Granted I didn’t do too much research before I came to visit this town. The little I did, gave me the impression that the town was more like a village, on the smaller side and fairly quaint. Well I’m here to tell you about the busy & vibrant town of Rincon de Guayabitos.
Guayabitos the fishing village
As with many little seaside villages along Mexico’s coastline, Guayabitos has slowly grown in popularity by both nationals and international visitors. What started as a little fishing village is now a booming resort town.
Easy Access
Highway 200 comes right up along side of the town so there is easy access for visitors from the bigger centres of the state of Nayarit. Guayabitos is basically two long streets that parallel the coastline for about 2 kilometres.
The main street, Ave. Sol Nuevo, closest to the highway is very busy. From the town square going south it is lined with back to back stores and restaurants spilling out onto the sidewalks. The town is so big now there is even a Subway and a Burger King!
If you are needing a break from the hustle and bustle of main street, the road closest to the beach is much quieter for a stroll. The street name changes just about every block, so for me its ‘the street close to the beach’. 🙂
Town square has a nice quiet park like feeling and across is the large brick newer church. Quite an extraordinary building and worth a look for sure.
Accommodation
There are numerous hotels both big and small that line the entire stretch of town. Most are local bungalow type inns that do not advertise on the big sites like expedia and hotels.com. Some of these look absolutely beautiful, like a boutique hotel and others are more of the budget variety. There are two large Decameron hotels in this stretch too, offering a more upscale resort type experience. When I was trying to find accommodation through Airbnb and VRBO, there was not a lot available, especially for a budget traveller.
Vendors
There are soooo many vendors of trinkets, souvenirs, beach toys, clothing, you name it, you can find it. These vendors are not only located all along the streets but the beach as well. All of the vendors I have encountered and interacted with have been very friendly and polite.
Crowds
The town is packed. Granted I am visiting at the height of international tourist season. The national tourists visit all year long as well, with the bumper season for them being July and August. Expect crowded sidewalks and beaches just about all year round.
Walking Around
Guayabitos is a walking friendly town. The sidewalks are pretty good, the streets are paved, paving stones or cobble stones. To the north of the down town, there is a stretch of wealthy residences, and this area is a lovely place to walk.
The road is nice and wide, the sidewalks are even and there is not a lot of vehicular or foot traffic. In fact, if you take this road far enough north, it will bring you to the The Bridge of Life, a suspension bridge that takes you into the charming town of La Penita.
I have walked Guayabitos extensively. There is not a large number of locals residing in the town, there simply isn’t the room. I have the impression that most of the people that work in the town actually live over in La Penita or elsewhere.
Visiting
I think Rincon de Guayabitos is definitely worth visiting. The beach is gorgeous, almost 3 kilometres long when the tide is out from one end to the other. There is a lot going on in this town, great people watching, hopping bars and loads of street food vendors. If you want to immerse yourself in a vibrant and lively Mexican resort town, this is your place!
