Experience the best of Bucerías

Bucerías lies on the northern shore of Banderas Bay in the state of Nayarit, a short way across the state line from Puerto Vallarta, in a stretch of coast called the Riviera Nayarit. The old fishing village has a central plaza, narrow streets of shops, galleries and restaurants and a broad beach where fishing boats are pulled up on the sand.

Humpback whales visit the bay in winter, and boat trips go out to see them and to the Marietas Islands, a nature reserve with seabirds including blue-footed boobies. Punta de Mita, with its surf breaks, and the town of Sayulita lie further up the coast, while Puerto Vallarta's Malecón and old town are close to the south. The Sierra Madre foothills rise behind the bay.

Fresh seafood is the heart of the menu: grilled red snapper, shrimp tacos, ceviche and pescado zarandeado, a fish marinated in chilli and grilled over coals, a Nayarit speciality. Raicilla, an agave spirit from the nearby coast, joins tequila and mezcal behind the bar. The dry months are warm and sunny, while the summer rains bring humid heat and green hills.