Bucerias

Bucerias is a city in Nayarit, on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Bucerias is a popular beach town on the coast of Bahia de Banderas, about 11 miles (18 km) northwest of the Puerto Vallarta airport. It has a permanent population of 13,000 people (2010), which doubles during the high season.

Understand
The tourism and expat district is the two-block by twelve-block area between the beach and National Highway 200 (MEX-200). The highway is also shown on maps and in street addresses as Blvd. Rivera Nayarit and as Av. Heroes de Nacozari. A meandering city street in an arroyo that acts as a drain for rainwater bisects the town into the eastern “Zona Dorada” with the beach lined mostly with hotels and condos and the western “El Centro” with mostly restaurants lining the beach. The two zones are joined across the arroyo by the “Puente del Beso” foot bridge. A central park, a statue of an oyster diver and an extensive artisan market are near the footbridge in El Centro.

The real estate company Elements Realty Group publishes a tourism and business map that is available at its office (Av. Mexico two blocks west of the park) and Jody Tours across the street.

By plane
Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta is the closest commercial airport. Buses and taxis are available at the airport.

By taxi
You can get to Bucerias from the airport by purchasing a taxi voucher near each exit.

Surrounding areas such as Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta and Sayulita will also offer taxi service to Bucerias. Make sure you negotiate a price before you leave.

By bus
At the airport, go to the highway, cross over he elevated walkway and take any bus or van with “Bucerias” on the window. Busses marked La Cruz, Punta Mita or Sayulita will pass through Bucerias.

From surrounding areas, you can take any bus with Bucerias painted on the front window.

From Puerto Vallarta, it's the easiest to take a bus to Walmart/Sam's. From the bus stop walk 100m in driving direction to the bus shelters. Take a bus with Bucerias painted on it, which costs M$20 (Nov 2021). When you pass the Mega department store in Bucerias (on the right-hand side), you will soon need to start watching for your stop, and move toward the bus exit. There are also direct buses to Bucerias from Las Glorias in Vallarta. These go non-stop to Walmart and from there continue to stop regularly. It's for the same fare.

By car
MEX 200 (Carretera Tepic-Vallarta) is the main road between Puerto Vallarta and Tepic; it links most coastal areas and crosses Bucerias.

Get around
The center of the village can be easily explored on foot.

Within Bucerias you can use the regional buses along the highway for M$10 (Nov 2021). They offer you change. Buses are so frequent that you don't need to take the microbuses. Instead wait up to one minute more and take the normal buses.

As of November 2021 Uber has sometimes during the day cars available.

A taxi within Bucerias costs M$60 (Nov 2021).

Do


In the west of the village will be built a junction of a new interstate highway. You can hike around the area and see if the construction has started already. From there it's a short walk to a fish street food at the beach called Larry's Oysters. Food includes fish tostadas from M$30 (Nov 2021). It's open Th-Tu 12-18:30.

Out of town trips
Coastal Nayarit is littered with small beach communities with casual vibes, cold beer, and great sunsets. Drive or take a bus up and down the coast to experience one or a dozen of the different beach flavors.

You can do a day-trip to Punta Mita for M$20 (Nov 2021). When leaving the bus at the Oxxo and heading to the Ocean, there it's rocky inside the water. It's said to have no rocks some walking minutes further. On the other side of the peninsula, the beach around the Four Seasons Resort is private.

You can also take a bus to Sayulita for M$28 (Nov 2021).

You can enter and leave the regional buses where you like along the route, there are no actual bus stops.

Buy
There are ATMs througout the village. BanBajio is on the highway. BanCoppel is inside the Chedraui supermarket.



Budget
If you like you can eat somewhere with less tourists and more locals around. Coming from the highway, along the street Estaciones are. For example in the restaurant Takos Tecos with big quesadillas from M$50 (Nov 2021), hamburgers, tacos and more. There is a buffet of vegetables and sauces that you can add for free. And there is a. It's run by a friendly older woman. Included is red rice and a tasty salad. The somewhat spicy sauce fits very good to the whole dish. With a quarter chicken it's for M$80, with two chicken legs for M$60 (Nov 2021). It's open at lunch time.

And coming from the highway, along the street Ignacio Zaragoza are also. For example the restaurant Cenaduría Los Primos. With a small pozole for M$50, a big one for M$70 (Nov 2021), enchiladas for M$50 (Nov 2021), quesadillas, tostadas, tacos and volcanoes. Just opposite is a owned by an older Mexican couple. They serve tasty enchiladas, sopes and tamales for M$15-18 each (Nov 2021). It's open daily 19-22:30.

. You get a quarter of a whole chicken with potatoes, red rice, tortillas and a spicy sauce for M$59 (Nov 2021). The chicken is grilled dark brown and not black. It's open daily from 11:00 and can run out of chicken at 17:00 already.

Inside the Oxxo near the Chedraui is a fast food chain called. They serve for example tacos from M$15 and taco size quesadillas from M$17 (Nov 2021). It's open every day from 8:00 to 15:00.

. A local simple restaurant with tasty dishes. If not stated otherwise, the prices are as of November 2021: • main dish including a drink– M$70 • tortas – from M$35 • burritos – from M$35 • enchiladas – M$60 • tostadas – M$50 • pellizcadas – M$25 • guiso (stew) del dia including a drink – M$70 • for breakfast: chilaquiles – from M$65 It's open from Monday to Saturday 8:00-15:30.

Locals can be found eating seafood dishes at the eateries by the market and in the main plaza.

Mid-Range
On the other side of the arroyo, closer to the plaza, there are many beach front dining options.

Splurge
There are higher-end restaurants in La Zona Dorada.

Drink
All of the beachside restaurants have full bars. Beer and sodas to go can be purchased at Oxxo or any small snack bar.

To the north-west

 * Sayulita – 20 km. You can do hiking into the jungle. The water at the beach is shallow.
 * San Francisco (Mexico) – 25 km. At a beach, surrounded by a jungle and notable for its floral diversity.
 * Mazatlán – It is recommended to take a flight into and out of the city.

To the east

 * Guadalajara – 310 km. You can take an intercity bus, go by carpooling or take a non-stop flight. From there further to San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende or Querétaro

To the north-east

 * Tepic – 150 km in the north-east. It's the capital of Nayarit

To the south-east

 * Puerto Vallarta