?
Bucerias is located in the municipality of Bahia de Banderas, Nayarit.
- 145 km from Tepic (Nayarit’s Capital)
- 20 km from Puerto Vallarta
- 5.9 km from La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
- 21 km from Punta Mita
- Less than 10 km north of Nuevo Vallarta
One of the best ways to get there is by plane from Mexico City (or anywhere else) to the Puerto Vallarta International Airport.
The flight takes approximately 1 hour and a half and then a short drive to Bucerias.
Top 10 things to do in Bucerias Mexico
1. Stay in a comfortable hotel
Bucerías is a perfect place to stay and get to know this picturesque town and many other areas of interest in Banderas Bay.
Within the hotel offer, you will find ideal establishments for solo travelers, couples, and families; those that accept pets and those that operate under the practical all-inclusive modality.
Let’s take a look at the most popular hotels:
- Hotel Suites Costa Dorada has a unique location. Although most hotels are near the beach, Costa Dorada is the best swimming spot
- Hotel and Suites Corita, also beachfront, has comfortable rooms with spacious beds and a private beach area
- Aventura Pacifico is very close to the beach and has a covered terrace from which you have a magnificent Pacific view and an outdoor pool
- Hotel Palmeras is 200 meters from the beach and is very cozy, with well-kept gardens, a swimming pool, and other facilities
2. Visit the Church dedicated to the Señora de la Paz (Our Lady of Peace)
Our Lady of Peace is one of the various invocations by which the Virgin Mary is venerated.
She is the patron saint of many localities, particularly in the Spanish-speaking culture.
Commonly, patronage has been granted after her intercession in a miraculous event.
Legend has it that the boat trip transporting the virgin’s image to Bucerías was a rough sea, and the sailors begged the virgin to take them safely to land, after which she received the name of Virgen de la Paz (Virgin of Peace).
Our Lady of Peace of Bucerías Mexico rests in a beautiful church with a wide central entrance, two side entrances, and a three-bodied tower from which the bells mark the passing of the hours in the quiet town.
The temple is opposite the Plaza de Armas (main square), with beautiful gardens, palm trees, well-maintained green areas, and a nice kiosk.
In the Plaza de Armas, the laid-back locals of Bucerías gather to chat or let time pass while they are always ready to answer any tourist questions.
3. Stroll the streets and visit the Bucerias market
Many people nostalgic for the Puerto Vallarta of the mid-20th century go to Bucerías to reminisce about it.
One of the great pleasures of visiting a town like Bucerias Mexico is to walk along its cobblestone streets and greet the locals who chat with neighbors at the doors of the picturesque houses.
Feel free to ask them for any information necessary to ensure the trip’s success.
Stop at a café or a street market to learn about the handicrafts and vegetable products best found in the locality.
Before becoming a tourist attraction, Bucerías‘ primary source of income was the fishing industry and the cultivation of some agricultural products, including corn, peanuts, and various fruits.
In the town’s small market, you can find these farm products, fresh oysters, and Huichol handicrafts.
4. Relax on the beach and watch the sunset
Bucerías Beach offers ample space to lie on a towel and sunbathe in search of that long-awaited tan to surprise your friends when you return to your city.
Or maybe you prefer the comfort of a lounger on which to continue the exciting novel you’re halfway through while occasionally taking a sip of your cocktail and glancing out to the infinite sea.
If you like to stay on the beach until the end of the day, you will be rewarded with one of the most beautiful sunsets.
However, if you prefer to leave the beach early to shower, eat, rest, and continue the program of activities, I recommend you include another walk along the beach to watch the spectacular sunset. It is well worth it.
Due to the beach’s location, in summer, the sunset in Bucerías is not seen over the sea but in the mountains on the west side of the bay.
5. Enjoy the food in Bucerias Mexico
The gastronomy of the state of Nayarit is very rich, especially seafood.
The zarandeado fish, a delicacy in which a good piece, such as snapper or red snapper, is butterflied open and grilled, has already become one of the leading “ambassadors” of Mexican culinary art.
Ceviches and aguachile made with fresh seafood are other delicacies offered at almost any beach restaurant in Bucerías.
One step higher, presiding over the gastronomic journey, is the Pacific lobster, which in Bucerías can be prepared Thermidor style, with garlic or however you prefer to enjoy it.
6. Walk, swim, and horseback ride
If you never miss your exercise routine, in Bucerías, you don’t have to stop, although if you prefer to rest, the day will come for you to return to the gym, tennis, and other sports activities.
In Bucerías, you can walk along the beach shore, which is particularly pleasant early in the morning, before the sun gets too hot, and at sunset, contemplating the gorgeous landscape.
You can also swim in the pools and the sea and ride a pleasant horseback. Watching the horizon while horseback riding is an incomparable experience.
7. Practice your favorite beach sport in Bucerias Mexico
Bucerias has a privileged location that allows you to practice your favorite beach sport.
The swell is often good for surfing, and many youngsters take their favorite board with them to glide harmoniously along the crests of the waves, although you can also rent one on-site.
The same if you prefer boogie-boarding. There is also often good wind for windsurfing.
Another entertainment practiced by visitors to Bucerías Beach is the collection of sea shells.
These are used as beads to make a typical necklace, place at the bottom of the fish tank, or decorate a small space at home.
8. Enjoy the “Art Walk Night”
The art walk night has become a modern tradition in Bucerias.
It begins on Thursday afternoons on Lázaro Cárdenas Street and continues late into the night.
Visitors walk along the lively street, enter the art galleries and craft stores, compare prices, and make the most convenient purchase.
But it’s not just walking and shopping. The kind and skillful shopkeepers offer the public free tequila or another drink to encourage people to make a good purchase.
9. Participate in a sand sculpting competition
Sand sculpting is a fun way to spend time at the beach and unleash the little artist in all of us.
Many children have identified their interest in art by doing sand sculpting.
At Bucerías Beach, you can make your sand figure for the pure pleasure of the spirit or participate in a competition.
Judges will evaluate your work and tell you if it would be worthwhile to dedicate yourself to sculpture.
Don’t expect big prizes; the real rewards will come eventually when you become a famous sculptor.
10. Bucerias Mexico – Festivities
If you can plan your trip to Bucerías to coincide with these three dates, you will enjoy a lively town apart from the sea and its attractions.
- On January 24, the day of the Virgen de la Paz is celebrated. The image of the virgin is taken to the sea in procession, where it is awaited by beautifully decorated boats amidst music and fireworks
- October 14 is the town’s anniversary, which is celebrated in style
- November 22 is the day of Santa Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians, and Bucerías welcomes performers from other nearby towns, who compete with the locals to offer the best music to their patron saint
Our brief tour of Bucerías Mexico has come to an end. However, you are now ready to visit and get the most out of your next beach vacation in this destination.
Have you been to Bucerias? Please share your comments below.
