Surfing and Boarding
Surfing and Boarding
Several areas in the Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, are known for their great surfing, kiteboarding, and boogie boarding conditions. Towns along Bahia Banderas Bay on Mexico’s Pacific Coast are ideal for longboard surfing. Other beaches along Bahia Jaltemba Bay just to the north, Central Riviera Nayarit slightly beyond, and Bahia Matanchen Bay further north vary and may be better suited for boogie boarding and kiteboarding.
Three popular places for surfing are in Sayulita, San Blas, and Chacala although there are many others in between. Recognized as one of the best surf spots in the world, Sayulita’s main beach, Playa Centro, has waves and breaks from 3-feet to 9-feet high and 500 to 1,650 feet long, depending on the season. Playa Las Islitas near San Blas is known for its unusually long surf break and record-breaking 5,700-foot wave entered in the Guinness Book of World Records. Playa La Caleta off the coast of Chacala is a favorite among expert surfers for its long, tall waves.
Bucerias is known for its long beautiful beach, spanning 5 miles (8 kilometers) of golden sand along calm, shallow water, this part of the ocean has shorter waves that are best for boogie boarding. Also a leading kiteboarding destination in Mexico for its terrific winds during windy season, from January through June, it’s usual to have excellent kiteboarding conditions up to 5 days a week. Each year, at the end of May, Bucerias hosts the annual Wind Festival (Festival Del Viento), a freestyle race and tournament to promote kiteboarding in Riviera Nayarit.
