Nayarit, a state on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, is a popular travel and vacation destination. There are large international resort hotels in the southernmost part of Nayarit (a spillover from adjacent Puerto Vallarta), but most of the coastal communities are smaller, less known destinations that have historically attracted backpackers, surfers, and the "off the beaten path" crowd.
Tepic — the state capital, nestled in a green valley
Bucerias — a beach town popular with expats
Chacala — a beach town known for its unhurried lifestyle
Lo De Marcos — it attracts Mexican and foreign tourists, particularly retirees and RV dwellers
La Peñita de Jaltemba — the service community for the nearby resort of Rincón de Guayabitos
San Blas (Mexico) — relaxed scene and lack of condos and package tourists
San Francisco (Mexico) — offers Playa San Pancho and jungle hikes
Sayulita — small, laid-back town increasingly popular with tourists, long popular for surfing
Tuxpan — the nearest port to Mexico City
The beaches of San Blas and the so-called "Riviera Nayarit" are popular with tourists. Besides tourism, the economy of the state is based mainly on agriculture and fishing.
Most of the state is rough backcountry dominated by mountains and canyons. These areas are definitely unpopular with tourists and are the home of two indigenous groups: the Huichol and the Cora, who refer to themselves as the Nayarit.
The easiest way to get to Nayarit is by plane to PVR for coastal destinations or to GDL for inland destinations, then use buses, taxis, or rental cars to get where you want to go.
There's different kinds of buses you can use to get into Nayarit and to get around. Local or long-distance.
Long distance buses typically depart from bus stations (but may make unscheduled stops on demand to pick up and drop off passengers). Travellers in southern Nayarit (such as Punta Mita or Nuevo Vallarta) will use the Puerto Vallarta bus station (Carretera Tepic-Vallarta km 9, Colonia Mojoneras, located close to the PVR airport). From there, buses are available to Tepic, Guadalajara, or other cities throughout the region.
Local bus service is based in Puerto Vallarta, but the local buses also serve Nuevo Vallarta and areas as far north as Sayulita. When using local buses, be aware that every bus requires you to pay a fare: there is no such thing as a transfer ticket in this area. The bus to Wal-Mart is usually M$10, the bus to Nuevo Vallarta is M$25, and the bus to Sayulita is M$35 (2022 fares). All bus routes from Puerto Vallarta to anywhere in Nayarit will require 2 buses.
To get anywhere in Nayarit by local bus from Puerto Vallarta, take a northbound bus with a "WalMart" sign in the windshield. Get off the bus at Wal-Mart and take an appropriate bus to where you want to go. There is a guy with a clipboard there who can help you. Don't try to do this too late in the evening: The last bus to Nuevo Vallarta leaves Wal-Mart at 9pm.
Nayarit is generally peaceful and tourists have few problems in the popular coastal areas, however, things become dicey north of Tepic with rural roads leading into Sinaloa, where significant cartel violence has occurred over the past two decades.