Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Chacala Beach

Chacala, Nayarit, Mexico

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

Currency Exchange

It was our first visit to Chacala in the state of Nayarit on Mexico's Pacific Coast.

We can certainly recommend this destination if you enjoy small, clean beaches with exceptionally fresh seafood.

This section of Mexico has many beautiful beaches worth visiting, many only accessible by boat tour.

Here's a closer look at Chacala Beach.

Tourist beach store

There were several stores in this tiny beach town of 300 locals that sold beach gear. Here you see a miniature swimming pool for sale, beach hats, floaties of various sorts, buckets and shovels, bathing suit cover ups and beach umbrellas.

Notice the uneven sandy cobblestone street.

Chacala is a very simple town and all the streets were this way.

End-to-end beach view

Chacala is not a huge beach. It's a small cove where sailors anchor their boats for a day or two out in the water, and you can easily walk from one end of the beach to the other in 20 or 30 minutes.

Here you are looking from approximately where Chac Mool is located to the end of the beach where the all inclusive Mar de Jade resort is.

Palapa restaurants are situated one after the other on the left. Tables and umbrellas can be rented for the day from the restaurants for 150 Pesos or about $8USD.

Many families bring their own coolers filled with food and drinks and set up on the sand.

Boats and paddleboards

Paddleboards were a big attraction here because the waves were so mild at this time of year.

Vendor with her table, cooler and umbrella

This vendor is selling fresh coconuts, pineapples and chicharron, or pork rinds with hot sauce.

Another vendor, same items

It's a simple town, with several vendors selling the same items.

Here you see the beautifully yellow-ripe pineapples stacked in a row with fresh coconuts behind them. Chicharrones are in bags ready to eat, a favorite food of Mexican culture.

Yours truly

Here we are, enjoying the simplicity.

The biggest decisions of the day were what time to get to the beach, what we might have for lunch, and how long we wanted to absorb the negative ions of the sea.

I had my Kindle with me, but only used it one day. Somehow being mesmerized by the sea, the sound of the waves and the birds calling overhead was plenty to enjoy.

We watched the clouds drift by, and enjoyed the little boys who continuously dove into holes they had made in the beach sand.

Somehow, this gave them great satisfaction.

Paddleboarder

The water temperature was perfect. Walking into the ocean was no shock to the body and I imagine here, this man is just lingering on his paddleboard until another thought comes to mind.

Peace-full.

Beauty-full.

WooHOOO!

Of the two of us, Billy is the swimmer, the scuba diver, the avid water lover.

I am grateful that he has shown me how to enjoy the beach, even though I find the power of the ocean to be daunting.

Where the fishermen dock

In our research on Chacala, we found out that there was a malecon.

Malecons are walkways by the beach so people can enjoy the ocean while they are jogging, walking their dog, or strolling along.

Problem was... we couldn't find it!

We asked around and around and around... and it seemed the locals didn't know the word "malecon."

Somehow - here there and everywhere - we stumbled on a grubby pathway that led us to where the fishermen dock. This was their malecon!

Now that we know where it is, let us tell you the best way to get there posthaste.

Go through Chac Mool and face the beach. On the right hand side at the end of the beach is a well-worn sandy trail which will take you to where the fishermen dock. The pathway is about half a kilometer long, but has very nice views, like the one above. It is worth seeking out.

Further up that pathway - a sweet view of Chacala

Here you see another view from the chunky pathway looking out to the cove and Chacala beach.

Sweet, huh?

Sunset with ethereal clouds

To the far right is where the fishermen dock their boats. This view is approximately in front of Chac Mool Restaurant/Bar/Cafe.

Each night the sunset was spell binding.

Another sunset on the beach

One right after another, evening after evening, going to the beach for atardacer (sunset) was the nightly entertainment.

Chacala is calling you!

For more stories and photos about Mexico, click here

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

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