Once through and into the airport proper, I wave off the hoard of eager & helpful taxi drivers and locate the ATM and ticket booth for the taxis. We withdraw 2000 pesos then purchase a 90 peso ticket to the "Central de Autobuses".

We're herded into a small cab along with a sharply dressed much older couple heading for Nueva Vallarta. They're first timers to Mexico and very obviously distressed at sharing a cramped taxi. 

"The bus depot is on the way to where you're going", I assure them. "He's just going to drop us off first". The driver had obviously managed to squeeze an extra fare into his cab, but I could have cared less, I just wanted to get to that bus depot, and start heading north. We're dropped at the bus depot at 3:45 and buy 2 - 76 peso tickets for the 4 pm "Pacifica" bus to Las Varas.

The cab driver had offered to drive us there for 1000 pesos.

The two hour ride up to Las Varas was pleasant. The bus was immaculately clean and quite new. The driver did not speed and there were a few stops along the way to pick up other passengers.

In Las Varas the taxi and collectivo stand where you catch a ride to Chacala is right around the corner from where you get off the bus. We opted for the taxi rather than wait for the collectivo (which runs every half hour) The taxi was 90 pesos to drive the 10 kilometers into Chacala.

It's a small village of 300 - 400 people with probably no more than 80 houses. The main street that runs parallel to the beach is about three blocks long.

Driving into town for the first time, I thought "Wow, this is like a wild west town". Very small, the main street is dirt, some new construction going on.

I knew that this was going to be a different vacation. Just what we had been hoping for, a chance to experience a smaller community and hopefully get a bit closer to the people and magic of Mexico.

Chacala took a terrible beating from Hurricane Kenna in Oct. 2002 and was without proper power and water for over two months. Within 15 minutes, three 15' -20' tidal waves had swept through the lower beach part of town wiping out many of the beachfront restaurants, destroying the towns water pumping station and wrecking many of the fisherman's pangas.

When we were there there was plenty of evidence of the destruction and plenty of work going on cleaning up and rebuilding.

The map shows only the remaining beach side restaurants. There were about a half dozen more. Work is ongoing to rebuild.

This cab/collectivo driver is not familiar with what's where in Chacala so we stop in the middle of town to ask directions. No problem, we're told immediately just how to get there. This is where I get a first real look at where we'll be for the next two weeks.  As I've said above, "Wild West" comes to mind ...... there are no frills showing here, no fancy planters, boulevards or semblances of sidewalks. Instead there are piles of rubble alongside piles of new bricks.

At the start of town there are seven or eight basic ramada type stalls (most never open while we're there) and further on, small five Abbarotes (grocery stores), three Depositos (beer stores), one tiny liquor and wine store and six or seven beachside restaurants. There's a brand new, but plain (so far) eight room motel named after Hurricane Kenna and another unnamed and unfinished one on the main street plus two other rather beatup simple hotels. We also have passed by a small RV park where we've noticed about 16 motorhomes and campers and a few tents on the beach.

"Fantastic", I'm thinking. "Just what I've been looking for ...... I think".  (a little glimmer of apprehension there) ..... "This is going to be VERY interesting". 

Now what does this Casa Pacifica look like?"

It's nestled in the jungle about as far from the centre of the tiny town as you can get and still be considered in town. It looks over the treetops down into Playa Chacalilla, a beautiful little beach around the north point of Bahia Chacala 

We're greeted by the charming and lively owner, Susana who shows us our room, the Blue Hawaii Suite. It's even better than the pictures on the web page show, and the building is the best we've seen in the village so far.

We drop the bags in the room. "No need to close and lock your door" she assures us. "It's absolutely safe here" .... And it is!

Susana gives us a short tour of the rest of her fine establishment, a peek into the other two rooms, her personal space and up to the rooftop kitchen/dining room/patio, where we'll be enjoying most of our breakfasts during our stay in Chacala and many enjoyable evenings and dinners in great company. 

We're advised that if we want dinner at any of the beach restaurants, we'd better be heading down quick. Things happen differently here. Most people eat a large late lunch and a small snack around sunset. Everything pretty much shuts down not long after dark.

We decide to try Las Brisas for our first meal in Chacala. Good choice. It becomes our favorite spot, although we did try most of the others during our stay.

Fish and camarones prepared in a variety of ways are the main items on the menu. There is only one option each for a meat or chicken selection. This is the same at all the restaurants.

Although the kitchen is pretty much shut down, Carla (the daughter of the owner) assures us that supper can be had. We order some guacamole and Mahi-Mahi filets in garlic and a couple of cervesas. 

A few other people have gathered along the beach to watch the sunset, but we're the only ones eating a meal. The food is excellent and reasonably priced, and we enjoy it immensely as the sun sets directly into the ocean.

After dinner we stop at the largest abbarote to pick up a few supplies and an ice-cream bar each, then make the ten minute walk back through the quiet moonlit streets.

The rest of the evening is spent reading and relaxing on the patio listening to the chirping of geckos and insects in the jungle. The moon is three quarters full and it just feels so damn fine to be here. We're both in the comfortable bed and fast asleep by 10pm.