Chacala Camping

Camping in Chacala

Camping is different in Mexico, of course, than in organized campgrounds in the US and Canada. For one thing, it's cheaper.

For another, in Mexico the sense of social distance is very different, and people are accustomed to camping tent-to-tent, really packed in. Especially during holiday periods, you are apt to find your camping neighbors in Chacala kind of "oozing" into what you think is your area. But, really, that's the fun part, in many ways. Big families camp together, and if they think you are polite and friendly you are quickly adopted into the family. It's really fun and nice.

Another thing is if you are lucky enough to have access to a toilet on the Chacala beach (40 cents per use) you flush with a bucket of water from a tank out in the middle of the usually uni-sex toilet area. There are private booths for the toilets. Showers are warmed by the sun, so about 2-3pm is a good time to shower (90 cents a shower last year).

You make your own fire pit. And watch out for hot coals partially buried in the sand. People get burned fairly often.

Camping fees in Chacala tend to be kind of negotiable, and at different times the fee may cover different things. Like showers, toilets, electricity, trash collection, etc. You should try to clarify those issues up front, before you pay. You are expected to pay on arrival. Small bills are good.
Camping on Chacala beach at Easter

HOW TO FIND A CAMPSITE IN CHACALA

As you drive into Chacala from the big highway 200, turn left at the green overhead sign that says "Playa Chacala". Stay on this bumpy one lane dirt road until the first place you can turn left, into a kind of a palm grove. There is camping in this area, and it's obvious. You can continue thru the palm grove, curving to the south and the beach, and find other places to camp. The signs usually say "banos" and "regaderos" and "agua dulce". That is: toilets, showers, and fresh, not ocean, water. They rarely say "camping"

Occasionally there will be a man standing at the entrance to the palm grove, collecting parking money. He is collecting if you are parking in the palm grove or around around Delphins, to the north. Tell him you are going down the road, (if you are) and don't pay. If you are camping on the beach road you will be paying some family that lives along the road. Make sure you are paying the right person. There are places to camp all the way to the gate for Majahua and Mar de Jade, on the south end of the beach. Families running these camping areas pay Federal concessions for the right to manage and charge fees to camp in these areas. You can camp for free below the high time line if you are looking for a little excitement when the tides comes in. You will still have to pay for the toilets/water/trash collection. No free lunch for campers.

Two long-term Chacala residents, Don Beto and his daughter-in-law, Esparanza, have the two nicest camping grounds in Chacala, with ramadas for shade, and trash collection, toilets, showers, and access to electricity. You can't park next to your camping area at either place. But there is parking. Esparanza's is my favorite because she keeps a close eye on things, with the help of her large family.

When you see a place you might like to camp at, park your car and walk to the nearest house, and ask about camping. Make eye contact. Say "Buenas Dias" and something about how beautiful the beach is. Be friendly and curious. In Mexico, if they don't like you, they generally won't deal with you. Even in stores. The customer is NOT always right in Mexico. And rudeness is the number one complaint, right after cheapness, about gringos coming to Chacala.

In Chacala trucks come by camping areas areas every day, picking up trash, selling five gallon jugs of clean water, and bread, plastics, fruits and vegetables, seafood, ice cream, whatever. And vendors walk along selling this and that.

The camping areas are in
the upper right hand corner