Mexcaltitan is the phoenix of the magical towns. After years of neglect, the small island town in Nayarit has been reborn as a tourist destination and looks better than ever. Discover what to do in Mexcaltitan and how it rose from the ashes.
Magic Town again
Mexcaltitán was one of the first destinations to be part of the Magic Towns programback in 2001. However, in 2009, the Interinstitutional Committee for the Evaluation of Magical Towns withdrew the appointment to the people. Among the reasons cited was “the lack of cleanliness and organization of street vendors.”
Losing the financial support that comes with the program caused the town to deteriorate further in the years that followed. The fame of Mexcaltitán continued to attract some tourists, but most were disappointed when they arrived there, as expressed by some online reviews.
However, in recent years there has been interest from the townspeople, the governor of Nayarit, and the federal government to recover Mexcaltitán as a tourist destination. Between 2019 and 2020, the town underwent an impressive transformation.
The streets were restored, the houses painted, the central plaza remodeled, and public lighting was improved. With this new face, Mexcaltitan regained its designation as a Magical Town in 2021.
With its new face and renewed pride, this colorful little town welcomes travelers seeking to know the so-called “mexican venice” Y “Cradle of Mexicanity“.
Do you want to escape to Nayarit? Discover and plan an unforgettable experience here.
Tourist Places in Mexcaltitan
The central square is the heart of the town and a great starting point for touring the sights. In addition to the small kiosk, here you will find the Parish of Saint Peter and Saint Paula simple but beautiful church from the 19th century and one of the oldest buildings that prevails.
Right there is the Origin Museumwhose main theme is the hypothesis that Mexcaltitán is the mythical Aztlánfrom which the Mexica departed in search of that promised land that they would find in Lake Texcoco.
Although the hypothesis popularized by the historian and archaeologist Wigberto Jimenez Moreno it is considered obsolete due to lack of evidence, it is a story that has given identity to the town. In the museum rooms you can see comparisons between the urban designs of Mexcaltitán and Tenochtitlán, as well as reproductions of the Boturini and Paris codices.
The pillars of chinese house they break into the landscape of Mexcaltitán like a strange graft. Perhaps that is why they have become one of the favorite backgrounds for travelers to take pictures. The story behind this place is that in the 19th century the island received a group of chinese migrantswho injected life into the local economy and introduced materials such as cloth, porcelain and ivory.
Activities in Mexcaltitan
Walking the streets of the town is the main activity in this little paradise. Full of color and adorned with huichol eyeswalking through them is also a good opportunity to greet and meet the locals.
The Venice Circuit It goes all the way around the town and is home to some relevant constructions and meeting places.
If you visit Mexcaltitán in the rainy seasonperhaps you can learn first-hand why they call it “the Mexican Venice“. When the water reaches a certain level, the tour of the streets is done in boats called pangas.
There is a natural side to Mexcaltitan that adventurers will love. The island is surrounded by lush mangroves, inhabited by all kinds of birds. A boat ride around will reveal spectacular landscapes. In addition, being a fishing village, you can also accompany the fishermen and learn about their fishing technique.
Finally, you can visit craft shopswhich are worked with materials very typical of the island such as mangrove, water lily and dried shrimp. Hats, tortilla holders, baskets and barrels are some of the items you can find.
Festivities in Mexcaltitan
The festivities of Mexcaltitan They are totally different from those of a normal town. The village is divided into two groups or teams: Saint Peter’s and Saint Paul’s. Both sides compete in a race aboard pole-propelled boats. Boats sail around the island, taking both saints along for the ride.
The trick is that the same team always wins: the one from San Pedro. The locals say that there are no traps, but that the dice are a bit loaded since San Pedro is more miraculous and it is important that he be the one to bless the catch of the year. These patron saint festivities are celebrated every year on June 29.
The other festivity of Mexcaltitán is the Feast of the Christ of the Urnwhich is celebrated on the second Saturday of each month and consists of walking this Christ through the Venice Circuit, taking him to the pier for a short tour before returning him to the church.
Where to eat
The typical food of the town is a fusion of seafood and pre-Hispanic cuisine. The best known typical dish is the tlaxtihuilli, a shrimp meatball broth which is prepared as a mole of dough. Other local delicacies are shrimp tamales, oysters in their shells, zarandeado fish and shrimp tortilla.
The classic restaurant is The Camichinabut you can also taste these dishes in The swimming pool, The shrimp Y Xochilt.
How to get to Mexcaltitan
By car from Tepic: Take it federal highway 15 (Tepic-Mazatlán) heading north. Passing El Capomal, you will find the deviation towards the federal highway 72 (Villa Juárez – Santiago Ixcuintla), which must be taken. Continue on this road through Santiago Ixcuintla and past Amapa you will see the junction with the state highway 78. Join this road, you will go through Sentispac, Aztlán de las Garzas and finally you will arrive at the La Batanga pierwhich is where the boats to Mexcaltitán depart from.
By bus: From Tepic there are daily runs to La Batanga and even more frequent to Santiago Ixcuintla, from where you can take trucks and taxis to the pier.
Do you want to escape to Nayarit? Discover and plan an unforgettable experience here.
Do you want to escape to Mexcaltitan? discover and plan here an unforgettable experience