Many a fisherman’s bay with glorious miles of golden sand have gone the way of Puerto Vallarta, but Bahía de Chamela, 60km northwest of Melaque, lies forgotten by the outside world. The largest pueblo, Pérula (pop. 700), has few services and just one paved road, but its desolate dirt roads lined with shockingly bright flowers, empty expanses of sand punctuated by fishing lanchas, and village hospitality have an irresistible pull. Though Chamela receives its share of tourism, especially in December and April, Pérula remains uncommercialized—the Midas touch has yet to spoil the natural beauty and seclusion of the bay. Crime is virtually nonexistent in Pérula, but lone travelers should exercise caution on the deserted beaches and dark roads leading to town.
Transportation
Second-class buses from Puerto Vallarta to Manzanillo (5hr., 184 pesos) pass through Pérula (4hr., 90 pesos), and buses going from Melaque or Barra de Navidad to Puerto Vallarta (5hr., 140-145 pesos) also stop in Pérula. Always tell the bus driver where you’re going in advance and sit in the front so you don’t miss the stop. To get to Playa Pérula, descend at the big, white “Playa Dorada” sign and walk 30min. down a winding dirt road. Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking, but friendly locals will most likely offer a ride. To get to Playa Chamela, get off farther south at “El Súper,” where a sign points to the beach 1km away. Pérula is a 40min. walk along the shore.
Hotels in Pérula may pick you up from the station; otherwise, since Pérula lacks a formal taxi system, contact Felipe Santana (☎1004 5756), who will take you to points around the area; Playa Chamela costs 80 pesos both ways. To return to Pérula, catch a Primera Plus bus from the stop on the main highway. They also head to: Guadalajara (3hr.; 8, 10:30am, 4pm; 67 pesos); Manzanillo (2-5hr., every hr. 7:30am-10:30pm, 75 pesos) via Melaque (1hr., 47 pesos); and Puerto Vallarta (3hr., every hr. 7:30am-10:30pm, 88 pesos). To get out of town without having to walk back to the highway, catch a Transportes Cihuatlan bus from the corner of Tiburón and Independencia at 8am or midnight to Aútlan (2hr., 158 pesos), Guadalajara (3hr., 315 pesos), or Melaque (1hr., 70 pesos).
Practical Information
The Centro de Salud is at the corner of Juárez and Pargo, three blocks west of the plaza. (☎333 9804. Regular hours M-F 9am-4pm, weekends and 24hr. emergency service available: knock loudly.) Farmacia Villa del Mar, on the east side of the plaza, has 24hr. service. (☎333 9800.) There is a LADATEL phone outside the Primera Plus Station, one outside Hotel Punta Pérula, and a couple scattered on the paved road through town. Internet is available in the orange house at the corner of Pargo and Independencia. (☎100 2381. Open M-F 10am-9pm. 20 pesos per hr.)
Accommodations And Food
Pérula offers few lodgings, so you won’t have to spend too much time looking. Hotel Punta Pérula 4, on the corner of Juárez and Tiburón 98 two blocks from the beach, is the best deal in this pueblito. Spacious rooms with antique-looking wooden shutters, bath, and TV open onto a large courtyard with hammocks drooping over flowers. (☎333 9782. Call ahead. High season singles 250 pesos; doubles 350 pesos. Low season 200/300 pesos. Cash only.) A more luxurious option is Estancia Dolphins 5, on Juárez and Paiva two blocks east of the plaza, featuring a gated courtyard with lush lawn and pool adorned with a life-size cayman statuette. The enormous rooms come with fittingly large beds, fan, TV, glass dolphin-themed side tables, and lovely tile bathrooms. (☎333 9850. Call ahead. Rooms 350 pesos, for up to 4 people. Cash only.)
The diner in Pérula faces the toughest of choices: seafood or tacos. If you opt for the former, head over to La Prieta 4, on the beach near the rock jetty. Mariscos (seafood) here are served up fried, filleted, in salads—however you like. The staple camarones (shrimp; 70 pesos) go well with a 10-peso bottle of Pacífico. (Open daily low season 7-11pm, longer hours in high season. Cash only.) The long row of seafood restaurants stretching along the beach are open intermittently, mostly during the late summer months, but a couple are usually open at any time—ask the fishermen on the beach. Taquería Michel 1, just southeast of the plaza on Independencia, is good for a cheap taco fix. The usual antojitos and agua fresca are on tap. (Tacos 7 pesos. Quesadillas 10 pesos. Open daily 6-11pm. Cash only.)
Beaches
Fishing boats far outnumber people on the sleepy local beaches. The bay’s northernmost point, Punta de Pérula, shelters Playa Pérula, perfect for swimming. A 40min. walk down the virgin beach will bring you to the Villa Polinesia Motel and Campsite, marking Playa Chamela. Kilometers of empty sand invite absent-minded, tranquil walks south to Playa Rosada, where rougher waters cater to bodysurfing more so than casual swimming. Occasional palapas refresh the parched and weary bodysurfer, and lanchas from Playa Pérula transport wanna-be Robinson Crusoes to the nearby islands or on fishing trips (600 pesos each way; ask around for deals). Inquire from the fishermen at the northern end of Playa Pérula, about 1km north of town.
Boda ReAl 