What is "costalegre"

Costalegre is a series of different beaches, capes and bays of all sizes and extensions distributed alongside the Pacific Ocean on the western coastline of the Mexican state of Jalisco, in an area located between two other major and very well-known tourist centers, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco and Manzanillo, Colima. In recent years, the Jalisco state government has promoted this zone as a tourist attraction, grouping all these beaches under the common name of "Costalegre", which literally translates as "Coast of Joy", but the area has been known as "The Virgin Coast" of Mexico for a long time. Each bay or beach is almost next to the other one, separated only by large rock formations, cliffs, and uninhibited terrains, so you can move from one to another in a matter of minutes, mostly using local boats or water taxis (pangas). Most of these beaches are small-size bays, and a couple of them have no real population on their surface, but are placed near small fishing villages which provides hotel accommodation and food. One of the largest bays, Barra de Navidad also has a large lagoon and a first-class international hotel, considered one of the best of its category in Mexico, and Costa Careyes is considered one of the top resorts and VIP communities in the world, usually visited by famous actors, singers, and artists, so due to the variety and extension of the coast, you can find any kind of entertaining and natural attractions, which ranges from Ecotourism in wild and partially virgin and isolated beaches, to high class Spas, Golf courses, Polo fields, and international convention centers.

The General history of the Costalegre area dates back to the mid-16th century when the Spanish used Bahía de Navidad for ship building, repairs, and as a jumping off point to the Philippines. A monument has been erected in memory to these journeys at the end of the jetty of Barra de Navidad. Ruy López de Villalobos's (1500–1544) fleet of six galleon ships, the Santiago, San Jorge, San Antonio, San Cristobal, San Martin, and San Juan, left Barra de Navidad, Jalisco, Mexico with 370 to 400 men on November 1, 1542. Perhaps, on the early morning of November 21, 1564, armed with five ships and 500 soldiers, Miguel López de Legazpi and his sail-captain Andrés de Urdaneta sailed from the port of Barra de Navidad, New Spain, in what is now Jalisco state, Mexico.