Chacala facts for kids
Chacala is a lovely beach town in a small bay on the Pacific coast of Mexico. It is located in the state of Nayarit. You can find it near the town of Las Varas. Chacala is about 100 kilometers (62 mi) north of Puerto Vallarta. It is part of a beautiful coastline called the Riviera Nayarita. The name "Chacala" means "where there are shrimp" in the Náhuatl language.
About 300 people live in Chacala all year round. But during popular holidays like Easter Week (Semana Santa) and Christmas, the number of people can grow to over 1000. Chacala is famous for its natural beauty and its calm, relaxed way of life.
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History of Chacala
Ancient Times
Long, long ago, before Europeans arrived, the area of Nayarit and Jalisco was home to the Texcoxquin (Teqectequi) people. The Altavista petroglyphs are ancient rock carvings found near Chacala. Experts believe these carvings are from about 2300 BCE. Even today, the native Huichol still use these carvings for special religious ceremonies.
Colonial Era
The first Europeans to see Chacala Bay were led by Francisco Cortés de Buena Ventura. He was a nephew of Hernán Cortés and arrived here in 1524. Chacala was not as big a port as San Blas or Puerto Vallarta. However, the explorer Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeño visited the bay on January 7, 1596. He arrived in a small boat after his ship, the San Agustin, was wrecked far north in California.
Later, a famous Jesuit missionary named Father Eusebius Francesco Kühn, also known as 'Padre Kino', left from Chacala in May 1683. He was starting an expedition to explore new lands.
Modern Development
For many years, Chacala was a quiet fishing village and a place where coconuts were grown. Then, in 1980, a Mexican doctor named Laura del Valle arrived. She started a period of big changes for the town. In just 15 years, Chacala became a special place to visit in Mexico.
Dr. del Valle first built simple places to stay at the south end of Chacala. This area has thick rainforest with amazing wildlife. Animals like ocelots and jaguarundis live there. She built the lodge for American medical students who volunteered at her health clinic. This clinic helped people in need. Today, this place is a wellness center called Mar de Jade. It still supports many non-profit projects for the local community. It also helps the nearby farming town of Las Varas.
Dr. del Valle was a Zen Buddhist and wanted to help others. Soon, people heard about her work. Chacala began to attract others who wanted to help. It also drew "eco-tourists" looking for a peaceful and unspoiled beach town. These visitors wanted to explore a place that was not yet crowded.
Another unique place is the Hotel Majahua. Its owners, Carmen and José Enrique, work to make tourism helpful for the local fishing community. Over the next 15 years, more people found their way to Chacala. They either wanted to help the local people or simply enjoy a charming beach town.
In the mid-1990s, two events changed the area a lot. A developer bought Chacalilla, a small bay north of Chacala, and the land around it. They built a private community with expensive homes. To make it easier to reach these homes and the town, a paved road was built from Highway 200 to the beach. Before this, the road was dirt and often flooded. This new road made Chacala much easier for everyone to visit.
Geography
Location of Chacala
21°10′N 105°13′W / 21.167°N 105.217°W
Chacala is on the southwest coast of Nayarit. The state of Nayarit is in the middle of Mexico's Pacific Coast. Nayarit covers about 27,620 square kilometers (10,660 sq mi) of land. It has 289 kilometers (180 mi) of coastline along the Pacific Ocean. Nayarit shares borders with Sinaloa, Zacatecas, and Durango to the north. It borders Jalisco to the east and south. Chacala is about 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) off Highway 200. It sits on the flat land along the coast. This coastal plain runs along most of Mexico's west coast, between the ocean and the mountains.
Climate
Chacala is south of the Tropic of Cancer. This means it is in the true tropics. Its climate is tropical, which means it is hot and humid. The weather is called 'warm subhumid tropical'. Nayarit gets a lot of rain, one of the highest amounts in Mexico. It averages 1,000–1,500 mm (39–59 in) of rain each year.
Some parts of the state can get up to 2,640 mm (104 in) of rain a year. The rain usually comes in short, strong thunderstorms. These often happen in the afternoons. Most of the rain falls during the summer wet season, from May to October. There is also a smaller but important wet season in winter. Spring and fall are usually dry seasons. Chacala had some damage from Hurricane Kenna in October 2002.
Plants and Trees (Flora)
Nayarit has many different types of natural plant life. These include tropical coastal savannahs and different kinds of tropical forests. There are also wetlands near rivers. The region also has many farms. The lush jungle in Nayarit is home to over 300 types of orchids alone! Mexico's tropical forests, like those in Nayarit's hills, have a huge variety of plants and animals. They hold up to 40% of Mexico's total plant and animal diversity. Some parts of the tropical forest near Nayarit's Pacific Coast are among the top 10 richest plant habitats on Earth.
Animals (Fauna)
The rich coastal plain and thick jungle of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains support many kinds of animals. There are over 400 bird species. You can also find many mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and other animals. Some important birds include the Amazon Parrot and the Blue-footed Booby.
Mammals include many "big cats" like the Ocelot, Margay, Jaguar, Jaguarundi, and Puma. You might also see deer, wild boar, coati mundi, skunks, badgers, coyotes, and armadillos. There are also various snakes, lizards, and frogs.
See also
In Spanish: Chacala para niños
