Punta Pérula: A dream Mexico beach destination

There are formation towns, and past there’s Punta Pérula — a quiet, unassuming agelong of Pacific coastline that feels similar it exists successful a parallel beingness wherever clip slows, margaritas flow, and everyone knows everyone. No large resorts, nary thumping nightclubs, nary hordes of tourists. Just aureate sand, a shimmering bay, and a tight-knit assemblage that welcomes visitors similar long-lost friends. If you inquire me, Punta Pérula is the dream.

But this imagination was astir wiped disconnected the representation successful 2015 erstwhile Hurricane Patricia, 1 of the strongest storms ever recorded, roared ashore and near the municipality successful ruins. Instead of giving up, the residents — some Mexican locals and overseas expats — banded together, rebuilding homes, businesses, and the assemblage itself. Today, Punta Pérula is stronger than ever, a testament to resilience, grit, and an unwavering emotion for this hidden portion of paradise.

Tucked distant from mainstream development, Punta Pérula offers a portion of eden for those who hunt for it. (Playas de Mexico)

A dusty small formation municipality with a large heart

Punta Pérula isn’t the benignant of spot that announces itself. If you weren’t looking for it, you mightiness miss it entirely. The town’s main resistance is simply a dusty, sunbaked roadworthy moving astir 10 oregon 12 blocks, with a fistful of smaller broadside streets branching disconnected similar veins. Paved roads? You won’t find many. Flashy boutiques? Not a chance. Instead, you get charming beachfront restaurants, a mates of Oxxos, and mom-and-pop markets wherever you tin banal up connected caller nutrient and acold cervezas. For thing much substantial, you’ll request to marque a travel to a bigger town.

But what Punta Pérula lacks successful municipality conveniences, it much than makes up for successful character. Here, assemblage isn’t conscionable a buzzword — it’s a mode of life. Whether it’s roast pork nighttime astatine Monica’s, wherever locals and visitors stitchery for a repast with a front-row spot to the sunset, oregon the play Tuesday euphony nighttime astatine the assemblage center, there’s ever thing bringing radical together. It’s the benignant of spot wherever neighbors look retired for 1 another, wherever a speedy market tally turns into a 30-minute chat, and wherever friendships are forged implicit tacos and tequila.

The emotion and enactment wrong this assemblage are astir evident successful the town’s Facebook group, wherever residents stock everything from mislaid pets to section events to offers of assistance for those successful need. It’s the benignant of spot wherever everyone genuinely knows everyone by name, reinforcing the heavy bonds that marque Punta Pérula consciousness similar home, whether you’re present for a week oregon a lifetime.

The formation that goes connected forever

The simple, unspoiled formation is simply a immense portion of Punta Pérula’s charm. (Viajeros Ocultos)

Then, of course, there’s the formation — the crushed radical archetypal stumble upon Punta Pérula and the crushed they ne'er privation to leave. The shoreline curves successful a sweeping arch, stretching for miles, with brushed aureate soil that’s cleanable for long, contemplative walks oregon aboriginal greeting jogs. Unlike different Pacific beaches, the surf present is usually gentle capable for swimming, making it an perfect spot for families.

On weekdays, the formation is wonderfully serene, often feeling similar your ain backstage paradise. But travel weekends and holidays, it transforms into a lively scene, with families mounting up umbrellas, euphony drifting from portable speakers, and kids darting successful and retired of the waves. It’s the cleanable equilibrium — capable enactment to punctual you that beingness is happening, but ne'er truthful overmuch that you consciousness overwhelmed.

Where to devour (and wherefore It’s delicious)

For specified a tiny town, Punta Pérula has a astonishing fig of fantabulous places to eat. El Pirata is my go-to for caller seafood and acold drinks. Right connected the beach, it’s the benignant of spot wherever you tin excavation your toes into the soil portion savoring immoderate of the champion ail shrimp you’ve ever had.

El Pirata is an perfect halt for caller seafood and acold drinks. (TripAdvisor)

Jazz Café is simply a charming spot with a laid-back vibe, bully burgers, and 1 of the lone places successful municipality wherever you’ll find a vino list. It’s the cleanable spot to conscionable a friend, bring a book, oregon beryllium and perceive to the music.

And past there’s the nutrient motortruck connected the quadrate — owned by Eddie — who opens Thursday-Sunday to crockery retired overstuffed burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and tacos. 

A committedness to conservation

Beyond its stunning beaches and lukewarm community, Punta Pérula is besides location to the Red Carey Jalisco-Nayarit turtle center, wherever volunteers enactment tirelessly to support endangered oversea turtles. Depending connected the season, visitors tin instrumentality portion successful releasing babe turtles into the water — a humbling acquisition that underscores the town’s heavy respect for nature. It’s yet different crushed to emotion this singular small place.

The Red Carey Jalisco-Nayarit halfway works to support Mexico’s endangered turtles.  (Red Carey Jalisco-Nayarit)

No rush, No fuss, No problem

Punta Pérula’s charm lies successful its simplicity. It’s a spot wherever the biggest determination of the time is whether to person different brew oregon power to a margarita, wherever plans are escaped suggestions alternatively than strict itineraries, and wherever radical inactive halt to chat alternatively of rushing from 1 spot to another.

There are nary five-star resorts oregon luxury spas, nary monolithic market stores oregon decorator shops. But that’s the magic of it. Punta Pérula isn’t trying to beryllium thing different than what it is — a humble, beautiful, fiercely loved formation municipality wherever the sunsets are spectacular, the radical are kind, and beingness is champion enjoyed astatine a slow, dependable pace.

So if you’re looking for all-inclusive buffets and infinity pools, you mightiness privation to look elsewhere. But if you crave a spot wherever beingness feels simple, wherever assemblage matters, and wherever the biggest thrill of the time mightiness conscionable beryllium spotting a dolphin successful the bay, past invited to Punta Pérula. You mightiness ne'er privation to leave.

Meagan Drillinger is a New York autochthonal who has spent the past 15 years traveling astir and penning astir Mexico. While she’s connected the roadworthy for assignments astir of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her location base. Follow her travels connected Instagram at @drillinjourneys or done her blog at drillinjourneys.com