Nayarit is Mexico's rising Pacific-coast star, home to the glamorous Riviera Nayarit beach towns of Sayulita, Punta de Mita, and Nuevo Vallarta, the colonial surf port of San Blas, and the Wixárika (Huichol) heartland of the Sierra Madre Occidental. It blends barefoot-luxury resorts, world-class surf breaks, mangrove wildlife, and small-town Mexican culture within a couple of hours of Puerto Vallarta's international airport.
Nayarit's human history stretches back over two millennia to the shaft-tomb cultures of the Teuchitlán tradition, whose circular ceremonial architecture appears at Ixtlán del Río. The coast and Marismas Nacionales wetlands were long inhabited by the Cora and, further inland, the Huichol (Wixárika), both of whom retain distinct languages, ceremonial calendars, and yarn/beadwork art traditions today. Spanish conquistador Nuño de Guzmán founded Compostela in 1531 as the first capital of Nueva Galicia, and San Blas rose in the 18th century as a critical Spanish naval shipyard and Pacific trade port, complete with the hilltop La Contaduría customs fort. Nayarit split from Jalisco to become its own state in 1917, with Tepic as its capital. Mexcaltitán's island layout, resembling later depictions of the Aztec island capital, has led some historians to propose it as a candidate site for the legendary Aztlán.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Nayarit.
-
1
Teuchitlán tradition flourishes, leaving circular ceremonial architecture across the region
-
2
Nuño de Guzmán founds Compostela as the first capital of Nueva Galicia
-
3
San Blas becomes a royal Spanish naval shipyard and Pacific Ocean departure point for California expeditions
-
4
Nayarit becomes an independent Mexican state, separating from Jalisco
-
5
Sayulita and Punta de Mita develop from fishing villages into international surf and resort destinations
Historical eras
The chapters of Nayarit's past.
Pre-Columbian (300 BCE-1530 CE)
Teuchitlán shaft-tomb culture and circular pyramid architecture at Ixtlán del Río; Cora and Huichol settlement of the coast and Sierra Madre
Spanish Colonial (1530-1821)
Founding of Compostela as capital of Nueva Galicia in 1531; rise of San Blas as a royal Pacific naval shipyard and trade port in the 1760s-1800s
Independence & 19th Century (1821-1900)
San Blas declines after Mexican independence as Pacific trade routes shift; Tepic grows as the region's commercial center
Statehood & Modern Era (1917-present)
Nayarit becomes a state separate from Jalisco in 1917; late-20th-century tourism development transforms Sayulita and Punta de Mita into international destinations
Historical sites
Places where Nayarit's past comes alive.
La Contaduría Fort
Where: San Blas
Admission: Adult: $3 USD (50 MXN) | Child: Free under 12
Templo de San Blas (San Blas Parish Church)
Where: San Blas
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Ixtlán del Río Archaeological Zone (Los Toriles)
Where: Ixtlán del Río
Admission: Adult: $4.50 USD (75 MXN) | Child: Free under 13
Museo Regional de Nayarit
Where: Tepic
Admission: Adult: $4 USD (70 MXN) | Child: Free under 13
Catedral de la Purísima Concepción
Where: Tepic
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Mexcaltitán Island Village
Where: Marismas Nacionales
Admission: Adult: Free to visit village; museum $2 USD (35 MXN) | Child: Free
Palacio de Gobierno de Nayarit
Where: Tepic
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Compostela Parish Church & Founding Plaza
Where: Compostela
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Museums
Curated collections that tell Nayarit's story.
Museo Regional de Nayarit
Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Emilia Ortiz
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.
Overview tours
Guided historical walking tours are most developed in Tepic (colonial center and Huichol art) and San Blas (fort and shipyard history); Ixtlán del Río and Mexcaltitán are typically visited independently with a site guide hired on arrival.