Story and photographs by Bill Bell
La Peñita, Rincón de Guayabitos and Los Ayala sit close together on the Nayarit coast, but each has a character of its own. One is a working town and service hub, another has the energy of a holiday destination, and the third offers a quieter beach-town pace.
Seen together, they tell a fuller story of this stretch of coast. Through my camera, each offers a different part of the picture.
La Peñita: the working heart
La Peñita is the working hub. Fishermen and people who work in the hotels of neighbouring Guayabitos live here alongside seasonal residents and full-time immigrants from north of the border.
There are restaurants and stores galore. This is a town where everyday life carries on well beyond the beach: people shopping, heading to work and making their lives in the community.
The catch in a fisherman’s hands and the fountain beneath colourful street banners offer two glimpses of that character. The sea is part of La Peñita’s identity, but so are its streets, businesses and people.
Rincón de Guayabitos: a holiday town with a residential side
Guayabitos has more of a holiday rhythm. Its mix of hotels caters to Mexican vacationers as well as visitors from north of the border during the winter season.
But the hotels tell only part of its story. Guayabitos also has a residential area with lovely homes, adding another dimension to a place often pictured simply as a beach destination.
These views across the water put the shoreline, boats and surrounding hills in the same frame. They are a reminder to look beyond the particular hotel or stretch of sand where you happen to be staying.
Los Ayala: a gentler pace
Los Ayala is a quieter, more laid-back version of Guayabitos. It offers the appeal of a beach-town holiday with a gentler rhythm.
The hillside view of the bay and the palms among the buildings show another side of these neighbouring communities. For those drawn to a quieter coastal setting, Los Ayala has its own appeal.
Three neighbours, three different characters
There is no need to choose a favourite to appreciate the differences. La Peñita’s working-town life, Guayabitos’ holiday atmosphere and Los Ayala’s quieter pace complement one another.
Spend a little time in each and the coast becomes more than a collection of beaches. It becomes a place of homes, livelihoods, visitors and daily routines—three neighbouring communities, each worth getting to know.
Which one feels most like your kind of place—and what keeps you coming back?
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