Guayabitos
The origin of the peaceful town of Rincón de Guayabitos (or simply Guayabitos, as it's commonly known) can be traced back to pre-Hispanic times. The bay was first explored by the Spaniards in the 1500s and subsequently used by British and Dutch pirate ships looking to benefit from the area’s riches.
It was during the 1970s that México's government put the area in the limelight with the creation of the Banderas Bay Trust (Fideicomiso de Bahia de Banderas). As a result, Guayabitos was developed as a vacation destination, with a number of small hotels, tourist shops, restaurants, trailer parks and a residential area.
Today, Guayabitos is a popular beachfront vacation destination for many middle-class Mexican families who flock to the area throughout the year, especially during Semana Santa, México's Spring Break equivalent. By the same token, an increasing number of budget-conscious tourists from Canada and the United States are including Guayabitos in their "must-visit" lists as they explore Puerto Vallarta and surroundings.
Guayabitos is actually made up of three towns: Rincón de Guayabitos, La Penita de Jaltemba and Los Ayala. Guayabitos and its northerly neighbor La Penita have somewhat merged together creating one large community that's situated in front of the long, sandy beach of Jaltemba Bay. At the southern end of Guayabitos a rocky outcrop separates it from the smaller town of Los Ayala, which is set inside another smaller bay.
Living here reflects a beach lifestyle. Things work at a slower pace and life usually revolves around what is taking place at the beach, whether that's swimming and sunbathing, or enjoying happy hour.
Guayabitos real estate opportunities involve mostly small condominium projects along the beach and some in town, with single family homes for sale at reasonable prices. Most owners are primarily from Guadalajara, although there is a strong Canadian community, for those that like to be away from the larger towns and something more "authentically" Mexican. Some beachfront homes are available at the southern end of Los Ayala.
Those interested in real estate in Guayabitos should be the more adventurous type as they are quite a ways away from major supply cities such as Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, the condition of the service highway #200 is not great (although a new one is in development), and building is remote rural areas can always be a little more challenging. But then that's part of the adventure!