Mexico’s ‘Pueblo Magicos’ are a richly rewarding cultural experience | Canada Voices

Jala (pronounced Hala) is at the foot of the Ceboruco Volcano, referred to with respect and affection as the “Black Giant.” This village in the southwest interior of Nayarit is a “pueblo magico,” one of more than a hundred designated Mexican pueblas where cultural and historical traditions endure. They are often small rural towns, off the tourist track and home to preserved indigenous craftsmanship or exceptional natural landscapes. The designation is a marketing initiative of Mexican tourism to bring visitors to less visited parts of the country.

But is there magic in these pueblas? I visited three of them in Nayarit – Jala, San Blas and Sayulita – to find out.

Jala in the late afternoon was golden. The houses, painted in hues of pink, blue, yellow and green, and lining cobbled streets, were washed with warm light. The central square was quiet and Doña Rafaela had her cart under a lemon tree, making tejuino. That’s a local drink made from freshly squeezed lime juice, a pinch of salt and a pinch of baking soda mixed with liquid fermented corn and shaken with ice. It is a bit sweet, a bit vinegary and a perfect antidote to the heat. Also, Doña Rafaela assures me, it is buena para los rinones – good for the kidneys.

What I realized right away was that Jala was a place to be, rather than to do. Certainly there is much to do – hiking, swimming in the El Salto waterfall, parasailing from the mountains, camping – but the village exudes a tranquility that is mesmerizing. A painter or a photographer would be in heaven here.

Consider the the Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption. Constructed in 1856 of pink, green and yellow local stone, the church has one large central tower, an anomaly in Mexican church design.

Then opposite the cathedral is the now abandoned church of San Francisco of Asis. Built in 1674 by Franciscan monks, the old church is an aging beauty, with a rare statue of the Virgin Mary wearing a crown of feathers, which speaks to the fusion of Spanish and pre-Hispanic beliefs.

That fusion was central to the cleansing ceremony I experienced when I ventured down a narrow street to the home of a family of witches and wizards, brujas and magos.

Raúl is the chief wizard, though he could more accurately be called a curandera, a healer, who has taught his daughters the ways of this ancient practice, and they, in turn, are teaching apprentices to carry on the work. In a syncretic mix of European Catholicism and pre-Colombian native lore, the healers perform rituals for cleansing, curing a broken heart, banishing bad dreams or averting the mal de ojo, the evil eye. The rituals feel as old as time.

I entered a room full of Christian crosses, strings of prayer beads and religious statues to experience a cleansing ceremony. My face and body were gently rubbed with water, with an egg and with a smooth blue stone. There was a circle of fire and salt. The finale was a head to toe whisk with branches of the paradiso tree.

When I left, there were 15 more waiting for the brujos to tend to them next. I found it fascinating that these mystical and religious beliefs co-exist in harmony and were an obvious source of comfort for the Jalenas.

The next morning I met with a hiking guide and we tackled Jala’s Ceboruco volcano. First was a bumpy 40-minute ride up a single-track cobbled road to the start of the hiking trail.

Ceboruco is an active volcano that last erupted in 1870. The hiking trail to the top of the highest crater is just three kilometres but is challenging because the path is covered with volcanic silt and rocks that can slip and slide underfoot. We passed by fumaroles where steam was escaping and saw no one, the air was heavy with the scent of pine and the only sound was birdsong. At the top, the valleys and towns and volcanic mountains spread out like a fine tapestry.

Be warned – few people speak English in Jala and the food in the small restaurants along the main street is hyper local and perhaps unfamiliar. Dinner at my hotel, the Nukari Quinta, served in the rooftop dining room overlooking the cathedral, was excellent and more “gringo accessible.”

San Blas

An hour and a half drive away from Jala is the village of San Blas, on the coast. Not as pretty as Jala but rich in bird life, thanks to the mangrove estuaries, San Blas is home to more than 200 species of birds, including boat-billed herons, blue-footed boobies and oystercatchers. La Tovara National Park is on the migratory path of birds from both South and North America and abounds in marine and wildlife. Tours through the mangrove swamp can be arranged through Safaris San Blas or by just showing up at the dock by the bridge in San Blas and negotiating. Bring cash, mosquito repellent and sun block. The boating guide who took me through the estuaries only spoke Spanish, but pointed out the many species of birds as well as sleepy crocodiles and gnarly red, white and black mangrove trees.

This ancient oceanside town was once an important Spanish port and there are ruins of a church built in 1769 on the hill above the town. Small restaurants along the seven kilometres of beach serve local fish and seafood. I loved the whole grilled red snapper and the sweet shrimp that snapped when you bit into them, served under the shade of a palapa. Cocadas, syrupy clusters of coconut, were a perfect finish.

Sayulita

Sayulita has a different kind of charm. Once a small fishing village on the Riviera Nayarit coast, Sayulita became the Woodstock of Mexico because of its waves and easy lifestyle. Surfers and windsailers flocked to the area from around the world and as a result, the town became a magnet for a certain kind of footloose traveller. Artists and artisans also found a home here. The influx brought with it an international fusion that shows up in the culinary offerings, which combine Mexican flavours with accents from Argentina, Italy, France, Australia and America.

Sayulita is a busy and colourful town, with lots of bars, restaurants and shops. Almost everyone speaks English.

These three villages make an interesting triangle, all three of them revealing a different face of Mexico.

Are they magical? Perhaps, but certainly each town is richly rewarding and gives the traveller who is willing to venture away from the usual beach vacation an enchanting entree to Mexican culture.

That, in my book, is a kind of magic.

If You Go

I live in Mexico for three months a year and have done so for about 15 years. I know the Pacific coast well and travel in the interior often. Visitors can fly into either Puerto Vallarta or Tepic. Pick up a rental car and use the excellent new toll roads, which wind through the Sierra Madres mountains, blue agave fields and mango groves. This is a safe drive – except for the possibility of a jaguar crossing the road. Jala is two hours from Puerto Vallarta and one hour from Tepic. The toll road also takes you to San Blas and Sayulita with some smaller roads as you reach the coast.

In Jala, stay at Nukari Quinta Boutique Hotel with 17 elegant yet traditional rooms, set around an open courtyard in an 18th century hacienda. Rates from $172. The hotel can arrange guided hikes to the Ceboruco Volcano and other activities. Dining out is for the brave, but try Cenaduria Alicia, which serves local dishes in a neighbourly and busy atmosphere. Bring your Google Translate.

In San Blas, stay at Garza Canela. This four-star family friendly hotel has a good dining room with cuisine designed by Iron Chef superstar Betty Vázquez. Rooms start at $92. Also: The beachside restaurants serve excellent fresh seafood.

In Sayulita, guests at Sayulinda Hotel will find themselves in the heart of everything, with a gorgeous rooftop bar and prize-winning bartender. Rooms start at $315. In town, for a simple lunch, Don Pedro’s serves good ribs, pizza and shrimp, with a beach view.

The writer travelled as a guest of Nayarit Tourism. It did not review or approve the story before publication.