by Tara A. Spears
Get ready! Sit! Relax at the beach! It’s estimated that the 2026 national spring break holiday period will see more than 6.6 million tourists composed of 78% nationals and 22% foreign tourists, flocking to the Jaltemba Bay coast during this two-week period.
Semana santa, (holy week in Spanish, occurs before Easter Sunday,) and Semana Pascua (Easter and the following week) is a national Mexican holiday that provides vacation time for families to enjoy the beach.
Guayabitos Beach, located in the scenic region of Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, is a hidden treasure known for its enchanting natural features and wide array of amenities. The beach is situated within the breathtaking Jaltemba Bay and extends for approximately two kilometers. 
Its calm waves make it an ideal spot for water activities, such as swimming, diving, and fishing, with the underwater environment offering a spectacular display of colorful fish and coral formations. Couple this natural beauty with exceptional dining choices and a wide variety of accommodation options and it’s easy to understand its popularity.
What’s good about this mega tourist period is the positive economic impact. Nayarit’s more than 810 hotels and 36,000 rooms generate more than $750 million pesos. Tourism represents more than 19% of the state’s GDP, more than 33% of total economic activity and more than 40% of direct and indirect jobs in the state. The hospitality industry supports many families. The key benefit of the semana santa experience is the joy of the tourists to be able to relax on the beach. Multi generations celebrate life in simple ways: copious amount of alcohol, sun and music. Their happiness is contagious.
After decades long wait, its highway infrastructure connects with the states of Jalisco, Durango, Zacatecas and Sinaloa. A new air terminal in Tepic and the doubling in size of The Vallarta international airport makes it even easier to access Riviera Nayarit. The state continues its advance as one of the most solid and competitive destinations in the Mexican Pacific, integrating luxury, nature, investment, gastronomy and real estate development, according to Vintur.
The other side of the issue is the negative impact of this crush of humanity on the local infrastructure. The waste generated by the temporary visitors is shocking. Typically, the Hotel Association and state government plan extra collections days to help control the mountains of trash near the hotels and beach. The internet and cell service might crash and it will definitely be slower due to the increased demand. Either shop early (before 10 am) or be prepared for looong lines in the stores and gas stations. During the holiday period the ATMs run out of money so plan ahead.
Another negative issue is that of safety. While the majority of visitors are responsible, the thieves also come by bus to take advantage of the opportunity to commit robberies. Local city police will be doing more patrols as well as the military.
Just days ago, governor Miguel Ángel Navarro Quintero affirmed that Nayarit is ready and safe to receive tourism in Holy Week and Easter 2026; The security operation remains active throughout the state. The main objective of the security plan is to prevent incidents, assist those who need it and guarantee safer conditions for tourists and inhabitants during the season. These efforts are concentrated in municipalities with high tourist demand.
After the February cartel violence in other states, the governor stressed that the security situation in Nayarit is under control; however, he acknowledged that the state remains on preventive alert due to its geographical location in the Mexican Pacific, considered a transit area between entities with security conflicts.
Lastly, the traffic volume is atrocious. Because there really is only one road to go north-south or towards the beach, away from the beach, walk whenever you can to save your sanity.
My personal worst time was one hour 40 minutes to drive from Guayabitos Pemex to just past the Penita Avenida! There is not much better driving time on the bypass highway, either. The Puerto Vallarta-Guadalajara toll road will register intense road effects during the return of vacationers for Easter. The Puerto Vallarta-Guadalajara toll road is one of the most used during Holy Week and has been the scene of multiple traffic jams, not only in the toll booths, but also in areas near junctions and main exits since it opened. 
Nayarit definitely continues to present itself as a top tourist destination. Whatever your personal feelings about crowds, this two-week period is vital to the local economy. Unlike some beach destinations, Jaltemba Bay is family oriented so even with dancing in the streets and all-night music, it is more restrained. It’s an exciting time, full of energy and fun. If all the celebrating is too much for you, try ear plugs and avoid the beach- it’s only for two weeks! On the other hand, you could join in and meet new people.
